Author: Yuba Raj Bhusal
AIT Library Call Number: AIT RSPR no. HS-96-02
Year: 1996
Academic Program: Human Settlement (HS)
Type: Research Studies Project Report (M.B.A.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1996
Examination Committee: Gopal B. Thapa (Chairperson); Karl E. Weber, Kaew Nualchawee (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: Watershed management refers to the management of all the bio-physical and socioeconomic components of a catchment, where natural resources are managed in conjunction with human use to produce a series of goods and services in a sustainable manner. Degradation of watershed propels human life towards susceptibility. Thailand has a long history of co-operative water resource management for rural development concordant to forest conservation in catchment areas. Traditional institutions were, however, gradually smashed with the nationalization of forests in late nineteenth century. Eventually, open access status and common ownership of the forests paved way to indiscriminate deforestation. State sanctioned logging concessions and agricultural expansion substantially contributed to the constricted forests. Watershed in Khlung district, the study area, has undergone significant depletion due to substantial replacement of forests by orchards and para-rubber plantation. As local people have not been made involved in forest management, deforestation is taking place by illegal logging and encroachment for agriculture. Soil conservation measures have not been adopted in the farming practices which has made the soil vulnerable to accelerating erosion. Environmentally incompatible agricultural practices accompanied by continual deforestation has posed severe environmental as well as economic consequences to the farmers both living in upstream and downstream as well. Prospects of participatory watershed management, with emphasis in forestry and farm management, has been attempted in this study. Local people of the watershed area seemed enthusiastic to manage forests through community forestry approach. Likewise, farmers seemed interested to adopt appropriate measures of soil conservation in their farm lands, provided they are made aware of those methods and techniques incurring relatively low cost. Strategies for sustainable watershed management have been devised, which might be useful for policy makers, planners, researchers
Scholarship Donor(s): Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst; United States Agency for International Development and His Majesty’s Government of Nepal
Note: A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development
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