Conservation of Huai Nam Tho Community Forest, Ban Sai Yuan, under participatory management, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket Province

Abstract

     This research aimed to : 1) examine public participation in the conservation of the Huai Nam Tho Community Forest, and 2) propose guidelines for its conservation in Ban Saiyuan, Rawai Subdistrict, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket Province. The study population comprised 3,267 residents of Rawai Subdistrict. A sample of 400 residents was selected through accidental sampling. A questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.842 was employed as the research instrument. Quantitative data were analyzed using percentages, means, and standard deviations. Additionally, 10 key informants, including local sages, formal leaders, informal leaders, and government officials, were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis.
     The findings revealed that : 1) Public participation in the conservation of the Huai Nam Tho Community Forest involved representatives from the local community, primarily composed of long-term residents who had come together to form a conservation group. They actively engaged in participatory processes in collaboration with various organizations, leading to activities such as constructing check dams, reforestation, planting fruit trees, forest restoration, and labeling trees with name tags. 2) Guidelines for The conservation efforts under participatory management in Ban Saiyuan comprised four main areas: dissemination and public relations, community forest maintenance, forest rehabilitation and restoration, and education and knowledge transfer. Overall, the implementation level was high, with an average score of 4.37.