PEOPLE’ PARTICIPATION FOR CONSERVETION OF NATURAL RESOURSES IN HUAY-KHA-KHANG FOREST UTHAITHANEE PROVINCE

Abstract

The Objectives of this research were; 1. to study people’s participation in
Kuay Ka Kaeng Natural Resource Conservation in Uthaitani Province, 2. To study
Buddhadhamma related to people’s participation in Kuay Ka Kaeng Natural
Resource Conservation in Uthaitani Province and 3) to propose the guideline for
developing people’s participation in Huay Ka Kaeng natural resource conservation,
Uthaitani Province Methodology was the mixed methods; qualitative research
collected data from 22 key informants who were involved with Huay Ka Kaeng
natural resource, Uthaitani, conservation, purposefully selected and 9 participants
in focus group discussion. Data were analyzed be descriptive interpretation. The
quantitative method collected data from 384 samples by simple random sampling,
with questionnaires with reliability value at 0.916 analyzed data with frequency,
percentile, mean and standard deviation and Pearson’s coefficient.
Findings were as follows:
1. People’s participation in Huay Ka Kaeng natural resource were that:
Decision making; there was appointment of a committee to carry out the Huay Ka
Kaeng natural resource, consisting of all agencies concerned, Operation;
participation by sharing information and data, listening to people’s opinions,
knowledge and experience exchange and the drive for development and change in
the target areas, Profit sharing; people gained benefits directly and indirectly. The
resource is source for food, incomes, seasonally rain, tourist attraction, Evaluation;
opening opportunities for people to participate in conservation, activities and
working
2. Karavasdhamma had relations with Sacca; the truth, the pledge to live
with nature, Tama; being aware, not letting any ones to destroy the natural forest,
Khanti. Resistance to the greediness to have the forest for oneself, Caga, sacrifice to
conserve and live with nature and environment in Uthaitano Province. Working
committee, people, community leaders, the youth and children must communicate
with the true information, must be truthful to the community, protect and
conserve the resource together. Sanghavattudhamma was also related to natural
resource conservation, to bring back the fertility of nature. All parties concerned
must work together to discuss, to share information, to live in harmony with nature
to create good relationship between man and nature.3. The guideline for developing people’s participation in Huay Ka Kaeng
natural resource conservation were as follows: Decision Making; people were
allowed to propose ideas about matters effecting the Huay Ka Kaeng natural
resource, people were allowed to participate in decision making and evaluation,
nature learning atmosphere enhancing, publicizing activities to encourage people’s
participation and consciousness for sustainable conservation. Operation;
Community representatives must be assigned to participate in advising and planning
for natural resource conservation, to create network of voluntary minded groups for
protecting natural forest. Encouraging people and the youth to have sense of
conserving water and forest, work together, think together and own together,
changing from invaders to protectors. Training the people to live together with
nature, learning to know the laws, rules and regulations as to what is practical and
non-practical. Profit Sharing; People had better quality of life with good food,
dwelling, clothing and medicine. Besides, the natural resource helped increase
income to community, to families, became capital forest for agriculture by
providing water for agriculture. Huay Ka Kaeng natural resource conservation
created love. Harmony among people in communities. Profit Sharing; people
helped conserving Huay Ka Kaeng natural resource and shared information and
suggestions for development, improvement, planning, problems identification with
all agencies concerned. It was the good forum for policy and vision projection’ It
was the center for learning complete ecosystem that indicated that Huay Ka Kaeng
natural resource conservation was efficient and effective.