Temples lead fight to save last Siamese rosewood reserve

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Temples lead fight to save last Siamese rosewood reserve
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Ubon Ratchathani


Lee Noikaew, headman of Nongphue village, examines the remains of the first Siamese Rosewood tree planted at the local temple. After the 70-year-old tree died, villagers cut up the wood to make furniture.

BANGKOK: -- The last reserve of Siamese rosewood forest in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani is under threat from illegal logging gangs.

As a result, monks and villagers in Ubon Ratchathani's Khemmarat district have teamed up to protect their 100-year-old Siamese rosewood forest.

Over 300 Siamese rosewood trees are located in Sa Bua temple, Ban Nongphue, in Ubon Ratchathani's Khemmarat district. These Siamese rosewood trees have grown naturally for 100 years. Most are more than six metres high and their diameters are huge. It would take two men stretching their arms to cover the width of one Siamese rosewood tree in this forest.

Abbot Banya Wattatako said he has instructed the monks to close the temple doors during the night to prevent illegal logging gangs from entering the temple and cutting the Siamese rosewoods.

"The Siamese rosewood tree is very important for people in the Northeast, as they believe that the spiritual power in these trees can support their lives, he said.

Lee Noikaew, a headman of Nongphue village, said he instructed his village to save these precious trees as they are recognised as the last big Siamese rosewood forest in the northeastern region.

"We have been offered Bt500,000 by merchants to buy a single Siamese rosewood tree, but we did not sell it because these trees should belong to the temple and village," he said.

The Nongphue temple is not the only one threatened by the illegal logging gangs. The Nong Kan temple in Yasothon's Kham Khuan Kaeo district was also approached by gangs and offered Bt5 million for a Siamese rosewood in the temple, according to Royal Forest Department director-general Boonchob Suthamanuswong.

In many temples in the Northeast, he said the department also found that illegal logging gangs had offered bribes to temple committees to influence them to approve cutting of the trees.

Siamese rosewood trees in the Northeast are the most desired by illegal logging gangs as their number is declining in the natural forest. A single rosewood tree is valued at Bt700,000 to Bt800,000. The price of rosewood would double if it could be exported to China.

Most illegally cut rosewood trees are transferred to China via Laos and Vietnam on different vehicles, such as cars and vans, to avoid the police.

During 2008-2014, over 27,000 pieces of Siamese rosewood have been confiscated by police and forest officials in Ubon Rathchatani and some 395 offenders arrested.

At present, more than 363,000 pieces of Siamese rosewood - worth Bt40 billion - have been confiscated nationwide. Eleven forest officials and police have been killed during these operations to arrest illegal logging gangs.

To reduce the demand for Siamese rosewood, caretaker Natural Resources and Environment Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri said he had asked the Royal Forest Department and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to inform China that exporting the Siamese rosewood tree is illegal.

"To transfer the Siamese rosewood trees to China [is costing] the lives of many officials out to arrest the illegal logging gangs. We must stop this," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-03-24

[Local Drunk]

None one needs rosewood or teak anymore...cutting a tree like that is about on the same level as shark fin soup.

[kannot]

seems the priority is not the Tree but the pull the tree has and all that "spirit stuff", never mind, a few ribbons round the tree will keep the nasty men away.

[MGP]

None one needs rosewood or teak anymore...cutting a tree like that is about on the same level as shark fin soup.

Have you ever heard a Rosewood Guitar?

[chainarong]

It seems common practice in Thailand that other people have to take up the gauntlet on various issues because the relevant department is as useless as tits on a bull, unfortunately the inviroment protection authority is one of the useless ones , the rosewood tree is under treat from extinction in Thailand and nothing is getting done about it except the Temples shutting their doors

[Local Drunk]

None one needs rosewood or teak anymore...cutting a tree like that is about on the same level as shark fin soup.

Have you ever heard a Rosewood Guitar?

Sure I have... But I wouldn't break the laws and cut down an endangered species of tree to get one.

[Spalpeen]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

[jpeg]

It seems common practice in Thailand that other people have to take up the gauntlet on various issues because the relevant department is as useless as tits on a bull, unfortunately the inviroment protection authority is one of the useless ones , the rosewood tree is under treat from extinction in Thailand and nothing is getting done about it except the Temples shutting their doors

I read a couple of months back in the BP that forestry/wildlife officials were awaiting guns to be bought by the government from China to aid them in their work. This, after several of their number had been shot dead protecting wildlife in a national park

[harrythefinn]

If the archaic forestry laws were adapted to allow plantations to work without the huge amount of paperwork and bribery currently required then Thailand could actually make money from this in the future. Leave natural old forest growth alone in reserves and harvest plantation wood.

Ever tried to start a rosewood plantation? Would the forestry department assist ? I can tell you they don't give a flying sh*t.

[Morakot]

A temple feel-good story after the Portuguese cannon disaster...

[robblok]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

Not really good math on your side, you then go from 300 mature trees to a combination of mature trees and saplings. in a 100 years you would have if lucky assuming all threes survive (big iff) 3 mature threes and the rest still not having reached their 100 year status.

It would be better if more then 3 saplings would be planted a lot more and only one three cut down. Sounds like you don't know much about growing stuff assuming all threes survive and such.

[GeorgeO]

"Temples lead fight to save last Siamese rosewood reserve"

... whilst smashing up 500 year-old Portuguese relics...!!

[rabas]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

Not really good math on your side, you then go from 300 mature trees to a combination of mature trees and saplings. in a 100 years you would have if lucky assuming all threes survive (big iff) 3 mature threes and the rest still not having reached their 100 year status.

It would be better if more then 3 saplings would be planted a lot more and only one three cut down. Sounds like you don't know much about growing stuff assuming all threes survive and such.

Sounds like you don't know much about threes, ... or spell checkers?

Edited March 24, 2014 by rabas

[CNXBKKMAN]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

Not really good math on your side, you then go from 300 mature trees to a combination of mature trees and saplings. in a 100 years you would have if lucky assuming all threes survive (big iff) 3 mature threes and the rest still not having reached their 100 year status.

It would be better if more then 3 saplings would be planted a lot more and only one three cut down. Sounds like you don't know much about growing stuff assuming all threes survive and such.

Sounds like you don't know much about threes, ... or spell checkers?

Spalpeen is spot on with throwing that idea into the thread. Exact numbers can be worked out later. That's the way to go plant some replacements and fell one of the mature trees every couple of years for the temples benefit. Export it direct to china for top dollar. Do an OTOP thing in the villages nearby with locals making some of the things the rosewood is used for, furniture, rifle stocks whatever. Get the maximum value out of that one valuable tree.

[Pops]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

That is what the biggest problem is.

The lack of sustainability planning from the Thai governmental forest departments.

I have seen large chunks of forrest disappear in my 20 years in Thailand and it is sad !

Sustainable cutting is the only real solution.

For every tree cut plant 3 saplings.

Plant in the right way they yield 3 harvests.

harvest 1 small trees for paper/glue production

harvest 2 middle big trees for various use

harvest 3 big fully grown trees.

Can be a very lucrative and sustainable business.

In the article it says this year they intercepted 363,000 Rosewood pieces worth 40 million THB.

Price of a fully grown rosewood tree is 700,000 THB according to the article.

That means they intercepted around 57 trees.

363,000 pieces sounds like a lot but what is 57 trees ?

I bet you a lot more get through the check points (bribed - sealed - delivered) and through to China.

[coobah666]

I would like to know what happens to all the confiscated wood, I see it piled up behind Mukdahan police station every week and new piles all the time replacing the pile that was there last week

[robblok]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

Not really good math on your side, you then go from 300 mature trees to a combination of mature trees and saplings. in a 100 years you would have if lucky assuming all threes survive (big iff) 3 mature threes and the rest still not having reached their 100 year status.

It would be better if more then 3 saplings would be planted a lot more and only one three cut down. Sounds like you don't know much about growing stuff assuming all threes survive and such.

Sounds like you don't know much about threes, ... or spell checkers?

Spalpeen is spot on with throwing that idea into the thread. Exact numbers can be worked out later. That's the way to go plant some replacements and fell one of the mature trees every couple of years for the temples benefit. Export it direct to china for top dollar. Do an OTOP thing in the villages nearby with locals making some of the things the rosewood is used for, furniture, rifle stocks whatever. Get the maximum value out of that one valuable tree.

He is spot on with trying to use it as a source of income, but numbers are equally important. If you start with the wrong numbers you deplete the trees in no time. Plus by using it as a source of income you do set the door wide open for fraud and corruption. Guess what Thailand excels at. There is a reason why they don't allow tusks of African elephants to be sold. Just think about it.

[Local Drunk]

No one on this forum would ever live to see a rosewood sapling mature. It's half a century at best. Think about it.

[Local Drunk]

I would like to know what happens to all the confiscated wood, I see it piled up behind Mukdahan police station every week and new piles all the time replacing the pile that was there last week

That is a very good question...

[SanukJoeII]

One of the ethnic minorities in China is the Dong people. They grow trees and in particular fir trees. If a child is born saplings are planted and 18 years later they are cut to use for building houses for the young couple. They are also famous carpenters and they make the wellknown covered "wind and rain" bridges, totally of wood.

For every tree that is cut saplings are planted, so that there is always supply for the next generation.

Ethnic minority, less than 3 million people, still such sustainable forestry culture. Thai people (and many others) only take, not give back. Hence the threat of extinction for many species of flora and also fauna.

[Bluespunk]

'To reduce the demand for Siamese rosewood, caretaker Natural Resources and Environment Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri said he had asked the Royal Forest Department and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to inform China that exporting the Siamese rosewood tree is illegal.'

yeah, that's going to work.

[northernjohn]

If the temple has 300 trees that are 100 years old, they could harvest three trees every year and replace them with three new saplings. That would be sustainable and the money raised could be used for other conservation projects.

Not really good math on your side, you then go from 300 mature trees to a combination of mature trees and saplings. in a 100 years you would have if lucky assuming all threes survive (big iff) 3 mature threes and the rest still not having reached their 100 year status.

It would be better if more then 3 saplings would be planted a lot more and only one three cut down. Sounds like you don't know much about growing stuff assuming all threes survive and such.

No surprise there. He also believes the red shirts are the hope for Thailand.

No trees should be cut down. Instead they should be planted. Get a government department involved in increasing the size of the rosewood forest and the future will then have a chance to make use of them. Three trees a year will not go far. Three trees a month planted and no trees cut down for 20 years and then under controlled systems would be a far better system. There would be no loss to the economy just to the smugglers.

[tomross46]

I would like to know what happens to all the confiscated wood, I see it piled up behind Mukdahan police station every week and new piles all the time replacing the pile that was there last week

That is a very good question...

Do you think that the police would sell it to the Cambodian merchant that originally had the trees cut?

Edited March 24, 2014 by tomross46

[rreddin]

None one needs rosewood or teak anymore...cutting a tree like that is about on the same level as shark fin soup.

Have you ever heard a Rosewood Guitar?

Yes, I play one. However, the rosewood for my instrument came from Brazil. Rosewood is a valuable commodity, so how come there are no new rosewood plantations in Thailand?

[rreddin]

No one on this forum would ever live to see a rosewood sapling mature. It's half a century at best. Think about it.

True, but that is not a reason for planting new trees.

[ChrisY1]

At around $7000/m3 for old growth Rosewood......someone is bound get it!

[allan michaud]

"During 2008-2014, over 27,000 pieces of Siamese rosewood have been confiscated by police and forest officials in Ubon Rathchatani and some 395 offenders arrested.

At present, more than 363,000 pieces of Siamese rosewood - worth Bt40 billion - have been confiscated nationwide. Eleven forest officials and police have been killed during these operations to arrest illegal logging gangs."

And how many people were actually prosecuted and/or put in jai/? I would bet a large sum that the number would be zero or very close to zero.