Strolling in the mangroves
The rehabilitated mangrove forest in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan is now thriving
Travelling along the Gulf of Thailand’s coast from Samut Sakhon to Prachuap Khiri Khan non-stop takes around three hours. Tourists can go slowly and stop at some of the many attractions along the shore, including beaches and mangroves. One of several must-sees is the Sirinart Rajini Mangrove Forest Learning Centre, an outstanding example of human effort to turn overexploited land into a mangrove in Pran Buri.
Inspired by the royal visit of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit in 1996 and their concerns about more encroached mangrove forests near the mouth of the Pran Buri River, the Sirinart Rachini Mangrove Forest Learning Centre was once an abandoned 800 rai shrimp farm and later reforested. On Nov 16, 2002, the late king, together with his daughter Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, visited and inaugurated this mangrove which is under a Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) project to revitalise about 1 million rai of spoiled forests nationwide. He remarked: “...After reforestation, we must ensure that local villagers benefit from [forests] as well...”
Situated about 240km from Bangkok, this mangrove serves as a natural classroom for people to learn about mangrove ecology with the focus on research on growing mangrove plants and restoring mangrove forests. It consists of an exhibition hall and a nature trail and tells of the stories of Pran Buri communities and mangrove reforestation. To local people, the centre is their source of food and the proof of past human mistakes and people’s unity. After checking in at the Visitor Service Zone, visitors are given two handbooks and led to Ruan Kongkang housing exhibitions on mangrove ecology, the history of this forest and a local way of life. Each group of visitors are led by one of about 20 local youth guides to explore the Natural Trail Route Zone.
At the start of the 1km Natural Trail which runs along the old dykes of the former shrimp farm, you will first see the farm’s old watergates kept by the centre in order to depict past stories of land abuse and reforestation. Not far away, you will reach one of the highlights — Sala Tha Taboon — the area where King Bhumibol and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited and planted red mangrove trees in 2002. The two trees are still there and growing well.
Along the way, the youth guide will show you some of the 20 kinds of mangrove plants, 65 species of small animals and 16 types of fish found in the forest. Red mangrove ( kongkang bai yai or Rhizophora mucronata) and true mangrove ( kongkang bai lek or Rhizophora apiculata Blume) are the majority of the trees there. Commonly seen animals include mudskippers ( pla teen) and fiddler crabs ( pu kam dap), which are among the six indicators of the abundance of mangroves in Pran Buri. The four others are collared kingfisher ( nok kin pieo), snapping shrimp ( kung deed khan), mud creeper ( hoi khika) and oysters ( hoi nangrom). Along the way, you will find signs providing information about the trees and animals, as well as oversized models of local fishing gear in which you can even enter, sit back, relax and observe nature around you.
After about 10 minutes stroll from the start, you will arrive at another highlight Hor Chakhram (Herbaceous Seepweed Tower), which is as high as a six-storey building. Walking up the stairs, you may sweat and pant. However, the stunning panoramic view of the mouth of the Pran Buri River, the surrounding mangroves and local villages seen from there can soothe you. The young guide will also tell you the stories of success relating to this mangrove.
A short walk from the tower will lead to a small pavilion and pier where you can hire and take a long-tailed boat to tour two canals connecting two mangroves, see the local way of life on the river banks and visit the nearby Pran Buri Forest Park. Both the Pran Buri Forest Park and the Sirinart Rachini Mangrove Forest Learning Centre are mangrove learning centres. However, their backgrounds and features are different. The former is a natural mangrove while the latter is a rehabilitated forest. Therefore, both provide different knowledge. Pran Buri Forest Park was established in 1974 by the Forestry Department after HM Queen Sirikit visited Pak Nam Pran Buri Village in Pran Buri
district, saw many mangrove trees and wanted to support the growing of more trees along the coastline. This special project developed 1,984 rai of Khlong Kao and Khlong Doi forests, which consists of mangrove forests, mixed deciduous forests, coastal land and deserted land, into a multipurpose forest. Later in 1982, the department declared this area a forest park.
Visitors to both forests which are nearby each other can enjoy the same things — strolling the 1km-long mangrove forest study route and birdwatching. In all, Pran Buri fits modest adventurers who want to explore mangroves and see fishermen at work.