Khao Yai National Park has been nominated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the Natural World! The World Heritage listed park was recognised for it’s amazing biodiversity, stunning waterfalls and extensive evergreen forests.

The nomination puts Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park alongside places of natural beauty such as Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, Brazil’s Amazon River and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. At the time of this post, Khao Yai was ranked 37th on the list of nominees. Don’t forget to vote for Khao Yai here.

The New7Wonders Project raises funds for monument documentation and conservation efforts worldwide.

Preparations for reforestation plantings around Khao Yai this rainy season have already begun. This photo, taken by PeunPa field officer Sayan, shows workers busy in the large seedling nursery:

Areas close to Khao Yai’s borders, where encroachment has damaged the forest, will be selected by park authorities for reforestation. Tree planting in the rainy season (May-June) gives saplings the best chance to survive and grow, thanks to reliably high rainfalls.

With generous support from The Foundation, PeunPa’s reforestation work in Khao Yai is helping the fight against global warming and reclaiming lost habitat for wildlife.

PeunPa recently donated 21 new GPS units to Khao Yai National Park and trained rangers in GPS navigation techniques. Using the upgraded technology, rangers will be able to patrol the park more effectively and better protect Khao Yai’s natural ecosystems and diverse wildlife.

PeunPa’s full-day training course equipped 39 Khao Yai rangers with the knowledge they’ll need to use the new GPS units, as well as basic patrol planning techniques.

While many rangers have local knowledge of forest routes and can patrol without navigation aids, the new GPS units will allow them to vary patrol routes more, making it harder for poachers to avoid detection – good news for Khao Yai’s protected plant and animal species.

The new equipment and training will also allow rangers to accurately record their patrol routes, data that will inform future patrol planning and strategies for better park protection.