06 Jul
2006 - Bangkok, Thailand – Honouring the 60th
anniversary of the King of Thailand’s accession
to the throne, WWF and the largest duty free store
in Thailand announced plans to collborate on a
forest restoration project.
WWF and the King Power Duty
Free Company Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding
to restore degraded forests in Thailand’s Doi
Suthep-Pui National Park in the country’s north.
In particular, the three-year project aims to
reforest at least 10 hectares of key tree species
in the park.
Covering an area of 262km2,
deciduous and evergreen forests make up Doi Suthep-Pui,
which is home to 300 species of birds, as well
as wild boars, macaque monkeys and the crocodile
salamander, a rare amphibian species that is found
in only four sites in Thailand.
“We realize that natural and
environmental resource capital is the foundation
of life,” said Chulchit Bunyaketu, King Power
Group Deputy Chairman.
“While our natural capital has
been degrading, it means that our economic capital
is also decreasing. That is why supporting natural
resource conservation and rehabilitation is important
to our mission.”
With support from King Power,
WWF will work with Thailand’s Department of Nature
Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Forest
Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) of Chiang Mai
University, and local communities on the project,
which also includes expanding a community tree
nursery and experimental forest restoration plots
at the Hmong village of Ban Mae Sa Mai located
in near the park. The tree nursery will serve
as a demonstration and teaching site for Thai
forestry specialists, as well as those from neighbouring
countries.
“We hope such activities will
encourage and guide forest landscape restoration
in other areas,” said Dr Sitanon Jesdapipat, WWF
Thailand’s Country Programme Director.
“Our main mission is to
stop forest degradation in the park. The restoration
project represents a new collaboration in conservation
management among local communities, government
agencies and other institutions to protect part
of the country’s watershed and precious natural
resources.”
Radda Larpnun
