Abstract
The Evaluation Report of Phu Luang Rural Revitalization and Conservation Project is the record of the effort to bring the integration of conservation and development concept into practice. The objective of the project is to reduce and slow down the loss of biodiversity in Phu Luang complex, which is one of the most important ecosystem areas in the country with unique wildlife species and spectacular sceneries for tourism. The integration of conservation and development is the concept accepted and widely spread around the world with objective to reduce the degradation of natural resources by offering the chance to improve the socio-economic situation of the people living around the protected area. This is implemented with the belief that if living situation of people around the protected area is improved, with so many alternatives in their development, people will recognize the importance of natural resources and the need for resource management. This practice will hopefully enable local people to participate in a more community based natural resources management and exploitation of the resources in a more sustainable approaches.Lessons learned from four protected areas applied the ICDP during 1993-94, found out that the concept was implemented with both success and failure. There were two considerable success factors. The first one is ‘trust and ownership’ among people using and managing the resources. This factor is crucial to build the sense of conservation concept to these direct stakeholders. The second factor is the administration and management of the project, whether it is effective in term of its flexibility to facilitate the diverse development activities which give appropriate responses to the need of the local communities. At the same time, the project should be able to coordinate and liaise with local organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, and people organizations to work together to support conservation initiatives in order to extend its impact to the positive change of natural resources.The evaluation of the development work under the ICDP concept of Phu Luang Rural Revitalization and Conservation Project, after more than two year-operation, came out with positive potentials, but still not comprehensive enough to cover various issues and stakeholders. However, the project has brought the new perspective of local initiations into recognition. Thus in the remaining time of the project, it is imperative to encourage local’s effort and broaden its impact by transferring the mandate to do development work to Local People Organizations and their networks. The staff of the project has to adjust their roles from implementers of the project’s activities to the supporters or facilitators and network with local organizations to work together for sustainable conservation and development in a more sustainable way.
