Community Forestry Support In The Mae Khan Watershed

The National Forest Policy of 1985 and the 8th National Economic and Social Development Plan called for 25% of the total land area of the country to be classified as conservation forest. Conflicts arose as Conservation Forest Decree forbids people from inhabiting national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and A1 watershed areas. In the North, upland dwellers have been in the area long before the promulgation of the law. National Parks account for 9.5% of Thailand's total 513,000 km2 surface area, 6.5% for Protected Wildlife Sanctuaries, and about 0.5% has been designated Non-Hunting Areas.

Despite the lack of recognition by the Thai legal system, community forest management continues to flourish in the upland communities of Thailand. In Mae Khan, ethnic groups inhabiting the watershed have rich indigenous forest protection and management systems deeply ingrained in their culture. Mae Khan is one of the sub-watersheds in the 1,840 square-kilometer Ping catchment in upper north Thailand. This sub-watershed consists of six minor-watershed: Bo Kaew, Mae Sarb, Mae Lam and Samoeng, all in Samoeng district; Mae Kanin in Hang Dong district; and Mae Wang in Mae Wang district.

The Mae Khan Project aims to improve the community-based management of forest resource, and to create a natural resources management institutional framework that links upland and lowland communities in micro-watersheds. Among its strategies are:

• Creating a venue for dialog among stakeholders in generating a sustainable community natural resource management plan.
• Establishing a local-level advisory group or local working group at the village level in coordination with RFD.
• Holding meetings to gather information on local natural resources management approaches.

Trainings in Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques and workshops will also be sponsored by WCM, while arranged inter-community exchange visits will allow village members to gain knowledge from other communities successfully practicing sustainable forest management practices.

Documentation and dissemination through WCM publications on the different proceedings will be shared with local communities, government agencies, and AFN alike. Further activities will involve the actual planning that will strengthen communities' abilities to manage micro-watersheds.


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Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)

Local Institutions In Community-Based Forest Management For Forest Conservation In The Khun Wang Sub-Watershed, Mae Wang Watershed, Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

Ethnic Karen, Hmong, and Khon Muang have been inhabiting the Mae Wang Watershed for hundreds of years but recent legislations threaten their continued existence and inherent rights over the forest which has been reclassified by government as protected and should therefore be free of inhabitants.

In order to understand the issues involved more clearly, AIT is undertaking a study to assess the situation and determine the impact of different proposed actions affecting the indigenous communities. The study will include an inventory of forest-related institutions in the watershed, documentation of the interactions between villages and the local RFD, the possible areas for collaboration, and the impact of the foreseen decentralization of community forestry in Thailand.

This study comprises one AIT student's Ph.D. thesis and will be shared among AFN network partners and other interested parties. It is then hoped that the study with lead to further investigation or action which will benefit the ethnic groups of the Mae Wang Watershed


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Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF)

Capacity Building Of Information System And Promotion Of Participatory National Park Management In Thailand

The system of national parks has long been established in Thailand. The management of these areas, however, has not been too favorable for the forest communities who still depend on resources within the parks. In order to better understand the possibilities of establishing strong and mutually beneficial collaborations among the different stakeholders in protected areas, SDF is preparing site profiles for pre-selected areas. These profiles will identify the particular stakeholders in each site, giving emphasis to the communities who are directly affected by the national parks policies. Consultation meetings and participatory processes such as community mapping will be employed to gather the necessary data which will provide the basis for formulating coherent and integrated management plans, while ensuring collaboration at all levels. Government units, and NGOs will play an important part in these processes especially when it comes to identifying roles and responsibilities in the management of natural resources in the protected areas.

A necessary outcome of these proceedings will be working groups composed of members from the stakeholder groups: community, national park officials, and NGOs. These working groups will be tasked to establish and manage an information system, and carry out further research. Trainings on holistic information systems and research methodologies will be offered by SDF to the working groups, as well as documentation services for all activities undertaken. Technical support and computer equipment will also be provided.

Once the information system has been established, and once working documents are compiled, the working groups will have the responsibility of designing a plan for the proper management and monitoring of park resources and activities


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