COMMUNITY FOREST: A STUDY OF ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES IN COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT OF MONKS IN THE NORTHEAST

Abstract

The purposes of this research are: 1) to study the ecological principles and practices in Buddhist scriptures; 2) to study the practices in community forest management of monks in the northeast; and 3) to analyze the model   of community forest management following the ecological principle of monks in the northeast. It is a qualitative research. The community forest areas of this research include Koke - chi in Kalasin province, Kokeyai-Kamplakang and Koke Khwao in Roi - et province and Dongyai in Makasarakam province. Sampling groups of 25 persons include monks, community leaders, personnel of local government organizations, local sages, villagers benefiting from community forest and officials of the Department of Forestry. Data was gathered through interviews and focused groups. The information is descriptively presented. Findings of this research are as the followings: 1) The ecological principles and practices in Buddhist scriptures; It has been found that the forest in Buddhism must be tranquil, shady and suitable for Dhamma practices. The Buddha designated various rules for monks in abstaining from ecological destruction i.e. because the forest is the source of food, clothing, shelter and medicine:  2) the practices in community forest management of monks in the northeast include 5 stages: 2.1) problem identification and its causes; 2.2) planning for development; 2.3) implementation; 2.4) sharing benefit of the development; 2.5) evaluation of the development: 3) Analysis of the model of community forest management following the ecological principle of monks in the northeast: The approaches found are: 3.1 restoration of degraded forest such as reforestation; 3.2 forest conservation such as conserving the existing fertile forest; 3.3) countering injustice such as participation in opposing forest encroachers; 3.4) provision of knowhow such as knowledge and means for forest conservation; and 3.5) forest extension and development through organizing various activities.