Penporn Janekarnkij

Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University Thailand

Workshop on Capturing Economic Benefits from Ecosystem Services: Experience from Asia and the Pacific Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok, Thailand. 22 February, 2012

The Site: Kuiburi National Park (KBNP)

Located in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province Part of the Tenasserim Range along the border between Thailand & Myanmar Designated as an ASEAN Heritage Site within the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex in 2003 A part of Kaeng Krachan Kuiburi Forest Complex It was registered as the NP in 1999 with the total area of 96,900 ha. KBNP is one of the most important wild elephant habitats in Thailand and Southeast Asia. 10 villages with 2,500 households living at the buffer zone of the site. Forest areas in KBNP form upper watershed of the Kuiburi and Pranburi 2 river basins.

Kuiburi National Park

Myanmar

The issue: Human-elephant conflict

Elephant track and trail

Before 1999, it was encroached for growing agroindustrial crops. Wild elephants appeared in farmland, caused lots of crop damages. Many elephants found dead from poisoning & gunshot In 2003, KBNP was designated as a target site for the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Project under CITES
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The solution: Wildlife conservation- tourism

1998 - His Majestys Project Conservation and Restoration of Kuiburi Forest was formulated 3,200 ha were reclaimed for wildlife habitats Villagers founded People who love Kuiburi Wild Elephants club aimed at resolving human-elephant conflict. 2005 - WWF Thailand worked with KBNP, full participation of park staff, local community members, and local government The area was once pineapple fields, 4 organization. now restored to wildlife habitats.

The solution: Wildlife conservation- tourism

2006-2008 Participatory process targeted in 3 villages, 250 households Collaborative efforts :
NP authority, WWF-Thailand, military, RID, provincial office, Tambol Administration Organization, border patrol police, etc. - Wild elephant Lover Club, Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, Jalaprathan Cement Public Company LTD, Asia Cement Public Company LTD, etc.

Activities: - provision of pond, salt lick, food crops The area was once pineapple fields, patrolling, monitoring, reporting now restored to wildlife habitats.

The solution: Wildlife conservation- tourism

Kuiburi Nature Tour Club formulated, Nature guard team organized, 22 members 150 farmers (most affected) signed TOR to support the project 250 households worked with NP authority for land boundary survey NP boundary resolved. 2010: Voluntary Guardian of KBNP formulated, 10 villages

Outcomes: National and global levels

Increased # of NP visitors by 5 times in 6 years

Increased # of Wild elephants

Other benefits at park level: Clearly defined NP boundary with community participation Reduce pressure of conflict between NP and local communities
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Outcomes: Local level

Cases of wild elephant raiding reduced significantly

Other benefits to local people: Reduced loss of crop damages (150 hhs in critical zone) Increased income from tourism (50 members of Kuiburi Nature Tour Club) Land ownership more secured (250 households in 3 villages)
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Payment for Wildlife Conservation

opportunity cost of enhancing/securing ES/BD
Individual activities Tourism services Collaborative activities Improve wildlife habitat (man-made mineral lick, water source, grass land, etc)
Patrolling, monitoring, and report

cro ed in sm ss i (le creas tour ) in rom ities f ctiv Continuity of activities Local communities a (three villages)
Continuity of demand Mediator

ts efi ges, en t b ama e ec p d co m dir

No nus e

be ne fit

Thai citizen Visitors to KBNP

Livelihood improvement
Reduced crop loss Increased income from tourism Enhanced knowledge from training/participating Com pen sation

KBNP, WWF Thailand Business sector

PES mechanism (in-kind, in-cash)

Payment

The benefits that people derive from nature

Discussion & lesson learned:

At project level (PES scheme):
Property rights of local people should be resolved before PES development (as it implies their eligibility to receive payment or compensation) The project outcome need to be defined (both livelihood and conservation outcomes) and assessed The project needs to create the precise links among 3 components: (1) community conservation activities (performance); (2) ES&BD indicators; (3) livelihood outcomes Tambol Administration Organization (TAO) needs to get involved as key partner of the project For the project to be sustained, it needs the business plan with involvement of business sector The project provides great potential for business to move from CSR to CESR.

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Discussion & lesson learned:

Cont. It is also possible for capturing the value-chains of services that secure local livelihood

At policy level:
Biodiversity conservation can be integrated with naturebased tourism in the NP system By law, tourism cant be developed in the wildlife sanctuary system. It needs to find ways to improve local livelihood such as Payment for bundle of services The community Forest Bill should enacted, the community land title deeds program should be continued to secure the communal right for sustainable forest management. The system of revenue sharing from the NP system to subdistricts (Tambol) should be improved to > 5% of park revenue 11