The Bangkok Post January 24 1999 Fighting the tides For years, the Thai government has received help from the international community for mangrove research and replanting projects. Technical and financial support comes from various international organisations such as the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), and the Japan Mangrove Association. One ongoing initiative is the Green Carpet Project in Nakhon Si Thammarat, a scheme assisted by the Japan Keidanran (Japan Federation of Economic Organisations) Natural Conservation Fund. According to Fund chairman Mr Takeshi Abiru, the project has a five-year timeframe, with a budget of 150 million yen. "The timeframe is necessary in order to ensure the project's effectiveness, because the trees need to be well-nourished to survive," he said. Project coordinator Dr Sanit Aksornkeoa said replanting efforts were being pursued in degraded prawn farm areas and in new mud flats. In Nakhon Si Thammarat, a large number of mangrove forests has been converted to prawn farms over the past 10 years. Under the Green Carpet Project, some 8,250 rai of former prawn farms and new mud flats are being replanted with mangrove trees. According to Sonjai Havanond, a Forestry Department mangrove expert, prawn farmers abandoned the area due to pollution, as well as cheaper prices for black tiger prawns. Some farmers went deeper into the mangrove forests to find less polluted areas. This creates large tracts of vacant farms which are classified as degraded mangrove areas. Dr Sanit says his team consults with prawn farm owners before starting to rehabilitate an area. This is to encourage cooperation from farmers in reforestation projects. "To have someone care for the mangrove reforestation project, we allow the prawn farmers to raise mud crabs in the farms while we reforest the mangrove," he said. Ten percent of the project's 1,500 million yen budget has been allocated for this initiative. Mud crabs fetch a good profit on the market. Unlike amphibious crabs, they do not damage mangrove saplings. Reforestation efforts are difficult in mud flats, due to the porousness of the mud. One advantage, however, is the lack forest fires, such as those that have destroyed a number of inland reforested areas. The survival of young saplings is endangered by tides and the monsoon, as well as high waves along the coastal area. It is believed that when the price of black tiger prawns rises, the prawn farmers will return to their abandoned farms. This is perhaps the biggest threat facing the mangroves. Comments to: Webmaster

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