A Ray of Hope for the Phung River Basin

A journey from development of public forest to promotion of privately owned forest

A journey from development of public forest to promotion of privately owned forest

The Phung river basin originates from Ban Nam Phung which is located in Ban Pong sub-district, Dan Sai district of Loei province. Ban Nam Phung covers an area of 150 kilometers and has an average slope of 25 – 35 degrees. 80 percent of Ban Nam Phung is mountainous areas, while the another 20 percent is low land. Ban Pong sub-district is situated around 700 meters above the sea level, causing cold spell throughout the year. April is the hottest month, with maximum temperatures of about 34 – 38 degrees Celsius. Temperatures could drop to as low as 5 degrees Celsius in January. Ban Pong sub-district saw the average temperature reach 25 degrees Celsius. The average rainfall was measured at 1,079.1 millimeters during the entire year with the rain falls for 117 days. Most of the rain arrive between May and October with an average of 100 days of rain and an average precipitation of around 2,000.8 millimeters per year (information source: Ban Pong sub-district administration organization).

Over 80 percent of Ban Pong sub-district encompasses parts of Phu Puay, Phu Khithao and Phu Rua forest reserves, making it the largest landholding with the local maintenance tax of about 80 percent of the land being duly paid on the Por Bor Tor 5 title while another 20 percent falls under the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land ownership and a certificate of use (or Nor Sor 3).

Lands in Ban Pong sub-district are in upstream watershed areas which are significantly importance for the ecosystems of the Pasak river. Still, they are outside irrigation system. The Phung river basin, considered a a second sub-basin of the Pasak River, plays a crucial role in serving as a watershed area that ramifies across the plains. Its tributaries, including Huay Cha Nang Ngu, Huay Tong, Huay Lard, Huay Kok Mao, Huay Nam Mee, Huay Dong Thip, Huay Thung Thoeng, Huay Phom Pra Whai, Huay Ngaed, Huay Pong, Huay Pong Bong and Huay Kha Khai, ensure biodiversity of plants, animals and the forest as a whole.

Ban Pong sub-district is situated on a steep and mountainous terrain. Villages that are situated on a mountain ridge such as Ban Thung Thoeng and Ban Pang Kom are still suffering from water shortages and rely on underground sewerage system. Whereas four villages, including Ban Dan Du, Ban Nam Phung, Ban Wang Kum and Ban Kok Ka Bak, have sufficient access to clean water since the villages are close to the Phung river basin and use irrigation system designed specifically for mountainous areas. Due to this reason, community members are eager to conserve the forests and water sources to secure their livelihoods.

A sustainable management project for natural resources in forest or wetlands usually focuses on common areas. A number of regulations have been put in plce to ensure the sustainability of natural resource usage, but the enforcement of these measures is still ambiguous and complicated since each community has different ideas and needs. Thus, villagers came up with the idea to promote ecosystem restoration in their own lands in order to expand conservation efforts beyond common areas. For instance, promoting conservation of ecosystem services in privately owned lands. Yet, the initiative remains a challenge because of the Phetchabun-Loei mountain range’s landscape.

“I got the idea from one of the villagers who said if we continue preserving natural resources only in common areas, conservation benefits would be limited and people’s involvement would be low. He suggested that the sustainable development should start from the villagers’ private lands. For example, one plot of 300 meters of his land was separated to cultivate environment community conservation. If 10 villagers agree to separate 300 meters of their lands for conservation purpose, we would be able to expand conservation areas up to 3,000 meters or more. Villagers will also enjoy extra money they earn from planting and selling a wide variety of plants,” said Mr. Jeerasak Tridech, secretary of the civic networks of the Phetchabun mountain.

Save the river, control water quality

Behind Mr. Chalard Srikhampha’s home, a PVC pipe has been placed to pump water to many villages in surrounding areas. The water’s flow in this bamboo forest never dries up. Several households depend on this river to meet their food and other domestic needs. Since water is the core of the communities, conserving water sources, securing enough water supply every year and maintaining the quality of water for consumption matter most for villagers.

Planted along the riverbank, tall trees and a bamboo groove around Tupistra muricata trees, the indigenous plant that blooms only once a year in the winter. The flowers can be prefect for cooking which generate extra money for the villagers. In terms of ecology, it can be used to cover plant beds to help keep moisture in the soil at the bank and prevent soil erosion. To encourage villagers to plant Tupistra muricata has assured mutual benefits for both people and nature. The seedlings were distributed to the community members, so they can plant the trees in their own lands. In doing so, the ecosystems will be recovered and gradually increase food sources and income of people living around the Phung river.

There are other species of plants that the networks have encouraged the villagers to plant in an attempt to move away from monoculture production. Among the economic trees, durian is the most attractive choice among farmers. Other fruit trees include avocado, orange, rambutan, mangosteen, tamarind and Castanopsis diversifolia. The local farmers have also been urged to create private forest lands with high-value or economic trees like the Dipterocarpus alatus trees (commonly known as yang na in Thai).

"Durian" a new choice for farmers

Durians is an incentive for villagers to turn to perennial plantings. Durians which are more susceptible to chemicals mixed in farm products such as fertilizer, insecticide and herbicide.

Thus, a shift away from conventional farming to durian orchard has eventually reduced the use of chemicals because farmers are so afraid that durian trees might die. Instead of using the chemicals which harm their health, farmers manually root out weed and later make organic fertilizer from weed.

Biodiversity bolsters food supplies and generate cash flow

The cultivation methods of local farmers have gradually changed and the farmers have been moving away from monocropping to integrated farming. Durians is an incentive for villagers to turn to perennial plantings. Durians which are more susceptible to chemicals mixed in farm products such as fertilizer, insecticide and herbicide. Thus, a shift away from conventional farming to durian orchard has eventually reduced the use of chemicals because farmers are so afraid that durian trees might die. Instead of using the chemicals which harm their health, farmers manually root out weed and later make organic fertilizer from weed.

Apart from being home to orchards that grow several varieties of durian, rambutan, avocado and orange. Mr. Chalard received seedlings from the civic networks of the Phetchabun mountain, especially durian seedlings which are quite expensive. The distribution of free durian seeds attracted local farmers to divide the land into portions to introduce integrated farming concept. Besides durian seedlings, farmers also enjoy planting vegetables in an effort to restore the ecosystems after the forest land has been degraded due to a years-long monoculture.

“I earn about tens of thousands of baht per year from selling fruits. I have extra cash from selling seasonal vegetables,” Mr. Chalard said, adding that integrated farming, unlike monocropping, doesn’t require large budget and its product prices are more stable which help him and his fellows reduce risks of losing money.

In private lands, farmers plant Yang na, Castanopsis diversifolia and valuable perennial trees (Dipterocarpus alatus). The perennial trees help preserve the forest land that has been degraded because of monoculture. The soil also gains more moisture from the perennial trees. Over the past three years, Dipterocarpus alatus trees and Castanopsis diversifolia grow as high as 4 – 5 meters tall. In the near future, this area will turn into thick forest where villagers can search for food. Here, mushroom spawn grows across the forest land and when the harvest season comes, villagers have an additional source of food and income.

The villagers give equal importance to forest lands and their private orchards that are also home to wild animals such as birds, rats, squirrels and reticulated pythons. Unlike other forest conservation projects that fail to restore the ecosystems, local people who live in this area take the best care of the forest, even though there is no extra income from doing so.

Integrated farming not only reduces monoculture lands, but also prevents forest fires automatically since the villagers protect their farmlands where durian, rambutan, the dipterocarpus alatus trees, ต้นก่อ , avocado, coffee and other economic trees from being raged by forest fires.

Even though farmers still practice slash-and-burn, they built barriers to prevent the fire from burning the forest lands. In case the fire rages across the neighborhood and affect the farmland of other residents, those who intentionally set the fire must pay compensation to the affected neighbors. Unlike the past practice in which forest has been greatly affected by the slash-and-burn cultivation, this way, farmers can be a part of tackling air pollution and the impacts of climate change.

Uncle Phat's land is where people like to dispose of their trash. Despite notifying various agencies many times, the problem cannot be solved. Smart father and Uncle Phat then find a way to help each other turn the wasteland into a mixed garden. causing no one to litter again

Turn wasteland into forest

“My children didn’t want me to drive around town to sell food because I was getting old. They wanted me to stay home, so I use my free time to do gardening,” said uncle Nuad, the owner of a land in the forested foothill of Ban Nam Phung who recalled the early days of the integrated farm.

Here, durian trees are located in front of the entrance to the farmland. Several species of thick banana mats are seen near the entrance way. While walking downhill towards the hut, uncle Nuad shows a variety of vegetables that are planted along the entrance way, whereas wax gourd, melon and pumpkin grow around the hut. Coffee trees, which are gaining popularity in Thailand, grow on the other side of the land. Knowledge about coffee farming – coffee species, processing techniques and marketing – among local farmers, however, aren’t sufficient. Integrated farming creates jobs for elderly farmers. The tasks aren’t too heavy and urgent for the elderly who can put their skills and knowledge to best use. The employment is also good for their physical and mental well-being since they would be active at work.

“We don’t use chemicals. When we send our agricultural products to our children, we have nothing to worry about because they will eat safe food.”

While uncle Nuad’s wife water and fertilize the plant. She also uses natural insecticides which she learned how to make it from undergoing training sessions, according to uncle Nuad.

“Sometimes, she watches the videos on Facebook and YouTube,” he talked about his wife.

The advantage of online media is it helps villagers advance their knowledge, especially among women who play a vital role in conservation and environmentally friendly production that later led to an increase in quality and safe produce. Roles of women, nevertheless, change in accordance with the production patterns. The online learning greatly helps women adjust their roles.

The lost bamboo clumps

Many traces of erosion were found at many banks of the Pung River during the flood season. However, the bamboo clumps will not collapse. Growing bamboo is a great way to reduce erosion, unlike the monoculture and no-tree-protected area causing bank collapse. The bank collapse indicates that the bank ecosystem is greatly destroyed. Trees and plants growing along the banks will be completely cleared to increase the monocropping area. Hard, non-clumping, and no-roots-for-hydration soil will also be severely eroded when it comes to the flood season. 

Bamboo Planting along the Bank project established by Uncle Chalad Srikhampha is what the network supports to improve and restore waterfront ecosystems. The bamboo saplings, sponsored by GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP), will be distributed to those interested in planting along the river and planting as a bamboo forest.

Besides the prevention of soil erosion along the banks, bamboo is also a food source for villagers, such as bamboo shoots, mushroom, and bamboo caterpillars. Bamboo roots are also a habitat and breeding ground for aquatic animals. Bamboo can also be used for many purposes, both construction work and making various appliances. Therefore, bamboo is inseparably beneficial to the ecosystem and the villagers’ way of life. Moreover, the promotion of bamboo planting is another project that has clear tangible results.

There are still more new challenges to complete conserving and restoring ecosystem services at Pung River and the network’s operation has started in a concrete way, especially the ecosystem restoration working along with income generation of the villagers to improve their quality of life, supporting them to be able to stand and adapt to the climate change as of now and in the future and creating sustainability in the production system and food security, which lead to efficient and sustainable resources usage.