Co-constructing an agent-based model to mediate land use conflict between herders and foresters in northern Thailand

Abstract

In conservation areas, land use conflicts frequently occur due to the increasing number of land resource managers and users who usually have different interests, objectives and perceptions. Sharing all these a priori legitimate differences is a prerequisite for better collective management of the land. The companion modelling approach is used to build a shared representation of interactions between vegetation dynamics, reforestation efforts and livestock grazing in a forest conservation area of northern Thailand. This article focuses on the participatory modelling process that led to the co-construction of an agent-based model. Sensitizing exercises on vegetation dynamics and an agent-based simulator associated with a role-playing game were the main tools used. The social interactions and decision-making processes observed during the gaming and simulation sessions were used to construct a set of rules implemented in a subsequent autonomous agent-based model. It will be used to simulate future land management scenarios with local stakeholders.