The Role of Indigenous Plants in the Livelihood of Local Communities Around Dong Phayayen in the Khao Yai Forest Complex

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Chinna Phueaknang
Sompob Ratanapracha

Abstract

The objective of this research was to explore the importance of indigenous plant species to the local communities around Dong Phayayen in the Khao Yai forest complex. We determined the role of the local communities in managing the resources in terms of sustainable use of the indigenous plants. The research was conducted during 2019 – 2021 using a walking survey of the indigenous plants in the community areas and natural forests, along with in-depth interviews with key informants. The results showed that the communities utilized 467 species of indigenous plants belonging to 106 families. The top three plants were utilized mostly for food (55.5%), in traditional medicine (29.3%), and for selling the products derived (20.3%). The community area was the richest in indigenous plants at 83.9%, with the forest area (35.3%) and plants from both sources (19.7%) having lower percentages. In conclusion, the role of indigenous plants in the livelihood of the communities could be summarized into four characteristics: response to basic living factors; part of community’s culture; importance in creating a sustainable economy, and a source of knowledge and plant conservation.


Keywords: Indigenous plants; Livelihood; Local communities; Dong Phayayen - Khao Yai forest complex

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How to Cite
Phueaknang, C., & Ratanapracha, S. (2022). The Role of Indigenous Plants in the Livelihood of Local Communities Around Dong Phayayen in the Khao Yai Forest Complex . Thai Journal of Forestry, 41(2), 147–158. Retrieved from https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/tjf/article/view/255002
Section
Short Communications

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