Source : Bangkok Post, Thailand, 14 Jan 2005
By : Kultida Samabuddhi
  

Speaking at a roundtable discussion on tropical forest management held by the National Security Council (NSC), forestry experts and environmentalists said the threats ranged from rapid expansion of tangerine plantations, to the sharp increase in domestic cow population under the government's Ua-athorn cattle project.

``Tangerine planters have shifted their plantations from the North to western provinces. Some orchards have encroached on national parks,'' said Sasin Chalermlap, deputy secretary-general of Seub Nakhasathien Foundation. Most of these orchards were in Kanchanaburi and Kamphaeng Phet provinces.

``The trend is very harmful to the forest complex because tangerine orchards consume large amounts of water and use a lot of pesticides which poison the ecosystem.''

Forestry officers were worried about the increase in the number of cattle, which have been brought to Karen communities in forest areas under the Ua-athorn cattle project, Mr Sasin said.

``A large cow population is harmful to the wildlife ecosystem because it could cause outbreaks of infectious disease among wild animals. Many parts of the protected forest have also been transformed into grazing land,'' said Mr Sasin.

The 11.7-million-rai western forest complex consists of six wildlife sanctuaries, 10 national parks, and one forest reserve. They include World Heritage sites Thung Yai Naresuan and Huay Kha Kaeng wildlife sanctuaries. The complex is home to more than 2,500 varieties of plants, 150 types of animals and 470 bird species.

Sompote Srikosamart, a biologist at Mahidol University, said degradation of the forest would cause long-term effects on the country's economic stability as well as national and human security.

``The western forest generates freshwater and biological resources, which are crucial for the people's livelihood as well as economic development.

``The pristine forest also protects the people from extreme natural disasters, such as drought, landslides and floods,'' Mr Sompote said.

The NSC recently declared deforestation and loss of biodiversity two of the gravest threats to national security.

It is the first time in its 45-year history that the NSC is taking environmental issues seriously.

NSC deputy secretary-general Jiraporn Bunnag said national security should not be defined only as independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also the people's wellbeing and sustainable use of natural resources.

``Many projects and policies on national security, such as road construction in dense forests and border trade development, have also devastated the ecosystem.

``It's time for national security-related agencies to focus more on natural resources protection than on military activities,'' Mrs Jiraporn said.

Since late last year, the NSC has been gathering information on major environmental problems and conflict in natural resources management from environmental experts, local villagers and state officials.

The information is being included in a strategic framework being drafted for conservation of tropical forests and marine resources.

The strategic framework will be forwarded to the new government for endorsement.