More than 250 students kept FREELAND’s Community Outreach Team Leader Sayan Raksachart busy as our Mobile Education Unit visited numerous local schools over recent months, delivering fun lessons focused on the biology and behavior of Clouded Leopards, as well as efforts to understand and protect them.

Clouded Leopards are a vulnerable, distinctive, mid-sized wild cat species native to Southeast Asia. Find out more about the species from our friends at the Clouded Leopard Project.

With teaching materials and financial support from the Point Defiance Zoo, and the help of staff from Khao Yai and Tap Lan national parks, the Mobile Unit taught students about the importance of habitat conservation and ranger patrols to protect the species.

Lessons focus on fun, hands-on activities, including songs, pantomime and making plaster-molds of animal footprints – a technique used for identification and monitoring.

Help us nurture more future wildlife conservationists in Thailand’s schools with a donation to support the Mobile Education Unit.

Yesterday, Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Chang[e] Caravan set off from Khao Yai to send a message to the world’s political leaders to act against the threat of disastrous climate change.

‘Chang’ means ‘Elephant’ in Thai, one of the most revered creatures in the country, but elephants can suffer greatly when removed from the wild. Five Asian Elephants in the Caravan were rescued and rehabilitated from Bangkok’s streets by the Thai Elephant Research and Conservation Fund.

Over the next two weeks, the elephants and activists will travel 250km south to the outskirts of the capital to raise awareness about the delicate interconnection between wildlife and climate.

Before setting off, mahout elders held a ceremony, praying to the spirits of ancestor mahouts for safety and luck on the journey. Thai Buddhist monks also blessed the caravan.

Along the way they will hold activities for students and communities on elephant and forest conservation, climate change impacts and renewable energies. Follow the caravan’s progress on Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s blog.

Cabbages & Condoms

Cabbages & Condoms Restaurant and Resort at Sap Tai is nestled in a valley surrounded by the steep limestone hills of Khao Yai National Park.

Established by Thailand’s Population & Community Development Association, the resort once acted as a Community Development Centre but now focuses on catering to visitors. Profits still contribute to rural development, education and scholarships, HIV/AIDS and sexual health awareness, as well as environmental protection.

Pannaburee Resort

“No air-condintioning, no TV, no fridge – just you, your friends and nature,” is the slogan of this simple but comfortable resort, located within easy striking distance of Khao Yai.

Nicknamed ‘Little Pai’, this is a great place to relax, with canoeing, cycling or just chillin’ at the bar among the alternatives for those ‘all hiked out’.

Greenleaf Guesthouse & Tour

Basic backpacker accommodation, but Greenleaf’s wildlife tours are worth taking even if you don’t stay at the guesthouse. Full and half-day tours led by experienced English-speaking guides will usually encounter wild elephants, hornbills, bats, macaques and other colourful Khao Yai inhabitants.

Camping/Park Accommodation

During the dry season, camping is one of the most fun ways to stay at Khao Yai. Wake up inside World Heritage forest to the sound of gibbon calls. If a tent isn’t your style, bungalows and terraces can also be reserved through the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation – it’s a popular option, so book ahead.

Staying inside the park helps support Khao Yai’s upkeep. Make sure to dispose of any rubbish at the allocated points or take it with you, and bring some extra warm clothing – Khao Yai can get cold at night.

Village Homestay

Adventurous travelers who stay with a family in one of the many villages dotted around Khao Yai will enjoy a unique experience. Homestay offers a chance to see how local people live, taste home-cooked thai food, and see FREELAND’s sustainable development projects in action. But be warned, people in the villages around Khao Yai are not wealthy – housing is extremely basic.

These suggestions are provided independently. Other environmentally responsible or interesting recommendations are welcome.

Improved protection for the World Heritage listed Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex was the focus of a multi-stakeholder meeting at Khao Yai National Park on August 8, 2009.

Laws for forest conservation and their application across the vast and important reserve were discussed by senior members of the Royal Thai Police, Army, Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the regional ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network, as well as district prosecutors, local elected officials and community representatives.

FREELAND was allocated a session to detail our ranger training programs and community outreach pilots. As the only non-government conservation group invited to present, FREELAND’s important role in conservation of the Forest Complex was acknowledged and applauded.

However, the meeting also highlighted that much more work needs to be done (particularly in the area of community engagement for forest stewardship) to tackle threats such as poaching, illegal tree cutting and encroachment.

FREELAND staff used this occasion to provide Nature Crime Investigation manuals to the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, as part of ongoing efforts to help build law enforcement capacity for biodiversity protection and keep environmental crime high on the agenda.

Late last month, FREELAND trialed a new reforestation approach – planting trees that will bear edible fruits and foliage to encourage animals and life to rapidly return to forest areas damaged by encroachment.

Almost 200 children from five schools in the Lampiek and Kok Krachai districts joined park rangers, FREELAND staff and villagers to plant the trees in a 20 rai area of the remote Thap Lan National Park, which extends east from Khao Yai in the forest complex.

In total, more than 2,500 trees were planted as part of FREELAND’s Edible Foliage Pockets trial [more on this concept soon], including:

Like previous reforestation projects, this planting during the rainy season gives saplings the best chance to thrive.

In addition to restoring habitat for wildlife and helping to mitigate global warming, FREELAND reforestation activities are organized to provide:

• Employment for local villagers;
• Positive engagement between local communities and park protection authorities;
• Education on the importance of conservation for local students;
• An opportunity for citizen and Corporate Social Responsibility.

This project was made possible with the kind support of Khun Jiroj Nimmannit and Sanctuary V. Please contact FREELAND if you would like to be involved in the next reforestation project.

Thailand’s Department of Highways is considering ways to improve the road transportion link between Nakhon Ratchasima and Prachin Buri, by expanding the existing two lane, single carriageway that cuts through the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex.

Running down a clearing roughly between Khao Yai and Thap Lan National Parks, Highway 304 is a shortcut between the Northeast and East through protected areas that stretch to the Cambodian border.

The existing road presents a hazard for crossing wildlife and some conservationists are concerned the envisaged six-lane highway upgrade will further fragment this World Heritage listed corridor.

At a recent consultation meeting attended by FREELAND staff, the Department of Highways presented proposals to mitigate the impact of the upgrade and possibly even improve safety for wildlife.

Five options are being considered:

1. Mountainous Highway Tunnel
2. Elevated Highway
3. Cut and Cover Tunnel or Shallow Tunnel
4. Wildlife Overpass and Underpass Crossing
5. Wildlife Overpass Crossing at Specific Locations

The effectiveness of each option in facilitating safe passage for wildlife appears to vary, as does the impact on the immediate environment and project costs.

The Department of Highways is consulting broadly with the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, NGOs, local community groups and university research departments. A final project proposal is expected to be presented to UNESCO this year.

Professional and amateur photographers, photography enthusiasts and students are invited to submit photo entries to the first ASEAN-wide photo contest “Zooming in on Biodiversity”.

Open until August 30th, 2009, the contest for residents of Southeast Asian countries is being run by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity to promote regional public awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation.

Photo entries should highlight:

• Biodiversity, including plants, animals, marine life, or ASEAN Heritage Parks
• Threats to biodiversity and how it affects people’s lives
• The connection between biodiversity and climate change
• Biodiversity as source of livelihoods, such as ecotourism
• Initiatives to protect biodiversity resources

More than USD7,000 in prizes are up for grabs. Visit the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity website for more details.

The opening of this confronting public service announcement (PSA) about wildlife trafficking from FREELAND was filmed at Khao Yai National Park’s stunning Haew Suwat Waterfall (location of a breathtaking scene in Danny Boyle’s The Beach).

The PSA’s star is a Slow Loris, an animal commonly poached from protected areas to be sold into the illicit pet trade. Listed as vulnerable to endangered on the IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species, these cute little creatures are in more demand than Leonardo DiCaprio, but have a tough time surviving outside their natural habitat.

Produced by AsiaWorks Television Bangkok and featuring music specially composed by Damien Rice, this FREELAND PSA is designed to alert everyone to the fact that:

“Thousands of wild animals are trafficked through airports every day.”

These animals belong in the wild. Please share this message with your friends.

UPDATE: View ‘behind-the-scenes’ footage, who said working with kids and animals wasn’t fun?

Wildlife poachers target Khao Yai’s rare plants as well as animals. Aquilaria crassna (Thymelaeaceae), an increasingly rare tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asian forests, for example, is highly sought after for its valuable aromatic wood (Agarwood).

In January and February, Khao Yai park rangers confiscated 50kg of Agarwood, 5 axes, 4 saws and 6 chisels. Rangers can often only gather photographic evidence of Agarwood poaching after it has occured.

Wood is chopped out of living trees and illegally removed from the park, usually to be distilled and exported to East Asian and Middle Eastern markets to supply demand for derivative aromatic, medicinal and religious products. The ability of surviving trees to grow and reproduce is dramatically reduced.

A scientific study of Aquilaria crassna tree populations carried out in Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park and published in 2008, concluded that the increase in tree mortality and decrease in sapling growth rate caused by Agarwood poaching could completely wipe out the Aquilaria crassna species in some areas within the next 50 years.

Aquilaria crassna is protected under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and classified as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.

FREELAND is concerned that an Agarwood poaching and distillation industry may have sprung up around Khao Yai National Park to take advantage of remaining Agarwood sources within the reserve.

FREELAND is helping to train forest rangers to better protect Khao Yai and helping former poachers from nearby villages support their families legally and sustainably through organic agriculture projects. Please support our efforts.

This year, FREELAND conservation staff have witnessed something new, a flying bear over Khao Yai National Park!

The Bear had earlier attacked one of the park buildings in search of food. For the safety of visitors, rangers decided to sedate the animal and remove it to an isolated location.

Khao Yai’s helicopter was employed to airlift the heavy sleeping beast, which snoozed happily through the entire event.