The primary objectives of this research focused on developing a sustainable tourism model for the Pha Wang Nam Khiao -Pha Khao Phu Luang Forest Reserve in order to sustain forest area and develop local community simultaneously. The sustainable tourism model was created based on site potential, stakeholders' opinions, and cost-benefit analysis. The results showed that the destinations were ranked in high potential for tourism development. The majority of tourists paid attention to forest resources education program and sport outdoor activities. Benefit-cost ratio (BCR) equaled to 1.81 and internal rate of return (IRR) equaled to 16.38, showing suitability and worthiness for developing tourism in Wang Nam Khiao forest reserve. Tourism development strategies have been proposed, including: (1) developing facilities and services for conservation and sustainable tourism; (2) personnel training for sustainable development; and (3) tourism marketing for niche market.
Forage plants, as primary producers, play an essential role in maintaining populations of large herbivores. The availability and quality of these forage plants can affect the health and viability of these animals. Seasonally dry forests of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary and Huai Thab Salao-Huai Rabum Non-Hunting Area are recognized as one of the largest contiguous pieces of forests in mainland Southeast Asia and serve as a home to many large herbivore species, particularly banteng (Bos javanicus birmanicus). However, our understanding of forage plants and their dynamics is still limited. Therefore, the current study was undertaken to understand the dynamics of forage plants, prescribed burning effects, and the associated environmental factors. During 2018–2019, the results showed that the highest forage availability was in June after the prescribed burns at 156.2–252.6 kg ha−1 and the lowest in February before the burning at 16.8–39.8 kg ha−1. Environmental factors that impacted the forage availability include canopy cover, tree density, tree basal area, soil bulk density, soil pH, and topography. However, the impacts of these factors varied among the studied plant life forms, suggesting the importance of active habitat management through prescribed burns and stand improvement to maintain sufficient forage for large herbivores in the future.
Fire is a necessary disturbance in tropical deciduous forests, as it helps clear the understory community and allows regeneration of grasses and forbs for local wildlife. Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (HKK) and Huai Thab Salao-Huai Rabum Non-Hunting Area (HTS) are parts of a few places in Southeast Asia with deciduous forests. However, this area was heavily logged up until 1989, followed by a long period of fire suppression. The consequences of these changes on understory communities have not been investigated. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the understory communities and their aboveground biomass before and after the annual prescribed burns in HKK and HTS. Understory plant composition and biomass were surveyed in November 2018 (before the fire) and May 2019 (three months after the fire) in 128 temporary plots, covering of deciduous dipterocarp forest, mixed deciduous forest, mixed deciduous forest with bamboo, and open area. We identified a total of 480 understory species, including 37 grass species, 214 forb species, 73 shrub species, 153 tree seedling species and three species of bamboo in the study plots. Grasses in the DDF plots were at 72.79 ± 22.41 kg ha−1, accounting for only ten percent of the understory plants in the plots. The understory community in the DDF plots was dominated by shrubs and tree seedlings of competing species, especially after the fire. The results suggested that past logging activities and long-term fire suppression had reduced the number of mature key dipterocarp forests and hindered the regeneration of grasses and forbs. Maintaining the structure of dipterocarp forests and sufficient food sources for the local wildlife species will require more active habitat management of the study areas.
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