Rooting for a fading forest

>> Over the past decade, the watershed forests in 13 northern provinces — the main water sources for the Chao Phraya River — have suffered a deforestation crisis that has destroyed at least 8.6 million rai of land.

A population of 800,000 lives in the area directly surrounding the forest. Flash flooding and mudslides have grown as threats to these communities, alongside the use of insecticide that contaminates the area’s water when washed downstream by rain.

Park officials have responded with a 20-year plan to restore the forest to its evergreen state. Besides regrowing parts of the forest, authorities want to improve the quality of life for those living in the area to ensure they can live in harmony in nature.

The sufficiency economy model developed by the late King Bhumibol was incorporated in the plan to restore Doi Samer Dao at Sri Nan National Park in Nan. Different actors and organisations have come together in hopes of collectively preserving the forest and rehabilitating the valuable water sources in the spirit of sufficiency thinking.

The plan would also lead to an increase of up to three times as many agricultural products in areas where the project was launched. With the area of single-crop lands set to be reduced, more space can be given back to the forests.

Fifteen districts across Nan are participating in the project.