Page - (000149) - in Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development

Since road construction and road-quality related investments within study Forest Reserves took place for security reasons or to provide access to this area, this assumption is a plausible one.8 I measure access to market using a composite variable – travel time to the market – which is a good proxy indicator for all threemeasures of access, and their combination – roadpresence, road quality and availability of transport.9,10,11 8.2 ReservedForests inThailand ForestReservesare the lastbastionsof forests inThailandandmore thanone-fifthof the Thailand’s villages are located within Forest Reserves. Until 1985, North Thailand, where the province of ChiangMai is located, had the country’s lowest populationdensity and largest forestedarea, including largeandcriticalwatersheds. Before the studyperiod in1985–1993,Thailandasawhole lost 11%of its forested area (Royal Forest Department 1994) and specifically the province of ChiangMai lostalmost2000squarekmofforest,whichequals10%ofitsprovincial landarea.12 Forest loss in theprovincehasbeenattributedmainly to agricultural practices.13,14 8.2.1 LandTitles andPropertyRights Forest reserves in Thailand lie under the jurisdiction of the Royal Forest Depart- ment (RFD) that set boundaries, but unlike protected areas, donot strictlymanage orpatrol these.However this jurisdictionand indeedauthorityhasnot alwaysbeen clear. Over the years, this ambiguity has led to frequent changes in legislation related to user rights, as well as, changes in boundaries of forest reserves them- selves. Land rights for ethnic tribes living within forest reserves have frequently changed over the years (see Box 8.1). Boundaries of Forest Reserves in northern Thailand have changed leading to changes in the types of land titles especially on the edges of forest reserves which are most affected by boundary changes. Both 8HoweandRichards (1984) andPuri (2002a). 9Also, unlike other formsof investment, investments on roads occur in stagesPuri (2002a). 10Puri (2002b) In addition, road-related investments are frequently assumed to be endogenous because thebeneficiarycommunitiescanexertpoliticalpressure.Totheextent thatForestReserve villages are inhabited byminority communities, political pressure is not expected to havemuch swayongovernment investments. 11HoweandRichards (1984) andPuri (2002a). 12North Thailand lost approximately the same percentage of forest area. Forest area fell from 8,4126km2 in1985 to 75,231km2 in1993. 13Panayatou (1991) andFeeny (1988). 14Panayatou andSungsuwan (1994) andFeeny (1988). 8 UsingMixedMethods toAssessTrade-OffsBetweenAgriculturalDecisions. . . 133