More than 100 students attended a three-day youth camp at Khao Yai last month to learn about the forest, wildlife, and the importance of nature conservation.

The camp kicked off on Thailand’s National Forest Conservation Day (Jan 14) with fun educational activities, such as hiking, bird watching and identifying animal tracks, all organized by Khao Yai and FREELAND staff.

Students also learned about poaching threats to Khao Yai’s wildlife, and ongoing efforts by rangers, conservation groups and other supporters to protect the park.

With six local schools involved, many new friendships were formed as students pitched tents, sung folk songs and put on campfire theatre shows about what they’d learned.

On the final day, students helped plant 3,000 trees donated by Leschaco (Thailand), as part of ongoing efforts to reforest an area of the park cleared by human encroachment.

With continued support for conservation, these students will someday be able to revisit their trees in a restored part of the forest complex providing habitat for diverse species of wildlife again.