FACTORS AFFECTING PEOPLE PARTICIPATION IN MANAGEMENT OF DONG YAI COMMUNITY FOREST, WAPI PATHUM DISTRICT, MAHA SARAKHAM PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of the study were to determine the socio-economic condition and factors affecting the participation in management of Dong Yai community forest. Data was collected by employing the designed questionnaires interviewed 204 respondents. The statistical analysis methods using for testing the setting hypothesis were t-test and F-test and with the given significance level of .05. The results of the study indicated that most respondents were male with their average age of 52.36 years. Their educational levels were at compulsory level (grade 4-7). Their main occupation of the most was paddy cultivation, and their subsidiary occupation was cattle raising. Their average annual household income was 62,056.37 bath / annum. Their average size of land holding was 19.20 rais. Their average resettled period was 49.43 years. The most respondents havenít hold any social position. They received information at moderate level or about 2 -3 times and village information tower was their main information source. Most of them have never attended any forest resource training courses. Their average score of knowledge about community forest was 14.05. The main forest products they used most were mushroom and firewood. The participation in management of community forest was divided into 6 aspects namely opinions presentation and causes of problems, community forest operated planning, public relation about community forest information, community forest maintenance and protection, monitoring, evaluation and inspection about the community forest operation, and with high participation level. Factors affecting people participation in management Dong Yai community forest were educational level, social position holding, used to attending forest resource training courses, community forest information received, having knowledge of community forest, and community forest utilization.