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Khao Yai project stalled; locals fear their land will be seized
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE environmental project to restore the forest corridor between Khao Yai National Park and Tublan National Park is not proceeding as planned, because locals are worried their land will be taken away and don't trust the funding method.

Tambon Bu Phram in Prachin Buri's Na Di district was one of three sites chosen to benefit from the Eco-Best project (Enhancing the Economics of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Thailand.

The aim of the programme was to encourage local people to take care of the ecosystem by giving them financial support provided by beneficiaries who stand to gain from a healthy ecosystem. Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), a German development agency, introduced the project for the people of Tambon Bu Phram in 2012.

Piyathip Eawpanich, the ECO-BEST project director, explained that the project aims to persuade the locals to allow the forest vegetation to grow naturally on their lands in order to conserve native species and allow wild animals to cross the forest corridor between the two national parks.

Ideal location

"We chose this area as one of our sites because of its ideal location between two big national parks, which are separated by highway number 304 and villages in the valley.

"What we have tried to do here is encourage the people to adjust their land use and do organic farming rather than mono-culture tapioca, which ruins the soil in the long term," Piyathip explained.

In theory, she said, locals who join the programme will get economic support for their efforts to take care of the local ecology. Members in the project would receive a yearly income according to the size of their land adjusted to suit the forest corridor, and they will also have sources of income from eco-tourism and selling organic products.

However, Thanya Sangsawan, chief executive of the Tambon Bu Phram Administrative Organisation, said the project was not proceeding as planned because the locals were afraid that if their land became too much like the surrounding forest, as required by the programme to encourage wild animals to pass, their land may be seized by the authorities.

"Much of the residential and agricultural lands here are actually in Tublan National Park area and since the government has implemented strict measures against forest encroachers, people think their land will be taken if it becomes more like the forest," Thanya said.

Due to this fear, Chayan Kormeeklang, one project member, said only 13 of the estimated 10,000 inhabitants of Tambon Bu Phram have joined the project to date.

During a meeting of the Dong Phrayayen - Khao Yai Forest Complex Consultants Committee, which is responsible for the programme, most committee members questioned the sustainability of the project's funding method and the sale of project stickers, which will directly result in payment to the project's members.

Wiroj Rojjanajinda, superintendent of Tublan National Park, said the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department supports the project and will not drive the locals away.

"This area is vital for the forest connection and the forest fragmentation is one of the World Heritage Committee's concerns, so we are ready to work with the project," Wiroj said.

He also vowed that the park would not seize land from people as they are using it for agricultural purposes and not selling it for commercial benefit.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Khao-Yai-project-stalled;-locals-fear-their-land-w-30268363.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-08

[springheeled jack]

I am in agreement with the people on this allowing the forest to grow back naturally this could pose a problem if it is not curtailed, how much land would be left for growing ?.