The research of public participation mechanism for community forestry－a case study of stream conservation in Lien-Hua-Chih area

Ecosystem management should combine community and forestry together, and accomplish the community-based forest ecosystem management. The purpose of this research is to assess the totally social benefit of forest ecosystem management, and explore the interactive relationship between forest ecosystem management and community development, and the model of community forestry. The major issues of the project include participation mechanism of local people and aboriginals, impact and influence of ecosystem management on the development of local community, and contribution and value of ecosystem management to local economy. In 2006, a survey of stream conservation and public participation mechanism for “Lotus Pond Stream Protection Association” has been implemented in Lien-Hua-Chih area, in order to understand the content, effect, participation method, and community development problems in the local area.
Results indicated that the roles and functions of the Association in the local community included “the guard of maintaining community ecology”, “propagandist of environmental education”, and “promoter of community development”. The missions need to be improved for the Association included “protection of streams and forests in the local area”, “communicating with community people and obtaining their identification and trust”, and “cohering consensus of community people”.
For public participation mechanism of the issues about “using the ecological engineering or general cement bank revetment construction for the stream treatment in Wu-chen village” and “closing stream to conserve fish for the stream protection in Wu-chen village”, first is “Interpretation”, and second is “Public hearing”.