When urban residents want to save trees in the city, it is BIGTrees, an urban conservation group, who many people turn to.
Since 2010, the Bangkok-based non-profit organisation has been the driving force behind the conservation of trees and green spaces in urban areas.
During the past few years, the group has expanded their conservation work. Recently it arranged workshops to train arborists to trim and take care of trees in the city. Among those who attended were City Hall workers responsible for trimming trees to stop them hitting power lines.
Since April this year, BIGTrees has embarked on a new project which is to improve public parks and green areas across the country. The project is "60 Parks for HRH Princess Sirindhorn's 60th Birthday".
The Bangkok Post talks to Oraya Sutabutr, co-founder of BIGTrees.
Tell us more about '60 Parks for HRH Princess Sirindhorn's 60th Birthday'.
His Excellency, Anand Panyarachun, is one of our members and he mentioned that there were a lot of public parks across the country. Yet, most of these green spaces have not been well maintained. Some are designed poorly which has led to maintenance problems in the long run. Gardeners responsible for them lack knowledge and proper training to take care of trees properly. So our group wants to do this project to commemorate Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's 60th birthday. We have Khun Banthoon Lamsam as the president of the committee overseeing the project.
Oraya Sutabutr, co-founder of BIGTrees. Miti Ruangkritya
The scheme aims to see a sustainable increase in green areas and public parks. The campaign will deal with the development of parks on land plots provided by individuals and institutes. The size must be larger than one rai. The owners of the land still own it, they are just letting the property to be used as a public space in order to pay tribute to HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
How are you making it happen?
We send letters to agencies, private firms, institutes and municipalities across the country [via the National Municipal League of Thailand] inviting them to join the project. It does not matter that they might develop a park or just think about it, they must follow our five requirements. First they must ensure a local administrative body or landlord take care of the park for the long haul.
Second, their parks must not cost a fortune to upkeep. Trees and plants must be local species and facilities in the park must be simple and not expensive to maintain. Third, the design of the park must blend in with surrounding nature. Fourth, it must be open to the general public and lastly it must be larger than one rai.
In return, five benefits will be provided for those whose parks become part of our project. The first is knowledge and training on how to properly take care of trees and green spaces. Second is information on local plants species that befit their landscape and environment. Third are saplings to plant in the parks. The fourth is that we will help promote their parks through online, mainstream media and other PR platforms and the last is that the names of their parks will be featured on an eco-tourism map.
For a bonus they can choose whether to receive our consultant service on public park design or they can opt to join our community events.
So far, how many public parks are part of your campaign?
Sixty six, and 36 are already open to the public. Four are in the northern region such as Suan Sivamok which was provided by the Yod Dhamma Foundation in Chiang Mai province.
In Lamphun province, there will be public parks along 15 city moats and the Tha Karm Public Park.
In the northeastern region, there are eight projects such as Suan Chalerm Phra Kiat Kanchanaphisek, a park built by Mukdahan province to commemorate the late monarch's Golden Jubilee, or Norng Sai Kao Public Park operated by the Sakon Nakhon municipality.
There are 15 parks in the central region. Among them, Suan Pathum Wanarak, is owned by the Crown Property Bureau and one is at a learning centre built at Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus to mark 100 years since the birth of the late university rector Puey Ungpakorn.
Six parks are in the eastern region such as Suan Chalerm Phra Kiat, which Panas Nikhom Municipality built, or Sorng Saleung, a mixed farming centre in Rayong province.
In the Southern region, we have six. Among them is a trekking route at Sixth Sense Hotel in Koh Yao Noi, in Phangnga province.
Another 25 are under construction while another five have yet to start.
We are not doing all this at once. It is a gradual process depending on how fast each participant can go. When finished they will be presented to the princess.
Can you tell us how a public park is created under this project?
Suan Chalerm Phra Kiat, developed by Panas Nikhom Municipality is a good example showing cooperation between the municipality and community residents. It started with the municipality wanting a public park, library and multi-purppose building.
So it purchased 10 rai of land and earmarked six rai for a green space. The municipality came to us right from the start and we helped the municipality find a landscape design firm. Redland-Scape was selected.
The firm (which has done many high-profile landscape designs for famous properties in Bangkok) kindly waived the designer's fee.
The result was a green space with a jogging track, bicycle lane and space for other exercising. From above, the jogging track and bicycle appear to look like the signature of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The highlight is the money spent on developing the park did not come from the municipality alone.
Local people also chipped in to commemorate the princess's 60th birthday. Her Royal Highness is to open the park and public library on July 15.
What is BIGTrees?
It is collective endeavour of a small group of people who try to work with other entities to change society.
We want to make people appreciate the value of green spaces and come together to protect the environment. We communicate with the public via social media and run activities as well as try pilot projects to showcase. We also monitor interesting environmental cases and trends which we try and promote.
BIGTrees just wants to show society how wonderful green spaces are and that sustainable development and environmental conservation are not impossible to achieve.