Outcomes of State- vs. Community-Based Mangrove Management in Southern Thailand

In Thailand, mangrove forests are claimed for state management, although it is widely recognized that coastal communities access and manage those forests. Skepticism persists within Thai government circles about whether coastal villages can sustainably manage and protect mangroves. This research presents evidence of successful mangrove conservation and management by two coastal villages in Trang province, southern Thailand. Using interdisciplinary methods including interviews, discussions, quantitative forest surveys, and institutional analysis, the authors describe the history of how these two communities gained rights to manage the mangrove forests, and the subsequent positive biological outcomes associated with their management.