Conservation Behavior of Youths Participating in a Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation Camp in a National Park: A Case Study of Kaengkrachan National Park

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study the conservation behavior of youths participating in a natural resource and environmental conservation camp in Kaengkrachan National Park and to determine the factors affecting their behavior. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 350 high school students while they were participating in the park’s conservation camps. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the survey data. Multiple regression analysis indicated that only six factors influenced conservation behavior in the camp, including knowledge on conservation, value placed on natural resources and the environment, and pride in showing conservation behavior,  and they accounted for 39.60% of the variance in the behavior (F = 8.941; p-value = 0.001; r² = 0.396). The same analysis indicated only three factors influenced conservation behavior in their everyday life–namely, the need to reduce global warming, experience in participating in conservation activity within school, and age, and these accounted for 18.10% of the variance in the behavior (F = 3.009; p-value = 0.001; r² = 0.181).

Keywords: conservation behavior, youth, natural resource and environmental conservation camp, Kaengkrachan National Park