Dependency on Forest Resource of People Residing Around Buffer Zone of Nam Pui National Reserved Forest, Saiyaboury Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Abstract

           The objectives of the study were to determine the socio-economic condition, dependency on forest resource and factors affecting the dependency on forest resource of people residing around the buffer zone of Nam Pui National Reserved Forest. A total of 226 respondents was used for the study. A designed questionnaire was employed as a tool for the data collection. The statistical analysis methods used were percent, minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation, t-test and F-test, with the given significance level of 0.05.

            The results of the study revealed that most respondents were male with an average age of 41.04 years. Ethnicity of most was low land Lao and most had a primary school educational level. Rice cultivation was their main occupation. About 65.93 percent had a secondary occupation and the average resettled period was 37.02 years. The average land holding was 13.53 rai. The average annual household income and expenditure were 73,996.46 and 44,505.31 baht, respectively. About 95.54 percent received information about conservation from government officers and 98.23 percent had participated in forest resource conservation activities. The types of forest resources that the targeted groups depended on were firewood, timber, bamboo, herbs, wild fruits, bamboo shoot, rattan, mushroom and edible insects with their combined value being 5,880,007.28 baht per annum.

            Based on the hypothesis that the differences in the educational level, main occupation, secondary occupation, number of household members, size of land holding, household income and participation in forest resource conservation activities caused significantly differences in people depending on forest resource in buffer zone of Nam Pui National Reserved Forest with the significance level of 0.05. Thus, the relevant government officers should employ the obtained information as a guideline for formulating the appropriate management plan of this National Reserved Forest.

Keywords: dependency, forest, buffer zone