INDIGENOUS ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF TEA GARDEN IN THE HILL EVERGREEN FOREST OF NORTHERN THAILAND

Abstract

The studies on indigenous ecological knowledge about the sustainability of tea garden in the hill evergreen forest of Northern Thailand found that these knowledges were transferred by the Khmer and T'in who are Austroasiatic hilltribes which have lived on the Northern Thailand and Laos. Miang plantations have grown on the headwatershed on the North. The most of these area has been 1A watershed classification. The present landused has consisted of 4 component, namely residence, home garden. Miang garden and forest area for water supplied and timber. Miang gardeners have maintained forest trees for sheding and fertilizer supplied. They have grown Miang seedlings near forest trees, so the seedlings have been got moisture by forest trees. They also have protected them from stepping on of cow. The Miang gardens normally are forest line protecting. The Miang gardener like to use Schima wallichii, Lithocarpus sp. and Glochidion sphaegynum for firewood.