Participation Development Community Forest of Ban Khao Pud Thong, Ta Kuk Tai Subdistrict, Khiri Rat Nikhom District, Surat Thani Province

Abstract

 The purposes of this research were to study the context of community, problems and needs in developing community and to create development strategy for managing Ban Khao Pud Thong community forest, Ta Kuk Tai Subdistrict, Khiri Rat Nikhom District. Data were collected from 30 local people in Ban Khao Pud Thong Community consisting of formal and informal community leaders, representatives of public sector and general people by using in-depth interview, focus group and workshop using SWOT analysis technique.

The results of study found that community context of Ban Khao Pud Thong, Ta Kuk Tai Subdistrict, Khiri Rat Nikhom District was a rural society with the ways of life affiliating with natures, earn a living with agricultures, gardening rubber trees and oil palms. There was convenient transportation, relatively perfect public utility system. Most areas were plain and foothills which were considered to be an important nature resource of community. According to the problems and needs in developing community forest management, the study found that most people lacked knowledge and cooperation in conserving community forest. There are budget needs from public sector in support of training activity to provide knowledge on community forest management and forest conservation. According to development strategies, the study found that 1) SO Strategy includes community forest areas maintenance, and cooperative network building between public sector and people; 2) ST Strategy includes a strategy increasing potential of people in community; 3) WO Strategy includes community forest maintenance, and knowledge building for developing community forest; and 4) Critical Strategy includes security of community forest.