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Issue : December 2002
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Written by Kanchana Phannoot |
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It is a favorable sign that Thai society today is turning more
attention to the importance of "forests". This is evident
from the cooperative efforts of organizations, from both the public
or private sectors, together with the local people, in launching
various forest rehabilitation projects. It is no longer important
to ask about the benefits of forests since Thai people are now
aware of the importance of forest resources.
According to the Royal Forest Department's year-2000 evaluation of all forest areas in 76 provinces of Thailand by the use of satellite pictures, the remaining forest areas are approximately 107 million rai (42.8 million acres) or 33.40% of the entire forest areas in the country, compared with a total of about 171 million rai (68.4 million acres) of forest areas in 1961 which then covered half of the area of the whole country. The decrease of forests was due to expansion of agricultural areas, occurrence of forest fires, as well as the implementation of various development projects carried out in the forests. All of these events bring about severe impacts upon the environment, human beings, and animals, inducing loss of biodiversity. This particularly caused the decrease of wildlife, including elephants to decrease.
Elephants have
had a close relationship with man since ancient times. They have
been used as labor and represented the symbol of the nation for
many years. When forest areas dwindled, the number of elephants
was also reduced to an alarming state. Elephants that live in
forests also have conflicts with the people. This began from the
time when people encroached on forest areas for cultivation and
settlement purposes. In the rainy season, water and food in the
forest were still enough for elephants to live on. However, in
the dry season when there was a lack of water and food, the elephants
had to look for food in man's cultivated areas. Agricultural products
such as pineapples, rice, maize, bananas, sugar cane and jack-fruits,
become more popular for elephants than foods found in the forest.
This aroused conflicts between man and elephant as frequently
seen in the news. The seven areas in the country which are prone
to conflicts between man and elephant include Kaeng Kra Charn
National Park, Phetchaburi Province; Kui Buri National Park, Prachuap
Khiri Khan Province; Thong Pha Phum National Park, Kanchanaburi
Province; Tub Larn National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima Province;
Pang Sida National Park, Sa Kaeo Province; Salak Phra Wildlife
Sanctuary, Kanchanaburi Province; and Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary,
Loei Province. Even worse, the conflicts occurring in some areas intensified
to the extent that elephants were injured and died. One example
was the case of a conflict in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province,
after which His Majesty commissioned the agencies concerned to
cooperate in the conservation and rehabilitation of the forest
there. The objective was to help the locals who were troubled
by the elephants and to provide the elephants with adequate water
and food for living. In addition, His Majesty the King's initiative
instilled an awareness of the importance of a joint effort to
conserve the forest and wildlife. It also supported occupational
development for people living in the areas surrounding the forest.
The ultimate goal was to promote a good living and peaceful co-existence
between man and elephants.
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Her Majesty the Queen was deeply concerned about the problems affecting
the people, the elephants, and the forest. She was strongly determined
to conserve the elephants and enable them to live on this land forever.
Her Majesty was aware that elephants were the symbol of the Thai
nation that is closely tied to the way of life of Thai people since
the old days, both in times of war and peace. Elephants are also
significant for the ecological system of the tropical forest in
that they help to spread plant species and in turns create a food
source for other wildlife. Her Majesty therefore commissioned the
agencies concerned to implement an activity like that of His Majesty
in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province; that is, to grow pineapples which
are not of good quality as a food source for elephants. At the moment, the Food for Elephants Rehabilitation Project is
being operated in the areas of Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, Loei
Province, to fulfill Her Majesty's intention. In 2000, five elephants
in the areas of Pah Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary were beaten to death.
The agencies responsible for the work therefore launched another
similar project in the areas of Pah Dong Yai Wildlife Sanctuary,
Noan Din Daeng District, Buri Ram Province, and also in Tub Larn
National Park, Soeng Sang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
On 25 June 2002, to honor the kind benevolence of Her Majesty the
Queen and to mark the beginning of the project, the officials and
agencies concerned held a reforestation ceremony to restore food
for elephants in the areas of Pah Lalerng Royroo Forest Guard Unit,
Lam Nang Rong Subdistrict, Noan Din Daeng District, Buri Ram Province.
In the event, a great number of people comprising representatives
from the public and private sectors, monks, novices, school students,
university students, as well as the locals participated in planting
food crops for the elephants With regard to the community, they now recognize the value and
benefits of forests. For instance, the villagers at Baan Nong Lak
Sila, Soeng Sang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, have successfully
cooperated in the conservation and protection of the forest. Previously,
this area used to be abundant with various types of food crops,
vegetables, and medicinal plants such as Termitomyces albuminosus
(Berk.) Heim, Melientha suavis Pierre, and Kaempferia galanga L.
that are rare today. Nevertheless, owing to either necessity or
ignorance, the locals made use of the forest without care and caution
until it was depleted. The area became a barren hill with unbalanced
nature which induced irregular rainfall patterns and drought; impossible
for making a living like in the past. Then in 1993, trouble stormed the villagers. They then joined hands
in finding ways to rehabilitate their forest which covered an area
of about 1,700 rai (680 acres). As a result, they established the
village's community forest, in which trees were replanted, maintained
and protected. An implementing committee, a patrol team and a forest
conservation youth team were set up. Rules and orders were drafted
for the conservation and utilization of the forest. In time, the
barren forest was restored. At present, diverse kinds of local plants,
both perennial and annual, grow to a good size providing the community
with food crops and wood for multipurpose uses. Later, Baan Nong
Lak Sila Community Forest was awarded a "Protect Forests to
Preserve Life Flag" which brought great pride and joy to the
community. From then on, Baan Nong Lak Sila was promoted to be the
model community for the nearby and other areas. It became a site
for study tours in which the villagers themselves play the role
of lecturers who proudly disseminate knowledge and experiences in
the preservation of the community forest. If the villagers in all
communities are truly aware of and recognize the value of forest
like this, forest areas, including the number of wildlife, in Thailand
will increase. |
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