野生動植物採集と公共林野利用 : タイ王国東北部ロイエット県の天水稲作農村の事例

Abstract

Forest area has decreased in northeastern Thailand from 61.8 percent of all land in 1950 to 12.4 percent in 1998. Because forest conservation and reforestation have become important subjects, public forests and the value of forest wildlife have begun to draw public attention. In terms of hunting and gathering wildlife, however, how important are the "forest" and "public land" for rural villagers whose land use is multiple? This paper describes hunting and gathering activities and considers the present situation of public forests. Participatory observation and intensive research with questionnaires and diaries were conducted in six villages in Roi Et from 1997 to 2001. The results are the following: 1) many rural villagers frequently hunt and gather various wildlife; 2) rural villagers hunt and gather most wildlife from rice fields, not forests; 3) villagers hunt and gather most wildlife from private land, not public land; 4) wildlife is freely accessed by everyone and maintains villagers' life and human relationships; 5) "public forest" has changed from land reserved for cultivation to land reserved for government projects; and 6) villagers substitute and complement public forest for other lands.