Page 1 of 8 KKU-FORD SOCIAL FORESTRY RESEARCH PROJECT Phase III (1 September 1992 - 31 August 1994) Social Forestry Research Project Faculty of Humaniti and Social Sciences Khon Kaen University PROJECT ACTIVITIES KKU - Food Social Forestry Research Project 1 September 1992 - 30 June 1994 The Khon Kaen University Social Forestry Research Project Started her initial collaboration with the Royal Forestry Department in 1987. The project was intended to assist the RFD in developing effective social forestry approaches and field techniques for use in the implementation of RFD programs. The central concern of the project is to integrate social science perspectives in forest management programs. This involved changing roles of the RFD officers as well as help them establish methods to collaborate with local communities and related agencies in developing and implementing forest management plans which consider both the local needs and the environmental objective of the national government policy. During the first chase (1987-1989) the project provided process documentation services and social science analytical advice to the Thailand Up I and Social Forestry Pilot Projects in the Northeast. The project also attempted to strengthen research interest and capability of the faculty and graduate students of Khon Kaen University. In addition, project documents were distributed as means to stimulate public concern over forest management issues. In the second phase which covered the period between January 1990 and July 1992, the project have achieved its objective of strengthening the capability and skills of the local forestry officials to implement the participatory local resource management plans. Within the university, concern for natural resources have captured the interest of scholars from diverse disciplines. A Master's Degree Program in Development Sociology with Concentration on natural resources management has been established and acquired interest from a pool of students who are attached to various development implementing agencies within and outside the northeastern region. In addition, the project documents , newsletters, and research reports have been continually requested by many academic institutions as well as implementing agencies. Based on the experience of the previous two phases of the project, local organization and institutional support obviously affect participatory forest management. A key element in the effectiveness of social forestry programs is understanding of the social fabric and dynamics within rural communities. and their relationships to available resources. By working with sub-village level social groups and informal organizations. and by catalyzing new groups which share Common interests, the project has made more than satisfactory progress Page 2 of 8 to achieve its goal of forest conservation and afforestation. Attention to organizing and strengthening temple and school committees. occupational, and youth groups. for example, have resulted in the creation of seedling nurseries and tree planting on individual and community land. It can be anticipated that the plan for local forest management can be developed by the local organizations, if support is properly given to them. This, on the other hand, requires ability of the local forestry officials to analyze the community situations, potentials, needs and constraints. In short, reorientation of perspectives and roles is needed for both the villagers and officials. Therefore, it seems necessary for the project to focus its attention on and mediate between both parties. The implementation of the KHU Social Forestry Research Project can be phased as follows. 1. Learning Phase . The first phase was invested on "learning" through strategic research and process documentation, so that appropriate strategies can be provided to the policy level. 2. Collaboration Phase . During the second phase (1990-1992), the project focused on promoting collaboration among the parties involved. These include the university, the RFD and other related development officials, and the interest groups. 3. Networking Phase . The present phase which started mid 1992, was intended to strengthen and support the network of social forestry programs at various levels : 3.1 At the community level, the project has organized meetings and conferences for interest groups to meet and share their experiences. The groups were strengthened to ensure their capability to plan and implement their forest management programs. 3.2 At the district and provincial level, the project cooperates with local agencies and officials to promote participatory forest management. The project organized-trainings for local officials as well as provided resource persons for trainings in forest resources management. 3.3 At the academic institutional level, the project has cooperated with research and training institutions to promote under standings and integration of social forestry in regional and rural development programs. The linkage has been developed with domestic as well as international institutions. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The KKU Social Forestry Research Project is intended to further support the Royal Forest Department to institutionalize its Social forestry programs, while at the same time motivate the communities and public participation in forest conservation and afforestation. Specific objectives as proposed to the Ford Foundation were as follows. 1. To develop local networks to implement their locally-initiated forest and land management plans. 2. To further strengthen institutional linkages between relevant agencies in local planning and implementation of social forestry programs. 3. To strengthen the plan for the establishment of the Center for Research and Training in Resources Development. 4. To support the graduate program in natural resources management. PROJECT APPROACH In order to accomplish the above objectives, the project has served as mediator between vi I lager groups, local officials, and central planners. At the Village level, the project has responded to needs of the interest groups for technical trainings and fieldtrips. Meetings among interest groups have been organized to strengthen local networks Indigenous specialist are usually invited to serve as resource persons. this approach is found to be very effective. To sensitize local officials to the system approach and social dimension of forest management, as well as to strengthen their capability in local planting and implementation of social forestry programs, the project has Page 3 of 8 collaborated with related agencies to provide consultancy and trainings to improve their ability to assess needs and plan for social forestry programs. To support the rights of local organizations for forest management, the project has put effort to respond to the needs at policy levels. Strategic research has been conducted to achieve guidelines and recommendation for the policy level. The project leader also serves in the regional task groups of the Thailand Upland Social Forestry Project which are responsible for planning, organizing and implementing all project activities. PROJECT SITES In this phase, the project aims to strengthen networks of interest groups at the community level. The project expects activities to cover a total of 31 villages in three sites in the Northeast. Primary project sites include the following: 1. Dong Mun Forest, Kalasin Province The Dong Mun Social Forestry Pilot Project has made excellent progress during the last two phases. Collaboration among relevant project personnel and local organizations has been distinguished. Up to 8 forest-user groups have been formed and linkages of their activities have been developed by means of local meetings and people's conferences. It is anticipated that up to 15 villages surrounding the Dong Mun Reserved Forest will have joined in the "Dong Mun Conservation Network" by the end of the third phase. 2. Dong Lan Forest, Khon Kaen Province During the second phase, Dong Lan study site served as a sample model to implement social forestry approach in communities with on-going land reallocation program. The project focused on only two villages within the boundary of the Dong Lan 5 Development Project. In spite of a number of constraints, the project achieved its objective to build up good understanding between the government officials and villagers, resulting in a collaborated plan for a community forest development and management. As this area is the most significant watershed of the Northeast, appropriate management of the area seems to be most necessary. The project intends to explore strategies to integrate social forestry to indigenous watershed management plan. The target local actors for this plan include E villages in the Huai Sai sub - watershed of the Choen Watershed in Khon Kaen Province. 3. Tab Lan Forest, Nakhon Ratchasima Province This study site is distinguished in terms of its location. The Social forestry pilot projects was implemented in villages bordering the Tab Lan National Forest. Agroforestry wasused as means to improve land use management, while a community plantation was built by cooperating interest groups within the target villages. It is anticipated that additional 8 villages at the national park frontier join in the network to set up a buffer zone between the park and the cultivation area. PROJECT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE In order to improve operations and respond to diverse needs at the field level, the project organizational structure was designed to be flexible.