The Application Model of Cultural Capital in Conservation and Rehabilitation of Community Forest Ecosystems along the Chi River at Samet Village, Nongteng Sub district, Krasang District, Buriram Province.

Abstract

This study is a participatory action research (PAR) which data were collected through in-depth interview, group discussion, field trips, holding problem analysis meeting with the community, brainstorming, and participatory observation. The results showed that the application of cultural capital in the conservation and rehabilitation of the community forest ecosystems along the Chi River was divided into 3 following plans: 1) Development plan on society, tradition, and culture consisting of: (1.1) establishing understanding and a wildfire prevention system with forest utilizers, (1.2) organizing wildfire prevention activities every year, and (1.3) applying human capital to community forest conservation and rehabilitation; 2) Management plan of forest resource and community food resources consisting of: (2.1) applying belief of Pu-ta ( the ghost village of ancestors) to the conservation and rehabilitation of the forest ecosystems, (2.2) providing areas for food resources within the forests, (2.3) organizing activities of afforestation and tree ordination; and 3) Community economy management plan for developing capacity of producers producing food from forest products: standardizing the production of Tam-Piang Songkrueng (processed bamboo shoots) with hygienically good taste.