Impact of Dry Dipterocarp Forest Restoration on People’s Livelihood at Nongteng and Chakarach National Reserved Forest, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

This research aimed to study plantspecies appearing after the restoration of
deciduous dipterocarp forests, as well as the socioeconomic characteristics, general
information, and impact of the previous dry dipterocarp forest restoration on people’s
livelihood at Nongteng and Chakarach national reserved forest, Nakhon Ratchasima province.
Research tool in the form of interviews was applied for compiling data of people from 362
households located in the Nongteng and Chakarach national reserved forest, Nakhon
Ratchasima province, and for analyzing the relationship between socioeconomic factors and
the level of impact of living capital caused by the dry dipterocarp forest restoration. The
statistics used in the data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, and correlation
coefficient, with the reliability test at 95%.
The findings revealed that there are 9 plant species that appeared after the restoration
of the deciduous dipterocarp forest. Among the citizens, aged between 40 - 74 years, and the
average age was 52 years, most of the people are indigenous people, born in the villages. with
the highest level of education at primary school. The people are mainly engaged in agriculture.
The income between 10,000 - 664,000 Bahts per year. The average income was 151,659 Bahts
per year. The expense between 5,000 – 450,000 Bahts per year, the average expense was
97,562 Bahts per year. When study the Impact of Dry Dipterocarp Forest Restoration on
People’s Livelihood from the result of the analysis of positive socioeconomic factor were most
related to the level of impact on living capital in various aspects was social integration,
members of subgroups benefitted from participation in the dry dipterocarp forest restoration
activities. The negative socioeconomic factor related to the level of impact on living capital in
various aspects was income. Since the sample group have income from theirmain occupation,
the restorationof the deciduous dipterocarp forest did not affect the income.