70 During the rehabilitation of the area, government agencies were the primary actors. After rehabilitation, during the stage when the park is contributing to education and research as a learning centre on biodiversity and ESD, many stakeholders, especially from the business sector and local communities, joined forces. Biodiversity Study at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park The Biodiversity Study at SIEP is a collaborative project of RCE Cha-am. The partners are the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion (DEQP), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Faculty of Forestry of Kasetsart University, which is the institution that carried out a study on biodiversity in the park in 2007-2008. This was a seminal collaborative project in that it served as a baseline for mapping a future strategy for biodiversity conservation in the region. Results revealed that the SIEP area covers three kinds of forests: 1) mangrove forest 2) beach forest 3) successional forest/secondary forest. There were 88 species of birds found in the area. In 2010 there were more than 100 species found. These were a mix of vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, resident, winter visitor, and passage migrant species. In the past, there were nine fish species found in the present park area, however the study carried out in 2007-2008 revealed 66 species of fish, four of which were found in the past and the rest, 62 species, were newly found. Furthermore, there are 118 insect species found in the park as well as some benthos. Due to the richness in natural resources, flora and fauna species of the park, SIEP provides RCE Cha-am with facilities for ESD learning on biodiversity and an important place to carry out research on biodiversity. The ESD Centre The aforementioned biodiversity project, where the park’s current stocks and potentials for biodiversity preservation were studied, was the impetus to expanding RCE Cha-am’s education and research agenda. The project to establish the ESD Centre (ESDC) was a joint effort of SIEP, Toyota Motor Thailand (TMT), the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion (DEQP) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), as well as the Border Patrol Police Bureau, Mrigadayavan Foundation, and many other sponsoring business organisations and foundations. SIEP hosted the ESDC facility and made available its nature laboratories. TMT not only provided the funds but also shared its inspirational corporate vision and strategy on sustainability – the vision was presented at a UNU-IAS-organised side event at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CO P 10) in Nagoya. WWF took the responsibility of delivering the education and training programmes, as well as managing the centre in conjunction with SIEP. DEQP provided technical support and linkages with other government partners. The provincial local government encouraged the local people, schools and communities to avail of the ESD facility utilised by RCE Cha-am. ESDC’s objective is to promote the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources, and advocate conservation and rehabilitation activities to all target groups at both the national and international levels. It provides services on environmental education curricula for students and hosts a natural and environmental camp, volunteer development camp and other camps especially for school students and teachers. Under the environmental education curricula, ESDC offers study topics such as: 1. ESDC Biodiversity Study, which covers the biodiversity of ecosystems, species, and genetic, food chain, lifecycle and relationship of living species; 2. Mangroves Study, which deals with vegetation structure, the adaptation of mangroves, photosynthesis, the distribution zone, the impact and sustainable utilisation of mangroves; Monitori ng, docume ntation, pr otection, and edu cation 9
Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity
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