Reversing environmental damage through community focused sustainable livelihoods in Ban Don Bay, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand Noparat Bamroongrugsa Prince of Songkla University, Thailand National Committee Board-Thailand, Mangroves for the Future (MFF) E-mail: b_npr@yhoo.com Abstract-Wetlands International-Thailand Office (WI-TO) with the cooperation of local NGO’s and government offices, funded by Mangrove for the Future Project (MFF) organized the large project named “Reversing Environmental Damage through Community Focused Sustainable Livelihoods in Ban Don Bay, Surat Thani Province, Southern Thailand”. The objectives of the project were to conserve and restore mangroves in areas around Ban Don Bay; to develop and using financial innovation to manage and restore mangroves along with the vocational development of communities overseeing the resources, to promote cooperation among various sectors from the government, academic institutions, private organizations and communities in mangrove management and lastly to promote knowledge and skills in the management of mangroves and awareness among the people involved at local and national levels. Thus, they grow value and give importance to sustainable ecosystem conservation. The project was funded and operated from May 2009 to September 2011. Ban Don Bay is situated on the coast of the gulf of Thailand in Surat Thani Province. It covers approximately 145 kilometers of coastline which is divided among seven districts. Canals and rivers play an important part in carrying sediment into the coastal areas, thus making Ban Don Bay a muddy beach extending 1-3 kilometers into the sea, with certain parts becoming a river delta. The ecosystem of three water regimes makes the Ban Don Bay area abundant with mangroves and sea grass which is a significant habitat for marine life as well as an important fishing site for the surrounding communities. The mangrove areas of Ban Don Bay have degraded continuously as a result of marine animal farming, especially modern shrimp farming which began in 1995. Coastal marine life, which was a resource base and source of income for the communities surrounding Ban Don Bay, deteriorated. People who turned to modern shrimp farming faced losses. Some on them even lost their land to financial institutions. Thus, the project proceeded with the plans to restore degraded mangrove ecosystems, to establish mangrove complimentary livelihoods, to form a Mangrove Co-management group and to campaign on local and national awareness raising. From close operations 226 Proceedings of the International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
Proceedings of International Conference on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Sustainable Development Goals : Policy and Practice 27-29 June 2016 at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand
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