Trees for the wild elephants in Salakpra
After the tree planting campaign at the Khao Yai Park I go straight on to Salakpra, where we will be planting 10,000 trees for wild elephants. This project too is well prepared. Here we experiment to find out where seeds grow better: in between bamboo or on a clear patch. Six fields have been enclosed, and 3,000 sprigs were labelled to monitor their growth. We intend to plant 10,000 trees here in one day, with about 80 volunteers.
The previous day the land has been prepared and six test areas enclosed. A herd of wild elephants had spent the night on our planting ground. They had broken through the enclosure, but were careful not to step into the holes. Not a single bamboo stick has been thrown over.
They left a lot of elephant dung. Let’s hope they’ll be as careful after the trees have been planted. And let’s hope they realise humans sometimes do something good for the forest! Since the forest is still being used for illegal logging and other purposes.
After the briefing we move into the woods. It is an impressive feeling to walk among all this incredibly high bamboo. The wind is blowing, and makes the bamboo creak all over. Salakpra has a problem when it comes to diversity because for 80% it exists of bamboo. One of the reasons for this, is the slashing and burning of forest. Bamboo is the first plant to grow and it smothers everything. Other trees get no chance to grow. Because of the lack of diversity, the animals disappear as well, the forest’s state deteriorates and the elephants visit the plantations. So it is extremely important that the forest’s diversity is restored. We will start with the planting and nursing of 25 different kinds of trees. But during the coming years, a lot has to be done when it comes to forest restoration. That’s why we will immediately build a tree nursery in the forest and the rangers will be trained to take care of the forest’s recovery themselves. So Bring the Elephant Home will certainly continue on this location! A village leader tells me about the conflict between his village and the elephants. Every day around six o’clock a herd comes into the village to eat off the plantations. The farmers are angry and are enclosing everything with electric fencing, often using too much power. Two days ago a wild elephant was electrocuted. The village leader asks us to sponsor the electric fencing to make sure it would at least be under supervision. I explain to him that we are in favour of a different strategy, that people and elephants can live together in harmony, and that elephants come to the village for a reason. I present him with another idea: we could build an observation post where researchers as well as tourists could stay. In this way they can find out more about the elephants, all kinds of activities could be organised, additional food for the elephants could be grown, and all proceeds could be a compensation for the farmers. The village elder is enthusiastic and invites me to come to his village.
We cannot do everything at the same time. First, let’s plant some trees and start on the elephant island in the Isaan.
More information about where trees are planted? Click here…
