Despite public concern over invasive species like the blackchin tilapia, which is rapidly spreading and threatening river and marine ecosystems nationwide, forest authorities are now putting rainforests at risk by seed bombing with non-native species. This reckless action must stop.
On Aug 20, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) and the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation announced a joint scheme to seed bomb Kaeng Krachan National Park, using the seeds of trees valued for their timber such as Phayung (Siamese rosewood), Daeng (red wood) Makha Mong (black rosewood) Kraphi Jan (fast-growing pongam), and Tabaek Na (crape myrtle).
This project raises many questions. Why Kaeng Krachan National Park? It was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2021 for its rich biodiversity. Why do they feel the need to "reforest" this complex and threaten its priceless ecosystem?
Why continue seed bombing in rainforest given previous environmental damage? If they truly care about conservation, why not allow rainforests regenerate naturally? The project's focus on valuable timber also raises suspicions given DNP's sole control and access to the forest resources.
Environmental harm caused by introducing alien plant species to rainforests is well documented. Since non-native species can outcompete native flora and become uncontrollably invasive, they disrupt the ecosystem, leading to a decline of biodiversity. Furthermore, they may bring new pests and diseases which destroy the habitats and food sources of native animals and wildlife.
National park authorities should know this by heart. Yet two years ago, they convinced the Royal Thai Army to take part in their "aerial reforestation" by seed bombing Salween National Park in Mae Hong Son province.
The army faced heavy criticism because their helicopters bombed the rainforest with the Leucaena leucocephala, or "krathin yak" in Thai, one of the world's most invasive plants, provided by the DNP.
Instead of abandoning "aerial reforestation" in rainforests, the DNP has partnered with the royal rain agency this year, using non-native seeds that will create serious long-term environmental consequences in Kaeng Krachan National Park.
Forest authorities may argue the seeds this time are from local species and safe for the forests. This assumption is a grave mistake. Each forest area has its own ecosystem, with soil rich in seed banks ready to naturally regenerate. Introducing seeds from other areas can still disrupt the ecosystem.
For example, pongam is a fast-growing flowering plant that has proven highly invasive. The same goes for crape myrtle, which is not native to the Kaeng Krachan forest ecosystem. Now that tourism has become the main focus and income source for national parks, it's clear that forest officials want the vibrant blossoms from these plants to attract visitors.
Rainforests actually have a magical power to replenish themselves quickly if allowed to do so without human intervention. The Khao Phaeng Ma Non-Hunting Area in Khao Yai National Park is a case in point.
In 1995, the Forest Department allowed Wildlife Fund Thailand to work with local communities in a joint effort to naturally regenerate the barren Khao Phaeng Ma mountain in Nakhon Ratchasima.
In contrast to forest officialdom's top-down policy, the Khao Phaeng Ma project was based on the belief that community participation is key to forest conservation success. Today, Khao Phaeng Ma is a lush non-hunting Area and home to hundreds of gaurs. Despite its success, forest authorities refuse to adopt the Khao Phaeng Ma model of forest natural regeneration because it undermines their central control and offers no financial gain.
Reforestation has undeniably become big business for forest agencies. To support their profitable sapling industry, large areas of healthy forest have been leased to large-scale eucalyptus plantations under the guise of "reforestation programmes".
Clearance-cutting has also become the primary method for official reforestation efforts, all to boost the sapling business. Without community participation to care for the young saplings in reforested areas, they often die off, leaving the land barren and conveniently, ready for further reforestation.
The DNP must abandon harmful practices. Real conservation comes from empowering local communities and letting nature take its course. The path forward is simple -- step back, allow the forests to regenerate naturally, and trust the ecosystems to restore themselves. The focus should be on what works, not what profits.