Title: Exploratory co-management interventions in Kuiburi National Park, Central Thailand, including human-elephant conflict mitigation

Authors: John W.K. Parr, Supol Jitvijak, Saowanee Saranet, Songsak Buathong

Addresses: Nam Theun 2 Watershed Management and Protection Authority, P.O. Box 190, Thakhek, Khammouane, Lao PDR. ' WWF Greater Mekong Thailand Country Programme, 104 Outreach Building, AIT, Klong Nung, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand. ' WWF Greater Mekong Thailand Country Programme, 104 Outreach Building, AIT, Klong Nung, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand. ' WWF Greater Mekong Thailand Country Programme, 104 Outreach Building, AIT, Klong Nung, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand

Abstract: Co-management is a developing field of protected area management. Increasingly, the practice is to involve local communities and other stakeholders in protected area planning and management. In many countries, management boards, co-management structures and other participatory mechanisms are being created. This paper reports on promoting co-management involving participatory management planning at Kuiburi National Park, Central Thailand, through the establishment of two working groups, namely a core management planning team comprising park personnel (charged with leading plan implementation), operating in parallel with a park management board working group (local people and other stakeholders). These institutional bodies participated in a park management planning process, which was fuelled by socio-economic data focusing on the high profile human-elephant conflict in the buffer zone. The initiative led to a major rethink on participatory management planning by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The process also led to some valuable recommendations for human-elephant conflict mitigation, both at Kuiburi and the international context.

Keywords: co-management; elephants; human-wildlife conflict; management planning; park management board; Thailand; national parks; protected areas; participatory management planning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESD.2008.021901

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, 2008 Vol.7 No.3, pp.293 - 310

Published online: 09 Dec 2008 *

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