LOCAL WISDOM OF UTILIZATION AND COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT BY PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATORY AT BAN MEAKMAIPUTTANA, NONGMEAK SUBDISTRICT, NACHUAK DISTRICT, MAHASARAKHAM PROVINCE

Abstract

            The objectives of this study were to study 1) community forest utilization 2) level of community participatory in forest management and 3) local wisdom of community participatory in forest management by people’s at Ban Meakmaiputtana. Nongmeak subdistrict, Nachuak district, Mahasarakham province. The research was have divided into two phases. Phase 1; to study community forest utilization and level of community participatory in forest management by people’s at Ban Meakmaiputtana. The purposive sample consisted of 50 people of family leaders in Ban Meakmaiputtana by using the Table Taro Yamane. The research tool was a questionnaire and analyzed by using computer package program. The statistical procedures were percentage, mean and standard deviation, and Phase 2; to study local wisdom of community participatory in forest management by people’s at Ban Meakmaiputtana. 25 informants Ban Meakmaiputtana consisted of a community leader, community forest committee and household representatives which obtained by purposive sampling. Data were collected from relevant documents, in-depth interview, and observation. Then the results of the study were presented in a descriptive analysis form. The results of the research were found that: people’s were gained benefits from community forest which the main benefit of the forest was food gathering, especially mushroom. For people’s participation in community forest management in Ban Meakmaiputtana in general and specific was at a high level. The order from the highest to the lowest means was community forest utilization, community forest conservation, community forest development and community forest revitalization, respectively. Local wisdom of community forest Management by people’s participatory at Ban Meakmaiputtana comprised participating activities (ordained forest, luck-bringing forest), mushroom collecting, firewood collecting, herbs and medical plants collecting, forest stuffs collecting and belief in forest spirit.