Rasada, Phuket, project to preserve mangrove forest

To listen or download mini-video, go to http://news.prd.go.th/news_detail.php?newsid=216180

Special Report for Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Thursday 7 February 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th

The villagers in Soi King Kaew in Rassada sub-district of Phuket's activity are another good example of preserving natural resources in the community. What do they do? Find out more from our special report

This community of Soi King Kaew in Rasada sub-district gathers and carries out a project in preserving the mangrove forest which is public land in their community. In raising awareness of the conservation of natural resources which they know are great food chains, they arranged what they called an ordination for the forest there. This means the area will be exempted from being cut down or exploited for new development. The villagers know that fertile mangrove means aqua lives, food chains, wave walls and helps reduce the global warming. "We wanted our group to mobilize the strength so we came up with the project. We went out at sea, but that did not cover the cost as we could catch only 5 kilograms of marine lives compared to 10 kilograms in the old days. We used to exploit natural resources and took it for granted. So I went to consult the Provincial Fisheries Chief and got some budget to launch the project." : Charun ThanyaUdorn -- local community conservation group leader

The mangrove forest ordination may sound weird for many, but these people apply the principle of Buddhism promoting mercy, sharing, refraining from killing animal lives or cutting trees. They also took the opportunity to release 1,500 crabs at the mangrove area as well as mature crabs for breeding at a crab bank aiming at adding the crab population for the area. These farm cages belong to the local crab bank. They are working as a nursing cage for the crab eggs. When local fishermen catch crabs with eggs outside its shell, they would put the crabs in the bank, wait until the eggs slide away from the mothers, then take the crab for sale. Each mother crab produces around 500,000 eggs, but the surviving chances are only 10% or 50,000 eggs. "The mangrove forest ordination ceremony and the crab bank are relying on each other, just like the mother and father who need to interact. If there is no forest we would not have good fisheries. So that's why we need to conserve our natural resources." Both mangrove and crab banks are lifecycles of nature and lives which include humans who have to learn to live sustainably with nature.

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News & Politics

Tags:

• Phuket
• Thailand
• mangrove