ASSESSMENT OF PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIORS REGARDING THE USE OF RARE FOREST SPECIES IN THE NIGHT AREA OF THANH SA - PHUONG HOANG NATURE RESERVE, THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and awareness and behavior regarding the use of rare and valuable forest tree species among communities and management staff in the buffer zone of the Than Sa - Phuong Hoang Nature Reserve in Thai Nguyen province. Data were collected from 96 survey questionnaires and processed using SPSS 26.0, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. The results show that education level and occupation are important variables significantly influencing awareness and behavior regarding the use/level of use of rare and valuable forest tree species. Management staff scored higher in awareness and tended to use them more cautiously, while local people had a higher/more frequent harvesting frequency, especially for valuable timber and medicinal plants with economic value. The regression model indicates three significant variables: educational level (β = 0.372), occupation (β = 0.415) and target group (residents/officials) (β = –0.327), with an adjusted R² of 0.41, which represents the variability in awareness and usage behavior. The high level of exploitation of some species poses a risk of genetic resource depletion in the wild. The study proposes integrating communication and education, sustainable livelihood development, and co-management mechanisms between management agencies and local communities in strategies for the conservation and rational use of rare and valuable forest tree species in the buffer zone of the protected area.