Participatory Monitoring and Assessment of Ecosystems: Lessons Learned for Development

In the kingdom of Thailand, forest ecosystems play a pivotal role in the livelihoods of both rural and urban communities. Rural communities depend upon the forest as a source of food, shelter and income, whereas urban communities rely on forests to sustain the hydrological cycle and as a venue for recreational activities.

Ascertaining the correct balance between utilizing the goods and services that forests can provide in conjunction with sustainable management practices and biodiversity conservation is a highly important and debated topic within Thailand. In recent years there has been a greater societal interest in the sustainable management of forests and their natural resources and this has gradually seen the inclusion of local communities in the forest decision-making processes.

In May 2005, the Regional Community Forestry Training Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RECOFTC) by its Thailand Collaborative Country Support Program (ThCCSP) collaborated with 16 organizations (including the United Nations Development Program) to host a national conference titled “Participatory Monitoring and Assessment of Ecosystems: lessons learned in Thailand”. The conference was specifically aimed at facilitating the exchange of knowledge on participatory monitoring and assessment of natural ecosystems and the lessons each organization has learned to date. This document works as a summary of the National Conference held during 26 - 27 May 2005 at Kasetsart University, Bangkok.