UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Intralawan, Apisom
Dept./Program:
Natural Resources
Year:
2010
Degree:
PhD
Abstract:
Change is a common phenomena and characteristic of life. People have to adapt to changing circumstances to survive. However, change is occurring at an accelerating rate beyond what one can control and what natural forces cause. Understanding change through examining reciprocal relationships between human beings and their environment is therefore crucial, especially since these mutual impacts are-increasingly global and because human actions and their growing environmental footprint are major determinants. This research project identifies and tracks the pattern of this interaction by asking what, how, why, and the extent of these impacts on land use and land cover change in a small community on the west side ofthe Mekong River in northern Thailand.
Understanding the causes, the processes and the impacts of land use and land cover (LULC) change occurring in their reach is essential for sustainable development. Given the ecological factors influencing social, political, and economic processes and the resulting changes in land conditions in tum, a multi-disciplinary approach is necessary and appropriate. By examining the LULC processes, one can understand the evolution of both the social community and its surrounding environment. In one way or another, human presence has always both affected and been constrained by land cover, and the impact today has become even more dramatic and profound.
This case study of Pak Ing Tai, a community in Thailand's northernmost province, Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, allows us both to trace and forecast likely and escalating changes. The researcher shows that the growing wealth and population of Thai society accounts for profound changes in both values and behavior. The land under the study area has changed in two respects: first by deforestation, which occurred mostly during 1977 -1988, and second by greatly expanded agriculture. Ironically, both ofthese have resulted in an increase in amount of barren land, especially during 1998 -2008, and a decrease in the capacity of ecosystem services needed to serve the community with all the natural resources it needs and has traditionally relied upon.
Within the last three decades, the estimated change in the value of ecosystem service flows shows a net decline (measured in dollars) of roughly $US 30 million, from $US 102.48 million in 1977 to $US 72.29 in 2008. As revealed by the investigatory technique of participatory livelihood analysis, it is apparent that villagers in Pak 1ng Tai are very concerned about the decrease in the quality and quantity of their environment. Even though their standard of living and incomes has grown, they have experienced an increase in debt at the same time due to the rising costs of living and agricultural inputs. This is furthered coupled with the uncertain and falling prices for their crops, and growing fear of landlessness and insecure land tenure.
The study reveals that, contrary to the common belief, land use decisions are influenced more by global and regional than local factors. Villagers in the Pak Ing Tai community are increasingly vulnerable to the global economy, the growing irregularity of precipitation, water flow and sedimentation, of development projects and dam construction upstream, and of changing political climate at the regional and national levels. The study concludes by looking at what local resources the people continue to have at their command in terms of their resource governance and sufficiency practices.
Understanding the causes, the processes and the impacts of land use and land cover (LULC) change occurring in their reach is essential for sustainable development. Given the ecological factors influencing social, political, and economic processes and the resulting changes in land conditions in tum, a multi-disciplinary approach is necessary and appropriate. By examining the LULC processes, one can understand the evolution of both the social community and its surrounding environment. In one way or another, human presence has always both affected and been constrained by land cover, and the impact today has become even more dramatic and profound.
This case study of Pak Ing Tai, a community in Thailand's northernmost province, Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai, allows us both to trace and forecast likely and escalating changes. The researcher shows that the growing wealth and population of Thai society accounts for profound changes in both values and behavior. The land under the study area has changed in two respects: first by deforestation, which occurred mostly during 1977 -1988, and second by greatly expanded agriculture. Ironically, both ofthese have resulted in an increase in amount of barren land, especially during 1998 -2008, and a decrease in the capacity of ecosystem services needed to serve the community with all the natural resources it needs and has traditionally relied upon.
Within the last three decades, the estimated change in the value of ecosystem service flows shows a net decline (measured in dollars) of roughly $US 30 million, from $US 102.48 million in 1977 to $US 72.29 in 2008. As revealed by the investigatory technique of participatory livelihood analysis, it is apparent that villagers in Pak 1ng Tai are very concerned about the decrease in the quality and quantity of their environment. Even though their standard of living and incomes has grown, they have experienced an increase in debt at the same time due to the rising costs of living and agricultural inputs. This is furthered coupled with the uncertain and falling prices for their crops, and growing fear of landlessness and insecure land tenure.
The study reveals that, contrary to the common belief, land use decisions are influenced more by global and regional than local factors. Villagers in the Pak Ing Tai community are increasingly vulnerable to the global economy, the growing irregularity of precipitation, water flow and sedimentation, of development projects and dam construction upstream, and of changing political climate at the regional and national levels. The study concludes by looking at what local resources the people continue to have at their command in terms of their resource governance and sufficiency practices.