Thai govt will chop down 60% of the rubber trees in illegal plantations

[webfact]

60% of rubber trees in reclaimed plantations will be spared the chain saws



BANGKOK: -- The government will chop down 60 percent of the rubber trees in illegal plantations wrestled back from encroachers and leave the rest intact to be harvested by poor rubber tappers who used to work for the rich encroachers, said Maj-Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, deputy spokesman of the government.

He disclosed that the government, through the National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation Department and the Forest Department, has targeted to seize back 600,000 rai of rubber plantations encroached on state-owned land this year.

Illegal rubber plantations claimed by influential figures will be the first to be seized back by authorities, he said.

For the first five months of year, only 23,000 rai of rubber plantations have been reclaimed from encroachers.

Maj-Gen Sansern said that forest encroachment was rampant in 62 provinces across the country, particularly in southern provinces where encroachment problem has happened in every province and in forest reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries.

“The government cannot allow these illegal activities to persist. They amount to taking advantage of the country and a bully of natural resources which should be reserved for the next generations,” said the deputy spokesman.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/60-of-rubber-trees-in-reclaimed-plantations-will-be-spared-the-chain-saws

-- Thai PBS 2015-06-05

[Anthony5]

Let me correct that for you

Illegal rubber plantations claimed by influential figures will be the first to be seized back and next excluded from the seizure by authorities, he said

[Orac]

So they are going to chop down 60% of them and spare 60% as well - impressive!

[scorecard]

So they are going to chop down 60% of them and spare 60% as well - impressive!

Thai journalists again prove they have very little comprehension or analysis capabilities.

[toybits]

This is incomprehensible. Why cut down trees that are already mature and covering the ground? When they cut the trees, the land will be exposed and be prone to erosion. Are they planning to surreptitiously benefit from selling para rubber wood? Some transparency is necessary and a lot of explaining needs to be done. Hevea brasiliensis (rubber trees) are after all forest trees as well. If it is biodiversity that they want, then let nature take over and replace only trees that are deceased. You can also thin out the stand and replace it with other tree species. But to remove 60% of the stand is illogical.

[oneday]

The Thai government is like a "bull in a china shop", rushing in to cut things down without a thought in the world as to the damage they are doing.

I don't care what kind of tree it is, trees release oxygen to the air, provide erosion control and many healthy benefits to the environment. Why not plant wild forest trees and other forest fauna in between or around them and when they get going come back to selectively cut rubber trees down.

Nah, let's just clear-cut it and make ugly scars on the land visible via satellite.

[razer]

This is incomprehensible. Why cut down trees that are already mature and covering the ground? When they cut the trees, the land will be exposed and be prone to erosion. Are they planning to surreptitiously benefit from selling para rubber wood? Some transparency is necessary and a lot of explaining needs to be done. Hevea brasiliensis (rubber trees) are after all forest trees as well. If it is biodiversity that they want, then let nature take over and replace only trees that are deceased. You can also thin out the stand and replace it with other tree species. But to remove 60% of the stand is illogical.

Agree ... why not keep the trees, let the poor harvest the rubber in a cooperative style system and share the profit with the government since it is on public land?

[Alwyn]

really? Maybe they're cutting down the trees for Suthep as he's just coming out of monkhood, he'll need some land now I reckon

[Toknarok]

With the price of latex at the moment it is hardly worth tapping the trees. The large encroachers will cut their losses. They made a fortune out of rubber three years ago, now it's not worth the bother. It's the small farmers I feel sorry for with a bit of family hard labour they might just make a living.

I doubt the large plantation owners will be too much bothered about the loss of their trees, there's no money to be made in rubber at present and it's unlikely that things will improve, if ever.

[geriatrickid]

This is incomprehensible. Why cut down trees that are already mature and covering the ground? When they cut the trees, the land will be exposed and be prone to erosion. Are they planning to surreptitiously benefit from selling para rubber wood? Some transparency is necessary and a lot of explaining needs to be done. Hevea brasiliensis (rubber trees) are after all forest trees as well. If it is biodiversity that they want, then let nature take over and replace only trees that are deceased. You can also thin out the stand and replace it with other tree species. But to remove 60% of the stand is illogical.

No it is not. You have made an error in assuming that all plants are equivalent. In the world of trees, rubber trees are like weeds with deadly root systems. These roots while far reaching and invasive, are relatively loose and have weaker root systems compared to the trees that were killed and removed for the rubber trees. The end result is that soil erosion is worse in areas populated with rubber trees. Note too that rubber tree plantations do not have large trees. There are no "mature" trees in the conventional sense. In a natural forest, a mature tree can be 100 years old. Rubber trees only have a 30 year economic life because latex production declines as trees age. This is due to their tapping which stunts their growth.

Rubber trees are not compatible with natural forest growth. Once a leaf canopy is established, it is very difficult for new trees to take hold because they are starved for light and nutrients. The rubber trees in effect choke off competitive plant species.

As an aside, there is no biodiversity with the Thai rubber trees because they all have a similar genetic composition having been sourced from a common "invasive" population. These rubber trees are considered a foreign invasive because they were introduced by man to Thailand and did not evolve in harmony with the local soil and plant characteristics. Plantations have doused the soil and the trees with highly toxic pesticides which have destroyed the local animal and insect balance. The decision to allow the illegal rubber trees to remain means that the pesticide use will continue.

There cannot be compromise as the problem will remain and the damage will continue unless all the illegal rubber trees are removed.

Edited June 5, 2015 by geriatrickid

[geriatrickid]

The Thai government is like a "bull in a china shop", rushing in to cut things down without a thought in the world as to the damage they are doing.

I don't care what kind of tree it is, trees release oxygen to the air, provide erosion control and many healthy benefits to the environment. Why not plant wild forest trees and other forest fauna in between or around them and when they get going come back to selectively cut rubber trees down.

Nah, let's just clear-cut it and make ugly scars on the land visible via satellite.

You are incorrect. You make the false assumption that all trees are equal, they are not. Please see above post.