Community Forest Committees: Roles in Sustainable Conservation and Environmental Management

This article explores the role of community forest committees in managing natural resources and the environment, with the Buddharaksa Community Forest in Nakhon Ratchasima Province serving as a case study. Community forest committees, elected from local members, are responsible for protecting and developing forest resources while acting as the central body for integrating the “Baworn” principle (home–temple–school–government) to promote moral communities. The study reveals that the committees not only oversee forest conservation but also play a vital role in strengthening community morality, fostering resilience and advancing sustainable development aligned with the sufficiency economy philosophy.