Local Management for Conserving the Sustainability of Natural Resources: A Case Study of Thab Lan National Park, Thailand

Abstract

National parks are designated natural areas set aside for the preservation of their resources. However, they suffer from several environmental problems resulting from human actions, exacerbated by a lack of effective management planning, including unsustainable biodiversity loss, deforestation, and wildfires. This qualitative research proposes practical sustainability conservation management based on the experience of Thab Lan National Park in Thailand, utilizing Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets. Through in-depth interviews, data were collected from three residents and two operations-level staff members of the Thab Lan National Park. The findings highlighted local resource protection, park residency legality, and agricultural expertise as supportive factors. In contrast, ecosystem protection from slosh equity enabled them, which was detrimental due to the skewed distribution of benefits. Furthermore, the management level was found to have an impact on the long-term ecological benefits. Most importantly, unequal resource allocation has hampered conservation efforts, highlighting the need for community participation in sustainable resource management. This management strategy is a working approach that local authorities and regional policymakers can adopt as guidelines for the sustainable conservation of natural resources in the Thab Lan National Park and other similar settings.