Survey Study on Cultural Ecology of Wild Herbs for Geographic Information System Creation Wat Khao Bang Sai, Chonburi Province, Thailand

Abstract

This study objective was to investigate the diversity of medicinal plants or wild herbs in order to create the geographic information system at the cultural forest Khao Bang Sai Temple, Chonburi province. This study was a mixed-method research for creating an innovation using documentary study and the data collection was conducted using survey and fieldwork including in-depth interview, observation form, and focus group discussion in order to study local wisdom in the utilization of medicinal plants. The data of medicinal plant varieties were then analyzed and the results were used to create the geographic information system (GIS) at Khao Bang Sai Temple, Chonburi province.

For the knowledge of medicinal plants, the results showed that medicinal plants were used as both food and medicine. These medicinal plants were used by the folk healers to treat patients with 9 groups of symptoms and the parts commonly used in the herbal medicine formulation were roots, fruits, leaves, and stems. For the biodiversity of medicinal plants, it was found that the area around Khao Bang Sai Temple, Chonburi province is a conservation area, and the ecosystem in this area is still abundant. More than 30 species of medicinal plants were observed and were collected in order to create the database and the geographic information map on the distribution of medicinal plant varieties. In addition, the coordinates of medicinal plants were also specified using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the characteristics of the foothill vegetation obtained from field data collection in form of digital map data, along with an attribute database consisting of types, names, and locations of medicinal plants using ArcGIS software to provide the guideline for medicinal plants management at Khao Bang Sai Temple, Chonburi province. Therefore, this study contributes to the dissemination of information on the value of medicinal plant resources in this area and makes people aware of the benefits of medicinal plants in natural resources.