Thailand: Sustainable Management of Phu Khieo Wildlife
Sanctuary
Project Introduction
The full title of the project is Sustainable
Management of the Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary through Community
Participation. The project is funded by the European Union
and was awarded to IP Institute für Project Planning GmbH
with Scott Wilson. Our role has been to provide the Community
Development Expert.
Project Background
The Phu Khieo Wildife Sanctuary was
established by the King of Thailand as a strictly protected area to
sustain significant populations of wildlife including tigers and
Asian elephants. The Sanctuary extends to 1,560 km2
and has a buffer zone along its eastern and southern boundary
inhabited by approximately 143,000 people in 153 villages
Some of these people were relocated to allow development of the
Sanctuary.
The Thai National Parks Department has recognized that
problems such as illegal logging, hunting, forest product
collection, and deliberate lighting of fires cannot be solved by
law enforcement alone, but through collaborative management that
seeks to gain the local people’s support by providing alternatives
sources of income which will reduce the need to enter the
Sanctuary and use its resources.
Project Scope
To achieve its objectives the project has
three components: (i) The Sanctuary Management Component aims
to developthe capacity of the National Parks Department
in order to improve the natural resource management of the Phu
Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary. (ii) The Buffer Zone Component aims
to reduce the human pressure on natural resources within the
Wildlife Sanctuary through alternative income generation and
community forestry. (iii) The Education & Awareness
Component aims to raise the community awareness of the
environmental value of the Wildlife Sanctuary and buffer zone.
Value Adding Project
Achievements
The five year project made significant
progress in building links to the local communities and increasing
awareness of the significance and aims of the Sanctuary.
Education and awareness was aimed both at children through the
schools and at adults. A novel approach was a local radio
programme in which the Community Development Specialist acted as a
DJ and demonstrated his knowledge of Thai whilst promoting
conservation. Considerable effort was also expended in
developing new sustainable livelihoods for local people including
the commercial production of bamboo and improved grazing.
