Posted on August, 30 2007

To increase local capacity, the WWF Thailand Country Programme and Pangsida National Park held a training course aimed at strengthening the skills of rangers, communities, teachers, and local agencies around Pangsida National Park. Auyporn Sangtian, Chief of Pangsida National Park and Wicharn Panseth, the WWF Thailand Country Programme’s Head of Technical Training Unit, jointly conducted the course.

 Pangsida National Park is known to support high levels of biodiversity and is part of the Dongpayayen-Khao Yai World Heritage Site. Earlier this year a seminar was held in honor of this important area, which led to the establishment of an Advisory Committee to Pangsida National Park.
 
More than 20 village leaders from villages around Pangsida joined the park and WWF Thailand to participate in the forum. The seminar addressed the status, problems, and threats occurring in the forest, as well as methods to get communities to participate and ways to proceed with proposed management plans.
 Tongpoon Hongsiri, 58-year-old leader of Bahn Klong Nam Kiew Village, shared his views on the process of participatory management. “I am delighted to be part of conserving this forest, in order to ensure that it will still be there for our children and grandchildren, because the forest is something we have to care for and protect together. I feel it is great that we have a committee, and we need to follow through with our plans. If we don’t help each other protect it, this forest will disappear.”

Currently, local people allow their cattle and buffalo to graze in nearby forest areas, but after a recent survey of the number of cattle raised in the area, it was discovered that many of the cattle did not belong to locals. As a result, people who do not live in the area are no longer allowed use the forest resources.
 “Most of our problems of encroachment and trespassing are caused from the lack of understanding of what is a park or forest area. Therefore, if we educate the community and instill in them concern for the forest, they can be part of protecting these areas,” stated Ms Auyporn Sangtian, Thailand’s only female Chief of Forests.

The WWF Thailand Country Programme has also been conducting participatory work with communities, including capacity building for Pangsida National Park officers, through public relations workshops with 22 communities around the national park.  

“With cooperation and training, we are ready and prepared to be out in the field. Various training and experiences all play roles in shaping how we think and the success of the project.” Ms Auyporn continued.
For more information, please contact:
Ramone Bisset, WWF Thailand Communications Officer
ramone.bisset@wwfgreatermekong.org