A STUDY ON COMMERCIAL TIMBER GROWING MANAGEMENT OF BUDDHIST AGRICULTURIST COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN ISAN

Abstract

This research titled “A Study on Commercial Timber Growing Management of Buddhist Agriculturist Communities in Southern Isan” included the following 3 objectives: 1) to study the condition of commercial timber growing management; 2) to study the process of commercial timber growing management; and 3) to analyze the outcome of commercial timber growing management of Buddhist agriculturist communities in southern Isan. It was qualitative research through gathering and analyzing qualitative data by in-depth interviewing target groups of 40 persons including agriculturists, experts, academicians and community sages. The data were then qualitatively analyzed and synthesized. The research results were as follows: 1) The condition of  commercial timber growing management of Buddhist agriculturist communities in southern Isan, the land tenure of the agriculturists included freehold title deeds and Sor Por Kor 4-01 while the land rights of community forest included Nor Sor 3 and land for public use authorized by the government and some of them were adapted under the Community Forest Act 2562 B.E. Plant seedlings of agriculturists were supported by the Provincial Forestry Centers while the community forests were supported by the Provincial Forestry Centers and local administrative organizations in conserving the forests. 2) The process of commercial timber growing management of Buddhist agriculturist communities in southern Isan, the stages of timber growing management included: understanding of agriculturalists in their land rights in relation to the rights in timber cutting and wood processing; searching supporting sources for timber growing; deciding on selection of species with good quality of wood and suitable for the condition of the land; improving quality of soil and water system suitable for the species; 5) spacing between the timber plants and leaving the room to be grown; planting timbers with other easily grown short-term economic plants for mutual support; continuously maintaining the growth of all plants. For the community forest management, the forest committee used the principle of participation of the people and local administrative organizations in conserving and utilizing the benefit from the forests. 3) The outcome of commercial timber growing management of Buddhist agriculturist communities in southern Isan, the timber growing of the agriculturists was overlapped between subsistence agriculture and commercial agriculture. It was also used as sharing sources, herbal medicines sources, and environmental conservation. The outcome of community forest management could be divided into 3 aspects including: 1) The community defined and operated common agreement in community forest management; 2) The community understood the ecological system of the forest and sustainably maintained the forest; 3) The people in the community equally and fairly shared the benefit from the forest.