The Dynamism of the Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Nan Province

Abstract

The past acceleration of Thailand’s economic development has affected the abundance of natural resources in many areas and provinces of Thailand. Among the affected provinces is Nan, which has been affected by the production processes transitioning from agricultural methods to industrial processing. This study aims to present the methods of community adaptation and management for the restoration of natural resources in Nan province, specifically in the districts of Phu Phiang, Tha Wang Pha and Santi Suk. Data has been analyzed by time periods to allow better understanding of community activities and interactions, and to provide a holistic presentation of the links between human ecology and the physical ecosystem, including community adaptation and relevant institutions. The results of the study revealed that community resource management can be divided into 3 periods, comprising 1) the foundational period or the pre-concession period, 2) the expansion period, and 3) the present. Generally, all 3 districts adapted their objectives in a similar pattern. Regarding community adaptation, it was revealed that forests are highly public resources and therefore community adaptation to reforestation was more dynamic than that of the other resources.