Public Participation in the Conservation of Tha Ibun Community Forest

Abstract

Community participation provided opportunities for the general public to engage in setting management plans, formulating problem-solving approaches for the community, and the stewardship of natural resources. The forms of participation varied, ranging from receiving information, expressing supportive or opposing opinions, and consultation, to public hearings, and included collaborative decision-making and joint evaluation.
Relevant agencies revised their policies and operational methods concerning forest conservation, prioritizing the needs and problems of local communities. They sought to instill a concept of forests and resource conservation as a matter of critical importance, the success of which required cooperation from all parties to foster love, pride, and an understanding of the necessity for natural resource conservation. For existing forested areas, efforts were made to maintain their condition. The perpetual maintenance of forests was achieved by designating forest areas as national reserved forests, national parks, and forest parks; enacting direct forestry legislation; organizing reforestation projects; conducting public relations campaigns to inform communities; and enforcing laws to protect reserved forests by controlling deforestation, promoting reforestation, and preventing forest fires and pests.
Forest fires were considered a severe danger to forests and residents living in adjacent areas. They caused trees to grow slowly or cease growth altogether, destroyed young trees, damaged the homes of nearby villagers, and killed large numbers of wild animals. Since most forest fires occurred during the summer when the weather was dry, finding effective methods to control them and encouraging public cooperation in prevention were essential.