2017 年 8 巻 1 号 p. 132-138
Forest ecosystems provide goods and services that support our livelihoods. However, forestlands are often cleared for agriculture due to nutrient availability for crop growth. This study examined forest ecosystem services and agricultural practices of three villages at Phu Kao – Phu Phan Kham National Park, northeastern Thailand. A survey on agricultural production and socioeconomics was conducted in June 2016, together with GIS spatial analysis to examine correlations between agricultural productivity and forest-to-farmland distances (FD) and vegetative cover (VC) surrounding farmlands within a 100m radius. We hypothesized that farmlands closer to the forests and/or surrounded by greater vegetative structure would receive more benefits from forest ecosystem services than those farther away. In total, 100 household representatives answered the questionnaire. Cassava was a major cash crop planted with approximately 8.94 tons/ha. Production costs of cassava plantation (i.e., labor and fertilizer) were estimated 24,67.95 Baht/ha, mainly from harvesting costs and chemical fertilizers. Forest-to-farmland distances and VC did not result in significant yields (tons/ha). However, the total production costs of cassava plantations closer to the forest (<1 km) were significantly smaller than those farther away (mean difference = -7,053 Baht/ha, p = 0.007), while VC showed a marginal difference. Farmlands with less VC (<1 ha) resulted in greater total production costs than those with larger VC (mean difference = 2,540.00 Baht/ha, p = 0.073). These findings illustrate that adjacent forests provide ecosystem services to cassava production, at least to some degree. Farmers incur smaller production costs, thereby receiving greater economic returns when their farmlands were closer to the forest and surrounded by larger amounts of vegetation.
