Management Issues
Historical Land Use in the Don Sak National Forest Reserve
Wongbandit (2000) has reviewed the historical land use patterns and laws relating to the changing land use patterns in the Reserve. In that review it is noted that the Reserve was established in 1964 under the National Forest Reserve Act.
Following that action, concessions were given by the government for cutting of mangroves for charcoal production. This probably led to the first large scale removal of mangroves from the Reserve. Although replanting was required as part of the concession, it apparently did not occur. Another concession was granted, and the now degraded forest was illegally sold to new investors interested in conversion of the forest to shrimp aquaculture ponds.
Realizing that aquaculture within the Reserve might require a permit, the new “landowners” applied for permits to construct ponds. When the permit process became bogged down, they built them anyway. Attempts to then enforce the existing regulations