HCV Scoping Study
in Krabi, Trang &
Suratthani
provinces, Thailand
Assessment of potential HCVs in
the context of oil palm
smallholders and RSPO
certification
Version 2 | 10 April 2014
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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About Proforest
Proforest is an independent company working with natural resource management
and specialising in practical approaches to sustainability.
Our work ranges from international policy development to the practical
implementation of requirements on the ground, with a particular focus on turning
policy into practice. Our extensive and up-to-date knowledge of the international
context ensures that our work for individual companies and organisations is set
within an appropriate framework. At the same time, we are able to bring a wealth
of current practical experience to policy development processes and debates.
The Proforest team is international and multilingual and has a broad variety of
backgrounds, ranging from industry to academia and NGOs. This allows us to work
comfortably in many types of organisations, as well as in a range of cultures. We
have in-house knowledge of more than 15 languages, including Mandarin, Malay,
French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Proforest was set up in 2000. Our expertise covers all aspects of the natural
resources sector, from forestry and agricultural commodities to conservation,
supply chain management and responsible investment.
For this report, your contact person is:
Ellen Brown
Proforest
South Suite, Frewin Chambers,
Frewin Court, Oxford OX1 3HZ
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0) 1865 243439
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Proforest is registered in England and Wales
Company number 3893149
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Executive Summary
Shell are building their capacity in biofuels and working to make them more sustainable.
As part of their commitment to sustainability, Shell and its partner Patum Veg are
promoting RSPO certification of their oil palm smallholder supply base, in Krabi, Trang and
Suratthani provinces in Thailand. In support of this, Shell contracted Proforest to conduct
an HCV scoping study in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani provinces to identify potential High
Conservation Values (HCV) that may be impacted by smallholder oil palm production. One
of the requirements to achieve RSPO certification, is to ensure that any HCVs have been
identified and are well-managed and maintained over time. During our visit, we met with
nine mill teams from six companies, who source from approximately 1,800 smallholders.
Each of the mills has a database team comprised of a mill and farmer representatives.
Their main roles and responsibilities are to gather relevant data about farmers’ groups
including GPS mapping as part of a database system and document filing. Patum Veg and
its suppliers (mills) have already made considerable progress towards identifying potential
HCVs in smallholder plots. Each of the mill teams presented an overview of smallholder
plots of their members with a focus on potential HCVs. Subsequently, visits were made to
smallholder plots across three provinces to see potential HCV sites and resources and to
discuss their identification and management with smallholders and mill representatives.
However, the objective was to not only comment on the presence of HCVs in existing
smallholder plots, but also to identify HCV areas in the wider landscape (across the three
provinces) which should be avoided by future expansion or new group members.
The results of this study are presented so that interested parties may better understand
the HCVs present at the provincial and national scale, as well as the kinds of HCVs most
typically encountered at the local or smallholder plot level. The results are presented for
each of the six HCV categories and, where relevant, broken down by scale into provincial
or regional (Southern Thailand) and local-level findings. See the next page for a summary
table of our findings.
Recommendations
Based on the results of the desk-based study and field visit, the following
recommendations are made:
Targeted training is needed for mill representatives and selected smallholders in 1)
mapping and organisation of geospatial data, 2) HCV identification and 3) water
management.
The smallholder mapping teams will benefit greatly from simple guidance documents
or decision-making tools that prompt HCV assessors to ask key questions before
arriving at a conclusion with regard to the presence or absence of HCVs. These tools
need to be accompanied with training and local examples where appropriate to
maximise ease of use.
Improved water management practices are needed including maintaining buffer
zones and ensuring high risk activities (e.g. chemical use) are avoided in these
sensitive zones.
Where the boundaries of forest reserves and protected areas have been clearly
demarcated, smallholders who cultivate oil palm adjacent to these reserved areas
should take extra measures to ensure that their activities do not impact negatively on
HCVs within these reserved areas.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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We provide a brief list of additional data sources that future HCV assessors, or even
the mill RSPO teams, may endeavour to acquire to further complete the state of
knowledge about the assessment area.
HCV Definition Provincial scale Smallholder plot scale
HCV 1
Concentrations of biological diversity including endemic species, and rare, threatened or endangered species, that are significant at global, regional or national levels.
Present: Protected areas (national parks, forest reserves), Important Bird Areas, Ramsar sites, Tapi River (endemic fish)
Likely absent: No evidence of HCV 1 at the smallholder plot level
HCV 2
Large landscape-level ecosystems and ecosystem mosaics that are significant at global, regional or national levels, and that contain viable populations of the great majority of the naturally occurring species in natural patterns of distribution and abundance.
Absent: High degree of fragmentation
Not applicable
HCV 3 Rare, threatened, or endangered ecosystems, habitats or refugia.
Present: Limestone karst formations , fresh water swamps peat swamps (e.g. Kanthuli peat swamp in Ta Chana District, Suratthani), lowland forest of significant size
Likely absent: The limestone cave site visited in Krabi may be HCV but no species information is available
HCV 4
Basic ecosystem services in critical situations including protection of water catchments and control of erosion of vulnerable soils and slopes.
Present: Forested mountain ranges (mostly in protected areas) providing water for large towns and villages; Mangroves providing flood control and filtering services
Present: forest areas that protect steam heads used by local people. Some rivers and streams that provide critical services. Any areas critical for replenishment (spawning grounds) of fishing areas
HCV 5
Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying the basic necessities of local communities or indigenous peoples (for example for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water), identified through engagement with these communities or indigenous peoples.
Present: Community forests, if they are crucial for NTFP collection and/or revenue from ecotourism would be HCV 5
Likely absent: Though people use water resources for washing and bathing and practice fishing – it appears there are affordable alternatives and these sources are not critical. However, this should be determined on a case-by-case basis with people concerned
HCV 6
Sites, resources, habitats and landscapes of global or national cultural, archaeological or historical significance, and/or of critical cultural, ecological, economic or religious/sacred importance for the traditional cultures of local communities or indigenous peoples, identified through engagement with these local communities or indigenous peoples.
Present: petroglyphs found on cave walls in Tham Phi Hua To, Than Bokkhorani National Park, Pottery-bearing sites in Krabi (Khao Kanaab Nam) and Suratthani
Present: Spirit houses, trees where offerings are made, abandoned temple site
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Table of contents
Executive Summary --------------------------------------------------------------- 4
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ------------------------------------------ 8
1 Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
2 Methods ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
2.1 Desk-based Review -------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
2.2 Field visit in Southern Thailand ---------------------------------------------------- 10
3 Background information --------------------------------------------------- 11
3.1 Oil palm in Thailand ------------------------------------------------------------------ 11
3.2 Physical environment ---------------------------------------------------------------- 12
3.3 Forest and protected areas --------------------------------------------------------- 17
4 Site visit ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18
4.1 Description of assessment area --------------------------------------------------- 18
4.2 Patum Veg and the smallholder supply base ---------------------------------- 20
4.3 Mapping of smallholder plots ------------------------------------------------------ 21
4.4 Visits to potential HCVs sites ------------------------------------------------------- 24
4.5 Interviews with stakeholders ------------------------------------------------------ 26
5 Preliminary findings --------------------------------------------------------- 26
5.1 HCV 1: Biodiversity ------------------------------------------------------------------- 30
5.2 HCV 2: Landscape-level ecosystems---------------------------------------------- 34
5.3 HCV 3: Rare ecosystems ------------------------------------------------------------- 35
5.4 HCV 4: Critical ecosystem services------------------------------------------------ 37
5.5 HCV 5: Basic community needs ---------------------------------------------------- 39
5.6 HCV 6: Cultural values --------------------------------------------------------------- 40
6 Recommendations ----------------------------------------------------------- 43
6.1 Targeted training for smallholders and mill representatives -------------- 43
6.2 Additional filtering of potential HCVs -------------------------------------------- 44
6.3 Need for stakeholder consultation ----------------------------------------------- 46
6.4 Document HCV assessments ------------------------------------------------------- 46
6.5 Future HCV assessments ------------------------------------------------------------ 48
7 References --------------------------------------------------------------------- 49
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Appendices ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 53
Appendix 1: Provisional List of Protected Areas in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani
Provinces ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 53
Appendix 2: Important Bird Areas --------------------------------------------------------- 55
Appendix 3: List of selected rare, threatened and endangered species in Krabi,
Suratthani and Trang Provinces, Thailand ----------------------------------------------- 56
Appendix 4: Detailed itinerary of field work -------------------------------------------- 62
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List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
CSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil
DNP Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations
FIO Forest Industry Organisation
ha hectare(s)
HCV High Conservation Value
IBA Important Bird Area
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
KBA Key Biodiversity Area
km kilometre
NST Nakhon Si Thammarat
NTFP non timber forest product
ONEP Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Planning
RSPO Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil
RTE Rare, threatened or endangered
RTFD Royal Thai Forestry Department
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Orgaisation
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1 Introduction
Thailand is currently the third largest producer of palm oil in the world, after Indonesia
and Malaysia, producing approximately 12,812,061 tonnes (2013 data from the Office of
Agricultural Economics1) of oil palm. Of this, approximately 17,144 ha has been certified
against the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) producing 44,823 metric tonnes of
certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO)2. Shell, which operates in more than 70 countries and
territories across the world, are building their capacity in biofuels and working to make
them more sustainable3. Today, Shell is a major purchaser of biofuels for blending. As part
of their commitment to biofuels and sustainability, Shell is promoting RSPO certification of
its oil palm smallholder supply base in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani provinces in Thailand.
The scope of RSPO certification covers the mills and supply base which provide the palm
oil for purchase by Shell and its partners (e.g. Patum Veg). Though the numbers are not
yet final, it has been recommended that Shell cap the number of smallholders to permit
them to begin work towards certification with this first group. Approximately 1,800
smallholders supplying nine mills (from six companies) are within the scope of this RSPO
group certification programme. In support of this, Shell contracted Proforest to conduct
an HCV scoping study in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani provinces to identify potential High
Conservation Values (HCV) that may be impacted by smallholder oil palm production.
2 Methods
HCV assessment involves interpreting what the six HCV definitions mean in the local or
national context and deciding which HCVs are present or potentially present. HCV
assessments should be conducted according to the scale, intensity and risk of operations.
HCV assessment is primarily meant to focus on the management unit, concession or farm.
However, the HCV approach can also be applied to larger scales such as regions or even
countries to identify priority conservation areas. This scoping study has combined both a
large scale perspective, covering three provinces, and a more local and site-based
approach to identifying potential HCVs. This HCV study included desk-based study and a
field mission to Southern Thailand.
2.1 Desk-based Review
The Proforest team gathered and reviewed relevant reports, literature and studies that
have been conducted in southern Thailand and specifically Krabi, Trang and Suratthani
provinces. Documents reviewed include:
Previous HCV assessments, in particular the assessment conducted by Proforest
in 2008 in relation to an oil palm smallholder dominated landscape in Krabi
province.
1 http://www.oae.go.th/download/prcai/farmcrop/palm.pdf10.8
2 RSPO market data 2013. Downloadable from: www.rspo.org
3 Shell and Biofuels (2013). http://www.shell.com/global/environment-
society/environment/climate-change/biofuels-alternative-energies-transport/biofuels.html
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Maps: smallholdings, topography, watersheds, protected areas, , land cover,
vegetation
Any available data and reports on fauna and flora present in the landscape
The desk-based review was conducted at the regional scale considering mainly HCVs 1-3,
i.e. with a focus on biodiversity issues, location of protected areas, known species
distribution, ecosystem maps and land cover maps. The findings of the desk-based
research permitted the team to gain a preliminary understanding of the likely presence of
HCVs within the three provinces before embarking on the field component.
2.2 Field visit in Southern Thailand
The field visit in southern Thailand was conducted between the 11th
and 18th
March 2014
with about 1-3 days (including traveling time) allocated to each of the three provinces of
interest (Krabi, Trang and Suratthani). It included observations of potential HCV resources
and areas found in smallholder plots, discussions with relevant government officials
involved in the planning and management of natural resources, and engagement with oil
palm smallholders (involving those who have already undergone RSPO certification
processes and those who are still in the preliminary stages). A visit was also made to
government offices in Nakhon Si Thammarat that oversee forest and protected area
management in Trang Province.
In addition to verifying the findings of the desk-based review (e.g. landscape
characterisation and presence of HCVs 1-3), the field visit allowed the Proforest team to
gather additional data (and specifically for HCVs 4-6) that could not be obtained via the
desktop research. For a detailed itinerary see Appendix 4.
Table 1 Team members who participated in the HCV scoping study
Team member Role/expertise
Ellen Brown, Proforest
Surin Suksuwan, Proforest
Kanogwon Saswattecha, independent consultant
Narongchai Chonlapap, FIO
Sirithanya Piman, FIO
Phannee Sinsuphan, Patum Veg
Team Leader, HCV expert
HCV expert
Logistics and admin support, interpreter
Forestry and HCV
Forestry
Sustainability Project Manager
Image 1 HCV scoping study team
photo
Photo: Proforest
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3 Background information
Much of the information in this section is derived from the desk-based study. After
providing an overview of oil palm cultivation in southern Thailand, it includes an overview
of the physical landscape, key conservation areas and natural resources.
3.1 Oil palm in Thailand
Agriculture is an important economic sector in Thailand, employing 41.5% of the
workforce in 2010 (UN 2012). The contribution of the agricultural sector to the national
GDP in 2012 was estimated to be 12.3 percent according to the World Bank Databank. The
land area under agriculture is estimated to be 21 million ha (according to 2011 FAO
statistics) which is equivalent to about 41% of the total land area and which is larger than
the remaining forest cover in the country.
Oil palm cultivation in Thailand increased steadily, with an average annual growth rate of
11% from 1981 to 2000 and 9% from 2001 to 2010 (Yangdee 2007). About 90% of the
country’s total area planted with oil palm is in southern Thailand, with Krabi Province
having the largest share (26.63%) followed by Suratthani (25.23%), Chumporn (20.19%),
Nakhon Si Thammarat (4.11%) and Trang (3.00%) provinces (Dallinger 2011). Collectively,
Krabi, Suratthani and Chumporn provinces account for 72.05% of the total area planted
with oil palm in Thailand.
In a review of biofuel case studies, Beall (2012) found that 76% of the land used for oil
palm in Thailand is cultivated by smallholders, involving more than 120,000 farmers, most
of whom (98 %) are smallholders. These smallholders produce more than an estimated
70% of the total production by volume. In the same study, it was found that the average
size of oil palm plantations owned by companies was 796 ha while the average land size
for oil palm smallholders was 3.89 ha (2007 data). The majority of oil palm growers in
Thailand operate completely independently and are not connected to mills by any kind of
written contract or formal arrangement. Since the establishment of mills is very capital-
intensive, only a few farmers have formed their own cooperative mill with support of the
Government (Beall 2012). It is difficult for companies to expand their plantation area in
the country because big plots of land required for efficient large-scale plantations are
limited (Dallinger 2011).
Thus far, oil palm expansion in Thailand has mostly avoided forested areas, and has mainly
replaced abandoned paddy fields, degraded land, abandoned fruit orchards, land with acid
soils and land previously used for rubber and sugarcane cultivation (Jongskul 2010 cited in
Dallinger 2011; Beall 2012). Keson and Wongsai (2012) investigated the agricultural land
use change in Lam Thap District, Krabi Province between 2000 and 2009 and their results
show that the area under oil palm in the province expanded from 94,400 ha to 163,200 ha
between 2000 and 2009, an increase of 29.11%. Of the eight districts in Krabi Province,
the highest expansion was at Lam Thap where oil palm areas increased four-fold from
approximately 2,000 ha in 2000 to 8,600ha in 2009. Oil palm cultivation has expanded
mostly by replacing para rubber (6,120 ha; 71.6%), other agriculture (520 ha; 5.2%), and
forest (370 ha; 4.3%).
The Alternative Energy Development Plan ( 2012-2021), approved by the Thai parliament
in December 2011, sets out how Thailand can more than triple energy production from
renewable sources, providing as much as 25% of the nation's total energy needs by 2021.
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Area Measurement
In Thailand, areas are commonly given in rai
1 rai = 1,600 m2 or 0.16 ha
1 ha = 6.25 rai
Around the same time, the energy ministry announced plans to introduce a B10 biodiesel
blend (10% palm oil, 90% diesel) nationwide by 2019. The current land area planted with
oil palm in Thailand totalled 645,000 ha in 2012 (FAOSTAT 2013) and one researcher
extrapolated that by 2029, the total land area planted with oil palm in the country will
reach 10 million rai (1.6 million ha) (Yangdee 2007).
Given the ambitious oil palm expansion plans and the diminishing non-forested land area
available, it is not unreasonable to predict that some of the new oil palm plantings may
involve forest or wetland conversion. Already there are reports of existing or potential
threats of agricultural activities encroaching into forest and wetlands, including protected
areas (Aratrakorn et al. 2006; Thitiprasert et al. 2007; Ramsar 2013).
3.2 Physical environment
3.2.1 Biogeography
Southern Thailand (Isthmus of Kra) marks the
transition between the Sundaic and the
Indochinese biogeographical regions where a
considerable number of Indochinese and
Malaysian species of flora and fauna reach their
southern and northern limits, respectively. This
region represents the limit of the distribution
range of species from many taxa, including
amphibians and forest bird species (Hughes
2011). Plant species show a strong divide in
their distribution at around 500 km further
south, at the Kangar–Pattani Line (e.g. van
Steenis 1950; Whitmore 1984).
Thailand can be divided into six biogeographical
units, having distinct floral and faunal
associations, as shown in figure 1 (Thitiprasert
et al. 2007). The Southern Peninsula, Zone F,
includes the area of Thailand south of the Kra
isthmus to the Malaysian border. Krabi, Trang
and Suratthani provinces are located here.
A
B C
D
E
F
Figure 1 Map showing the six biogeographical
regions of Thailand
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3.2.2 Topography and Land Cover
Peninsular Thailand has a
complex geological history
resulting in a series of
roughly parallel northeast-
southwest trending
mountain ranges running
down the middle of the
entire peninsula, the most
prominent of which is the
Tenasserim range which
forms part of the boundary
between Thailand and
Burma. On either side of
the mountain ranges the
narrow stretch of coastal
plains descend into the
Andaman and South China
seas to the west and east
respectively.
Limestone karst is scattered
throughout the peninsula
giving rise to isolated
towers that rise above the
coastal plains. These karst
outcrops are steep cone-
shaped or cylindrical
peaks, with maximum elevations of 150 to 400 m above sea level.
The outcrops rise steeply from the sedimentary plain and are completely cut off (in terms
of natural land cover) from each other and from the main mountain ranges to the East and
North-West. The plains are characterised by gently undulating hills and are dominated by
agricultural lands (mainly rubber and oil palm).
The Khao Phanom range is a chain of low mountains reaching 1,345 m, characterised by a
narrow ridge and very steep slopes. Nearly the whole of the length of the mountain range
is a protected area, with the Khlong Phraya Wildlife Reserve covering the northern half of
the chain and the Khao Phanom Bencha National Park covering the southern half. This is
the major feature of one of the WWF Global 200 ecoregions (Tenasserim-South Thailand
semi-evergreen rain forests), which covers nearly all of peninsular Thailand down to the
border with Malaysia. This ecoregion supports some of the most diverse bird and mammal
assemblages in the Indo-Pacific region. Its relatively intact hill and montane forests form
some of the best remaining habitat for Asian elephants and tigers in the region (Proforest
2008).
The Khlong Phraya Wildlife Reserve (153.6 km2) straddles the boundary between Krabi
and Suratthani provinces, whilst Khao Phanom Bencha National Park is contained within
Krabi province. The Khao Phanom Bencha National Park does not protect outlying areas of
the southern massif, and the steep hill areas forming the southern boundary of the Ao
Luk/Klong Phraya watershed have been heavily impacted by plantations and poorly
Figure 2 Location of the Tenasserim range
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controlled timber extraction. The steeper slopes of the mountain range remain covered in
relatively intact forest, and support a wide range of characteristic animal and plant species
(Proforest 2008).
The forest cover in southern Thailand, at 22.5% in 2004 (Agricultural Statistics of Thailand,
cited in FAO 2009), is less than the national average. The largest area of natural vegetation
in all of southern Thailand is the mountain range protected by the contiguous Khao
Sok/Khlong Phanom National Parks in Suratthani Province. Other large areas of forest in
the region remain on the Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain range (Proforest 2008). At
present, however, most lowland forest has been almost entirely cleared for agriculture
and those forests on the hills are now threatened by ever-extending encroachment for
rubber plantations and other cultivation (Thitiprasert et al. 2007). Many of the forest
areas have been degraded or converted for other uses.
3.2.3 Hydrology
As the Thai peninsula is a narrow strip of land which is only 40 km wide at its narrowest
point, there is a conspicuous absence of large rivers. In Krabi Province, the main river
systems are the Krabi and the Klong thom that drain into Phangnga Bay in the Andaman
Sea. The watershed of Khlong Krabi Yai River (the main tributary of the Krabi River) begins
at the Khao Phanom Bencha mountain range and has a catchment size of 19,800 ha
(Sangmanee et al. 2011). Khlong Krabi Yai has a key role in supplying water to the
agricultural and tourism sectors in Krabi Province as well as maintaining the integrity of
the Krabi estuary wetlands, which is a Ramsar site (Sangmanee et al. 2011).
In Suratthani Province, the main rivers include Tha Chang, Phum Duang, Tha Thong and
Tapi, all of which flow into the Ban Don Bay. The Phum Duang and Tapi rivers join at the
town of Tha Kham and form a delta at their estuary. The delta, locally known as Nai Bang,
is located directly north of the city Suratthani and consists of several channels with small
islands mostly covered by mangrove or orchards. Figure 3 below shows the main river
systems in the Krabi and Suratthani provinces.
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Figure 3 : Map of river systems in Krabi and Suratthani provinces. Source: Kositratana &
Kajornatiyudh 1991.
The Trang River which is relatively short (123 km length), originates from the Khao Luang
mountain range and flows into the Andaman Sea. It is the only river in the western coast
of peninsular Thailand that runs through a large basin which is naturally flooded annually.
Floodplains are uncommon in the western coast of Thailand due to the generally steep
gradient of the surface through which major rivers flow (Pattarakulpisutti & Sridith 2011).
Another major river in Trang province is the Palian River which originates from the
Banthat mountains (protected in the Tai Rom Yen National Park).
There are 25 watershed areas in Thailand. Krabi and Trang are in one watershed area with
watercourses flowing into the Andaman Sea, while Suratthani is in another watershed
draining into the Gulf of Thailand. Thailand has a system for classifying watershed based
on land cover, slope and land use. The definitions below are rather basic, but it gives a
general idea that classes 1 and 2 are more important for water conservation for example
and should not contain intensive plantation agriculture.
The watershed classification is coordinated by an ONEP master plan, where DNP and RTFD
are responsible for the protection of Class 1 and 2 watershed areas. According to DNP
Nakhon Si Thammarat, within the last two years there were cases of encroachment into
Class 1-2 watershed areas in the Trang and Krabi provinces involving 1,000 rai in total.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Typically the encroachment involves rubber at higher elevations and oil palm in the
lowlands.
During the field visit we were unable to learn the watershed classifications of the different
streams and rivers in various smallholdings. The smallholders seemed less aware of this
classification. This is likely due to the fact that their plantations are generally located in
watershed zones 3-5 where most agricultural activities are permitted. Also, there are no
regulations on water protection and management in the smallholder agricultural sector
(as opposed to larger scale industry). We were able to obtain watershed classification
maps for Trang and Krabi Provinces (see Figures 10 and 11), however the Suratthani ONEP
office has not yet shared the shapefiles of watersheds in Suratthani province. This is
something to follow up on. It may also be useful to try and ascertain whether any of the
waterways in smallholdings may require some kind of additional protection or
management based on their slope or proximity to waterways.
Table 2 Watershed classification Source: Tangtham 1996 and consultation with National Parks
Department, NST
Classification Description
1A Protected forest, head waters
1B Protected forest and head waters, but also some land use for
development possible (could have less forest cover)
2 Less steep slope, production forest, some economic activities
permitted (e.g. mining and dams)
3 Even gentler slopes, production forest, agricultural plantations, most
activities permitted
4 Very gentle to flat slope, agriculture use, soil and water management
activities
5 Often sites for rice paddy fields, community water use, very little
forest cover
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Figure 4 Illustration of watershed classifications. Source: Tangtham 1996
3.3 Forest and protected areas
FAO estimates the total forested area in Thailand in 2009 at 16.8 million ha (32.7%). The
country experienced a period of widespread deforestation between the 1960s and 1990s
when it lost about 10 million ha of forests (Colchester & Fay 2007). In 1989, as a response
to widespread floods, landslides and public protest, the government imposed a logging
ban and adopted a policy classifying 25% of the country as conservation forest and 15% as
production forest (Colchester & Fay 2007). Forest cover decline in Thailand has generally
stabilised in the last few decades (Woods et al. 2011) but the deforestation rate has been
about 63,000 ha per year since 2000, or higher than in the 1990s (FAO 2009). There are
two main types of forests in Thailand – evergreen forest and deciduous forest – which are
further sub-divided into different forest types, summarised below.
Evergreen forest is subdivided into tropical evergreen forest, pine forest, mangrove forest
and beach forest:
Tropical evergreen forest is found all over the moist part of the country. This
type of forest is also subdivided into the tropical rain forest, the semi-evergreen
forest and the hill evergreen forest.
Tropical rain forest is characterised by rich flora and dense undergrowth.
This type of forest is commonly found in the Southern and the Eastern
regions where rainfall is above 2,000 mm. It is also found along rivers
and/or in valleys in other parts of the country.
Semi-evergreen forest is scattered all over the country where the rainfall
is between 1,000-2,000 mm.
Hill evergreen forest is found on the highlands (above 1,000 m above sea
level) where the climatic condition is the humid subtropical type.
Mangrove forests occur along the coastal areas of the Eastern, Central and
Southern regions. The mangrove forest is scattered along the estuaries of rivers
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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and seashores where the soil is muddy and influenced by the tide. Beach forests
occur along the sandy coastal plains especially in the eastern coast of the
Southern region.
Deciduous forest is characterised by the presence of deciduous tree species and is
commonly found throughout the country. It is broadly subdivided according to the species
composition into the mixed deciduous forest (with and without teak) and the dry
dipterocarp forest.
Box 1 Forest types in Thailand - adapted from FAO 2009
Since the introduction of the National Park Act in 1961, protected area cover in Thailand
has expanded rapidly to 11.3 million ha equivalent to about 17 percent of the country’s
total land area (FAO 2009). The protected area system consists of 227 sites comprising
national parks, wildlife sanctuaries or local government-controlled forest parks, wildlife
sanctuaries, no-hunting areas (mostly private lands), botanical gardens and arboretums
that are under the control of the DNP (FAO, 2009). Thailand has set a target to have 25
percent of the country’s total land area as protected areas.
4 Site visit
4.1 Description of assessment area
4.1.1 Krabi
Krabi province has a population of 432,704 and a land area of 470,085 ha. Krabi has a
tropical monsoon climate, which is influenced by the northeast and southwest monsoon
winds which cause heavy rainfall during August to October with an annual average of
2,100 mm. The temperatures range from 22.8˚C to 32.2˚C. The province is divided into
eight districts: Ao Luek, Khao Phanom, Khlong Thom, Ko Lanta, Lam Thap, Mueang Krabi,
Nuea Khlong and Plai Phraya. The main livelihood activities of its people are small-scale
fishing along the coastline and cultivation of oil palm and rubber.
According to statistics from the Office of Agricultural Economics (2014) oil palm is the
principle crop in Krabi. In 2011, 157,645 ha was planted with oil palm and 99,543 ha were
planted with rubber. The remaining agricultural land is accounted for by other crops which
include coconut, fruit trees, coffee, and rice (WWF 2008). Based on an inventory
conducted in 2003, a total area of 136,852 ha of forest remained in the province, which is
approximately 24% of the provincial area (WWF 2008), however the forest area has no
doubt reduced in the past decade.
The ONEP office in Krabi reiterated what was already known from the literature review
regarding the land cover in the province, i.e. that essentially all natural areas (forests,
wetlands) in the lowlands have been converted to oil palm and rubber. Field observations
(visits to smallholdings, visual assessment of landscape from high vantage points) provided
further evidence that there is very limited scope of HCVs 1-3 being present outside of
existing or proposed protected areas.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
19
4.1.2 Trang
Trang province, located on the western coast with a 160 km coastline facing the Andaman
Sea, has a land area of 491,750 ha and a population of 633,659 people. Trang is impacted
by the northeast and southwest monsoons, which generate heavy rainfall throughout the
year, but mostly during August to October. The average annual rainfall is 2,150 mm with a
temperature between 22.6°C to 32.8°C. The province is subdivided into 10 districts: Hat
Samran, Huai Yot, Kantang, Mueang Trang, Na Yong, Palian, Ratsada, Sikao, Wang Wiset
and Yan Ta Khao. According to 2011 data from the Office of Agricultural Economics (2014)
rubber is the principle crop in this province with approximately 221,346 ha, with oil palm
following at 24,750 ha.
4.1.3 Suratthani
The province of Suratthani is located on the east coast of the Isthmus of Kra facing the
Gulf of Thailand. It is the largest of the southern provinces, with a land area of 1,289,150
ha. It has a population of 1,000,383 people. Temperatures are fairly stable throughout the
year, although the pre-monsoon months (March–May) are somewhat hotter. There is a
short dry season from January to April, followed by the wet season that lasts from May to
December. The average annual rainfall is 1,830 mm with heaviest rains occuring between
October and December. There are 19 districts in the province: Ban Na Doem, Ban Na San,
Ban Ta Khun, Chai Buri, Chaiya, Don Sak, Kanchanadit, Khian Sa, Khiri Rat Nikhom, Ko Pha-
ngan, Ko Samui, Phanom, Phrasaeng, Phunphin, Tha Chana, Tha Chang, Vibhavadi and
Wiang Sa.
Though rubber is the principle crop with approximately 307,471 ha, according to 2011
data from the Office of Agricultural Economics (2014), Suratthani now boasts the largest
area of oil palm plantings in Thailand at approximately 164,499 ha.
A key conservation issue in Krabi, according to ONEP, is forest conversion to agriculture
particularly oil palm and rubber. The same issue also occurs in Suratthani where peat
swamps are also impacted, as highlighted by the provincial RTFD office. The RTFD office in
Nakhon Si Thammarat also mentioned that forest conversion is a serious issue in these
two provinces, but observed that rubber is a more significant driver of deforestation
compared to oil palm. According to the RTFD Nakhon Si Thammarat, both protected areas
under DNP and forest reserves under RTFD are threatened by land conversion. The DNP
office at Nakhon Si Thammarat (which also oversees protected areas in Krabi and Trang)
noted that there were many issues involving oil palm and rubber encroaching into
forested areas.
Left: image 2 View of landscape
covered with a patchwork of oil
palm and rubber, with some forest
visible on distant hilltops
Photo: Proforest
Right: image 3 View from Tai Rom
Yen National Park, again rubber
dominates the landscape except
for the limestone outcroppings
visible in the distance
Photo: Proforest
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
20
4.2 Patum Veg and the smallholder supply base
Patum Vegetable Oil Co. Ltd. (Patum Veg), founded in 1975, is one of the leading refineries
of vegetable oil (palm and coconut) in Thailand. In 2006, Patum Veg entered the energy
sector by establishing their first biodiesel plant. Currently, Patum Veg supplies Shell with
biodiesel. Patum Veg is RSPO certified for their supply chain and they are now promoting
RSPO certification for the mills and supply base. Patum Veg sources its palm oil (FFB) from
approximately 1,800 smallholders in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani provinces. Their project
aims to work with eight palm oil mills in Chumporn, Suratthani, Nakon Si Thammarat,
Krabi and Trang provinces4. After the selection of the project partners, there are six
companies with nine mills actively participating in the project.
One of the requirements to achieve RSPO certification, is to ensure that any HCVs have
been identified and are well-managed and maintained over time. Patum Veg and its
suppliers (mills) have already made considerable progress towards identifying potential
HCVs in smallholder plots. During our visit, we met with six project partner teams from
nine mills sourcing from approximately 1,800 smallholders. Teams affiliated with the nine
different mills conducted mapping of all smallholder plots and preliminary HCV
assessments of smallholdings.
The mills are the key partners as Patum Veg moves towards RSPO certification and they
serve as facilitators of farmers’ group. It is similar to the role of a group manager i.e.
assessing preliminary qualification of group members, facilitating group meetings and
trainings, developing group database etc. These teams received a brief (2-day) training on
HCVs in 2013. During the field visit, each of the mapping teams presented an overview of
the smallholder plots in each group with a focus on potential HCVs. Initial discussions and
question-answer sessions followed the presentations. Subsequently, visits were made to
11 different smallholder plots across three provinces to see potential HCV sites and
resources and to discuss their identification and management with small holders and mill
representatives.
Table 3 Quick facts on smallholder groups visited during field work (estimate from Patum Veg)
4 1) KFF 2) Srichareon Palm Oil 3) Trang Palm Oil 4) SPO 1 5) SPO 2 6) SPO 3 7) Southern Palm Oil
8) Thai Tallow 1 (Bangsawan sub-district) and 9) Thai Tallow 2 (Sai Khueng sub-district)
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
21
4.3 Mapping of smallholder plots
As mentioned above, considerable effort has been made by the mapping teams. During
our visit we were able to access geospatial files from all the groups. However, there were
also some challenges encountered with data formats and consistency that leads us to
recommend that the groups receive some additional training in the use of Google Earth
and other geographic software (e.g. ArcGIS) and that they harmonize their data labels,
formats, etc. to facilitate sharing in the future and so that as the mills proceeds towards
certification, it will be easier to collect and maintain the geographic data base of all
smallholders. This in turn will make future map production more streamlined. The figures
below provide an illustration of the kind of geospatial information available in the
different groups. There is valuable information available, but some additional filtering of
the HCVs is needed and then a harmonisation of symbols and labels. Ideally, each group
would be able to show all their smallholder locations and then to differentiate the location
of plots containing HCVs with a different symbol. At this point we treat all of the plots
generally (because we cannot distinguish potential HCVs) and on Proforest maps all plots
from all groups are represented as red dots.
Figure 5 Zoomed in Google Earth image of smallholder plots in Krabi province. Red polygons are
smallholder plots, yellow pins are also placed on all plots as are labels of farmer names (Thai). It is
evident that the area is heavily influenced by small-scale agriculture. In the far right of the image –
there is a mountainous protected area with forest cover.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
22
Figure 6 Zoomed in Google Earth image of smallholder plots in Trang province. Plots are represented
by yellow pins, trees and flags (classification unknown) - also placed on all plots as are labels of
farmer names (Thai). It is evident that the area is heavily influenced by small-scale agriculture.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
23
Figure 7 Zoomed in Google Earth image of smallholder plots in Suratthani province. Plots are
represented by yellow outlines and red pins - also placed on all plots as are labels of farmer names
(Thai). It is evident that the area is heavily influenced by small-scale agriculture. This view shows that
several plots are close to the river running through the middle of the image.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
24
4.4 Visits to potential HCVs sites
During the field work, 11 different smallholdings were visited in three provinces (see
figure 8).
Figure 8 Location of smallholder plots visited in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani
The table below provides an overview of the potential HCV and the Proforest evaluation
as to whether an HCV is indeed present, absent or recommendations for more
information.
Table 4 Summary of potential HCV sites visited by the Proforest team
Group,
Province
Description of potential
HCV Proforest evaluation of potential HCV
Srichareon
Palm Oil,
Krabi
HCV 1: Paa Khoa Kaew Forest
Reserve. A smallholder plot has
encroached on forest land up
the side of a hill (see image 4)
HCV 1 present: the national forest
qualifies as HCV 1, therefore
encroachment on the forest by the
smallholder plot is having a negative
impact on the HCV
Srichareon
Palm Oil,
Krabi
HCV 3: Cave (see image 5)
HCV 1 potentially present if there are any
rare, threatened or endangered species
living at the site. However, because palm
cultivation will not occur at the actual cave
site, it is very unlikely that any potential
HCV would be directly affected by
smallholder activities. The site could
potentially be HCV 3 because limestone
karst formations with natural vegetation
are rare ecosystems. However, it was
Image 4 Oil palm encroaching on
Paa Khoa Kaew Forest Reserve
Photo: Proforest
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
25
impossible to observe the vegetation
quality as the height and steepness of the
site makes it inaccessible.
Srichareon
Palm Oil,
Krabi
HCV 4: Stream flowing from
forested headwater area
Potentially Present: Smallholder plot
borders a community forest reserve which
harbours the source of a stream – which
also borders the plot. Though the plot
itself does not contain an HCV, the
community forest reserve could
potentially qualify as HCV 4. According to
discussion with farmers, the steam is used
for bathing and household needs (but not
drinking). More information is needed on
the importance of this water source for
the communities.
Srichareon
Palm Oil,
Krabi
HCV 1: Endemic tree species
HCV Absent: The group identified a native
tree which they believe to be endemic to
Southern Thailand. However, a single tree
does not qualify as a “concentration” of
species.
Trang
Palm Oil,
Trang
HCV 1: Smallholder plot near
the border of a forest reserve
HCV 1 Absent: no evidence of
encroachment into the forest reserve. The
forest reserve itself is an HCV 1, but there
is not an HCV in the smallholder plot.
Trang
Palm Oil,
Trang
HCV 4&5: river water is used by
local communities for washing
and bathing (not drinking).
Some fishing for household
consumption. Stream flows
into Trang river
Potentially Present: need more
information about degree to which people
use water resources and downstream
values
SPO,
Suratthani
HCV 4: River used for irrigation
and household needs (e.g.
cleaning). Mangroves and
small-scale fisheries located
downstream
Potentially Present: need more
information about degree to which people
use water resources and downstream
values
Southern
Palm Oil,
Suratthani
HCV 4: Plot on tributary of the
Tapi river, used for fishing
Potentially Present: Tapi River is likely to
be HCV – but more information is needed
on the degree to which people rely on the
fishing resources
Thai
Tallow,
Suratthani
HCV 6: Natural (regenerating)
vegetation on site of former
temple. Foundation stones
visible (see image 9)
HCV 6 present: It was clear from our visit
and consultation that the site holds
cultural value
Thai
Tallow,
Suratthani
HCV 6: Clump of trees (natural
vegetation) where offerings are
made (see image 10)
HCV 6 present: According to discussions
with land owner and mapping teams (and
observation) offerings are made at this
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
26
site
Thai
Tallow,
Suratthani
HCV 4: Plot bordering river with
significant erosion (see image
7)
HCV 4 absent: The river might have HCV
value, but the plot itself does not qualify
as HCV. If anything, the smallholder
farming practices are causing harm (e.g
sedimentation and chemical run-off) to
the river
Based on the smallholder group’s limited experience with HCV, according to FIO there was
a 2-day training conducted on the topic, it is promising to see that the mapping teams
have erred on the side of caution in their designation of potential HCVs. In other words, it
appears very likely that the number of potential HCVs is over-estimated and that once the
smallholder groups are able to do some further refinement of their HCV analysis, the
number of potential HCVs will be reduced. This should therefore simplify future
management. To give an idea, most groups identified approximately 20 potential HCVs out
of all their smallholdings. Of those, most are classified as HCV 4 because they are near a
waterway. Many of those will be changed after the smallholders acquire some more
information and ask some more detailed questions (see recommendations section). Good
water management practices will be sufficient in most cases. Only in cases of exceptional
or critical values will additional safeguards be needed around waterways (e.g. larger
buffer zone).
4.5 Interviews with stakeholders
A considerable amount of effort was made by the Proforest team to identify, make
contact and communicate with the relevant stakeholders and resource people for the HCV
scoping study. In the case of government stakeholders, it was not possible to arrange
meetings with all the relevant agencies due to time and other constraints (including the
restricted access to some government offices due to on-going public protests by the
opposition). Where civil society is concerned, most of the large international
environmental NGOs such as WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) and the Wildlife
Conservation Society do not have active projects in the three provinces and therefore
were unable to provide much information. The Thailand office of Wetlands International
used to be very active in southern Thailand, especially in Krabi Province and their website
listed several projects in the area. However, attempts to contact them and their close
collaborators (Faisal Parish of GEC, pers. comm.) indicate that the Thailand office is no
longer operational. There was also a lack of useful information on relevant local
community-based organisations active in the three provinces.
5 Preliminary findings
The results of this HCV scoping study are presented so that interested parties may better
understand the HCVs present at the provincial and national scale, as well as the kinds of
HCVs most typically encountered at the local or smallholder plot level. The results are
presented for each of the six HCV categories and then further broken down by scale into
provincial or regional (Southern Thailand) and local-level findings. By their very definitions,
HCVs 1, 2 and 3 tend to be more relevant at a larger scale such as a country or a
biogeographic unit. Whereas HCVs 4, 5 and 6 are more focused on critical services,
Image X.Y Limestone outcropping
and cave
Photo: Proforest
Image 5 Limestone cave bordering a
palm smallholding
Photo: Proforest
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
27
resources and sites that are used by people at a local level. Figure 9 shows the location of
smallholder plots in relation to conservation areas (namely national parks, wildlife
sanctuaries and forest reserves). Unfortunately, it does appear that several smallholder
plots overlap with forest reserves. However, this is likely to due to changes in the
classification of certain forest reserves (i.e. some forest reserves have been declassified
and entered the agriculture domain). During the field visit, mapping teams were aware
of plots which were potentially encroaching on forest reserves, and it was only an
exceptional few. See Section 5.1.1 under forest reserves for more information. This will
need to be followed up on with the Forestry Department in the different provinces.
Figures 10 and 11 show zoomed-in maps of Krabi and Trang provinces with a view of
protected areas, sensitive watershed zones 1 and 2 (often overlapping with protected
areas) and forest reserves.
Figure 9 Location of smallholder plots in relation to conservation priority areas.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Figure 10 Zoomed-in area of Trang province showing protected areas and sensitive watershed zones
overlaid with smallholder plots. The overlap of smallholder plots with forest reserves is likely to be
due to outdated shapefiles or changed classification, rather than widespread encroachment by
smallholders.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
29
Figure 11 Zoomed-in area of Krabi province showing protected areas and sensitive watershed zones
overlaid with smallholder plots. The overlap of smallholder plots with forest reserves is likely to be
due to outdated shapefiles or changed classification, rather than widespread encroachment by
smallholders.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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5.1 HCV 1: Biodiversity
HCV 1 covers significant concentrations of biodiversity, recognized as unique or
outstanding:
in comparison with other areas (within the same country for example, or in
comparison with biogeographical units of corresponding size, or
on the basis of priority frameworks or through field assessments and consultations.
Any area that contains significant concentrations of HCV 1 species (rare, threatened or
endangered (RTE) or endemic), or which contains habitat critical to the survival of these
species will be an HCV area. It does not mean that any sighting or recorded presence of a
single RTE species would qualify as HCV, only where the concentration of species is
globally, regionally or nationally significant. For species sightings which would not be
considered HCV according to the definition, can still be protected under other
environmental management principles.
5.1.1 Protected areas
It may be assumed that protected areas harbour significant concentrations of biodiversity
values. Without further information as to the quality of flora and fauna present in a
protected area, under the precautionary approach, a protected area (as defined by IUCN
or national governments) would be considered an HCV 1.
In Krabi, Suratthani and Trang provinces, there are 20 protected areas comprising 13
national parks, 4 wildlife sanctuaries and 3 non-hunting areas (see Appendix 1 for the
annotated list). All of these protected areas are HCVs.
In Trang and Krabi, there are some areas in the process of being gazetted as protected
areas – either to be incorporated into existing protected areas (for proposed areas that
are contiguous with existing protected areas) or as new non-hunting areas, in the case of
smaller, isolated areas.
There is no UNESCO World Heritage Site in the assessment area although there is an effort
to nominate the Andaman Bioregion which is a diverse ecosystem with six distinct
ecoregions, including coastal areas of Krabi and Trang, incorporating 17 marine national
parks, 1 non-hunting area and 1 biosphere reserve.
Forest Reserves
Reserved forests (see figure 9 for map) are managed by RTFD and can be categorised into
different zones: conservation zone (C), economic zone (E) and agricultural zone (A). The
forest reserve classification is aligned to watershed zones (see table 3). Zone E includes
areas that have been cleared in the past and are now degraded or secondary forests.
Zones E & A are under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture. In principal, the
management of forest areas under Zones E & A should be returned to the RTFD. There are
currently no regulations or guidelines concerning buffer zones for forest reserves (RTFD
Nakhon Si Thammarat). During the scoping study, we observed cultivation of oil palm and
rubber right up to the boundary lines of reserves.
There are some oil palm and rubber smallholdings within forest reserves for which land
permits have been issued (RTFD Suratthani). Cultivated land under these permits may not
be sold and can only be used for agriculture. These permits were issued only for land
cultivated by smallholders before 1998 and no new permits have been issued in recent
times. What this means for HCV assessors and those pursuing RSPO certification is that it
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
31
is possible that some instances, which may look like illegal encroachment, may indeed be
sanctioned by a legal land permit. Therefore, if a smallholding is on what appears to be
forest reserve land, and they cleared that land before 1998 they may be legally entitled to
cultivate there. If however, clearing happened after 1998, it is likely that illegal
encroachment is occurring. This will need to be confirmed with RTFD on a case by case
basis.
According to ONEP Krabi, there is no regulation on the altitudinal limit for growing oil
palm as the main consideration is the presence of a legal land title. This is becoming a
critical issue as oil palm cultivation is creeping up hill slopes, usually involving
deforestation. By law, all smallholders should have land titles which are issued by the
Department of Land and, according to ONEP Krabi, it is now not possible or very difficult
to get new land titles for forested areas. Of course, this does not completely protect forest
areas and there is encroachment of oil palm smallholding into forest reserves (personal
communication with RTFD Krabi corroborated by field observations in Krabi and
Suratthani). In some cases, the government has taken action to recover land illegally
cleared for oil palm (ONEP Krabi).
Priority conservation areas
In addition to legal protected areas, global conservation priority sites such as Key
Biodiversity Areas KBAs (including e.g. Important Bird Areas - IBA) are also strong
indicators of the potential presence of HCV 1. A number of sites have been designated as
IBAs in the three provinces as listed in Appendix 2.
According to the Thai directory of IBAs (Pimathi
et al. 2004), Khao Nor Chuchi is the most
important site in Thailand for conservation of
the bird community characteristic of lowland
evergreen forest in the peninsula. The site
supports one of the richest recorded lowland
evergreen forest avifaunas of any site in the
country, with over 90 species restricted to the
Sundaic Lowland Forests. Of greatest
significance, the site supports the last known
population of the globally critical Gurney's Pitta
Pitta gurneyi in Thailand. The species is endemic
to peninsular Thailand and adjacent areas of
Myanmar, and “…the population has declined to
just 10 to 13 pairs, as a result of clearance of
level lowland forest.” Figure 12 shows the
locations of IBAs in southern Thailand (see
Appendix 2 for more details on location and
description).
Figure 12 Important Bird Areas in southern Thailand (Source: Birdlife International)
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
32
Table 5 Internationally important wetland areas in study area. Refer to Figure 13.
Number Name Province
33 Wetland in Khao Sok National Park Suratthani
36 Wetlands in Nong Tung Thong Wildlife Sanctuary Suratthani
38 Tapi river Suratthani
44 Hat Nooparat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi Important Bird Area Krabi
45 Hat Chao Mai National Park, Important Bird Area, Ramsar Trang
46 Ko Libong Non Hunting Area, Important Bird Area, Ramsar Trang
49 Mu Koh Ang Thong Marine National Park and Ramsar Suratthani
50 Ko Lanta - Marine National Park Krabi
53 Krabi Estuary Ramsar site Krabi
54 Trang Estuary Ramsar site Krabi
56 Palian Lang-ngu Important Bird Area Satun, Trang
58 Ao Bandon Important Bird Area Surat Thani
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
33
Figure 13 Map of internationally important wetland areas, including National Parks, Important Bird
Areas and Ramsar sites. Table 5 provides the key for numbers on the map.
RTE and endemic species
During the desk-based review, attention was given to selected taxonomic groups (taxa)
based on leads provided from other literature. This search revealed a significant number
of RTE species encompassing a wide range of taxa. Appendix 3 provides a selected list of
RTE species and where they occur within the assessment area. In addition, a list of
endemic plants of Thailand included in an FAO report (Thitiprasert et al. 2007) indicates
that there are 28 plants endemic to at least one of the three provinces of Krabi, Trang and
Suratthani. The Royal Decree on Protected Plant Species (1987) provides legal protection
for 158 common plants and 13 special plants. In the case of wild animals, the Wildlife
Animal Protection and Reservation Act (1992) lists 15 reserved (totally protected) species
and 500-600 species that are protected but are allowed to be kept and bred. Provisions
for the gazettement of wildlife sanctuaries are also included in this Act.
As mentioned above, there needs to be a significant concentration of RTE or endemic
species in order to trigger a HCV 1 designation. During the scoping study, we learned that
some groups have provisionally assigned HCV 1 status to a single tree. This would not
qualify as HCV 1. During consultation with the RTFD, we learned that a list of protected
tree species is available and that single trees are not considered of important conservation
value, but if there were a larger clump of patch of RTE or endemic trees (>10) they would
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
34
consider this more important. If smallholders find one of the protected species on their
land, in principle permission is needed from RTFD if farmers want to cut protected trees.
According to RTFD Nakhon Si Thammarat, some farmers know the protected tree species
but not all of them. Permission to cut protected trees is given on a case-by-case basis –
larger tree stands are not allowed to be cut – however there were no details given on an
official minimum patch size for conservation.
Where species data are sparse or lacking, habitat quality can serve as a proxy for
biodiversity. In terms of features which may support temporal concentrations of
biodiversity, limestone karst outcroppings have been suggested to act as refugia for forest
species in deforested regions. Limestone outcroppings would therefore be sites of
potential HCV 1 species and could also qualify as HCV 3 – rare, threatened or endangered
ecosystems, habitat or refugia.
In addition to terrestrial habitat, freshwater and marine habitats are also important for
RTE and endemic species. There is significant overlap with HCV 3 (rare ecosystems) – but
here we are concerned with important species which may be present in aquatic
ecosystems. For example mangroves are known to harbour RTE species – therefore a
mangrove area is likely to harbour HCV 1 species and should be assumed to do so unless a
species inventory proves otherwise. Rivers and streams can also qualify as HCV 1 sites if
they harbour RTE or endemic species. For example, it seems very likely that the Tapi River
contains HCVs as it is important for the maintenance of mangroves, a protected swamp
area (Nong Tung Tong Non-Hunting Area) and harbours at least two endemic fish species.
5.2 HCV 2: Landscape-level ecosystems
HCV 2 includes ecosystems and ecosystem mosaics that are sufficiently large and relatively
undisturbed enough to support viable populations of the great majority of the naturally
occurring species and (implicitly) the great majority of other environmental values
occurring in such ecosystems.
As observed in the Proforest (2008) HCV assessment report for a smallholder dominated
landscape in Krabi: “Remaining forest cover is highly fragmented throughout the
landscape. The only large contiguous block of forest cover in the landscape is
approximately 200 km2 (the contiguous areas within Khao Phanom Bencha National Park
and the Khlong Phraya Wildlife Sanctuary), and is confined to the steeper hill slopes and
ridges of the mountain range. Other forested areas consist of the small and isolated blocks
of forest atop the limestone karst formations dotted throughout the landscape. There are
two much larger areas in the wider region of the Isthmus of Kra which support similar
forest types (Khao Sok/Khlong Phanom and Nakhon Si Thammarat range National Parks).
These areas have higher conservation value in this sense as they are more likely to have
viable populations of species needing large, intact forest areas”. There is limited
connectivity between protected areas or between limestone outcroppings with natural
vegetation. Outside of the protected areas, there is very little natural vegetation which
would form a large (> 50,000 ha) contiguous area of natural ecosystem or habitat. It is
therefore unlikely that HCV 2 is present in the provinces. Rather, it is more likely that any
values related to ecosystems and habitats or species distribution would be better suited to
HCV 1 and HCV 3 classification. HCV 2 is therefore not relevant for the specific case of
smallholders in Krabi, Trang and Suratthani provinces.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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5.3 HCV 3: Rare ecosystems
HCV 3 includes ecosystems, habitats or refugia of special importance because of their
rarity or the level of threat that they face or their rare or unique species composition or
other characteristics. To define rare ecosystems, one must consider the presence of
similar ecosystems in the same biogeographic region and/or country.
As mentioned above, because most areas of lowland forest have been converted to
agriculture, there are few remaining areas of natural ecosystems. The most important
ecosystems identified during the scoping study are:
Limestone outcrops
Limestone karst formations and their associated forest habitats are a significant
ecosystem within southern Thailand as they are known to support an array of endemic
and near-endemic plant and animal species – including at least 34 species of ferns, 28
species of flowering plants, two rodents and seven fish species, as well as a large number
of land snails (World Bank 2004 cited in Proforest 2009). For limestone habitats, rare,
threatened and endangered species are usually herbaceous flora, snails and other
invertebrates that are sometimes restricted to a single hill where they can persist for a
long time if there is no disturbance. The role of the remaining limestone hills is critically
important considering that more than 20% of limestone karsts in Thailand have already
been quarried (Latinne et al. 2011). For example, limestone outcrops may serve as
effective resting and feeding points for migrant birds between forest patches (Proforest
2008).
Freshwater swamps
The floodplain vegetation of freshwater swamps in peninsular Thailand is among the most
threatened habitats as it is subjected to human disturbance from various agricultural
activities, especially rice fields, and para-rubber plantations. This ecosystem is not only
important in terms of biodiversity but also provides non-timber forest products for local
use and supports fisheries. A total of 160 species of vascular plants belonging to 129
genera in 60 families have been identified including Kailarsenia campanula (Rubiaceae)
which is found only on seasonally flooded areas and is considered to be rare and
threatened in Thailand; Premna annulata (Lamiaceae), a woody climber which is endemic
to Thailand; and Tamilnadia uliginosa, a rare small tree from the coffee family (Rubiaceae)
(Pattarakulpisutti 2011). Only a few remnant patches of natural freshwater swamp
vegetation are left in floodplain areas of the Trang River basin and almost none of this
area has been included in a protected area (Pattarakulpisutti & Sridith 2011). During our
visits to smallholder plots and discussions with farmer groups, we did not find any
evidence of oil palm cultivation in freshwater swamps, but this should be maintained for
any future expansion.
Peat swamps
Within southeast Asia, the total land area of tropical peat swamps is estimated to
be 25.1 million ha of which only 56,475 ha is in Thailand, accounting for a mere
0.2% of the total for southeast Asia (Yoshino et al. 2010). Of the existing peat
swamp forest almost 20% of the tropical peat swamp area of Thailand is poorly
vegetated or bare land (Yoshino et al. 2010). Practically all of the peat swamp
forest in Thailand is found in two provinces, Narathiwat and Nakhon Si
Thammarat, accounting for about 86 % of the country’s peatland resource
(Nagano et al. 2013). According to the desk-based study, there is at least one
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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peat swamp area located in Trang Province. This site, known as the Jud peat
swamp, is located at an elevation of 15 m above sea level and is surrounded by
agricultural areas (Ngearnpat et al. 2008). Figure 14 below shows the general
location of the Jud peat swamp. However, during the field visit, it proved difficult
to find any remaining area of intact peat swamp near the site of the Jud peat
swamp. In the 3rd
Thailand national report to the Convention on Biodiversity
(ONEP 2009), the Kantuli swamp in Suratthani is mentioned as one of three
“original swamp forests which still prosper” and this site was also singled out by
the RTFD office in Suratthani in response to the question of whether there was
any potential HCV areas that remain unprotected in the province. According to
RTFD Suratthani, a canal has been dug around the wetlands to demarcate the
area and prevent conversion to oil palm.
Figure 14 Map showing location of the Jud peat swamp. Source: Ngearnpat et al. 2008.
The Thai government has a policy against conversion of peat swamps (RTFD Suratthani)
but is facing resource constraints in enforcing this policy. RTFD Suratthani does not have
precise data on peat swamps in the province but to their knowledge, there are no
extensive peat swamp areas in Suratthani and some of the remaining areas are located
within forest reserves. According to RTFD Nakhon Si Thammarat, only small areas of
natural wetlands remain in Trang Province but they do not contain peat. These wetland
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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areas are small, very fragmented and unprotected. According to DNP Nakhon Si
Thammarat, the total peat swamp area in Krabi Province is about 4,000 - 5,000 rai.
The SPO group did mention the presence of a 100 rai peat swamp in Sichon, Nakhon Si
Thammarat province in one of the smallholder plots, but we were not able to visit this
site. Further investigation is needed to determine if there could be a peat swamp remnant
at risk of being drained or converted, though it seems possible the peat swamp is already
converted.
Lowland forests
Given the past high deforestation rates and the increasing area under cultivation, lowland
forests with natural species composition are rare in the provinces (see Section 3.3). This
means that any significant area of good quality lowland forest would almost certainly
qualify as HCV 3 because the ecosystem has become so rare due to anthropogenic causes.
According to RTFD Nakhon Si Thammarat, there is still lowland forest left in Trang
including one patch of good quality forest of about 2,600 rai located between Tan Ta Khao
and Muang districts (near Trang airport). The DNP has set up an office there and is
planning to protect the area as a botanical reserve for educational purposes.
5.4 HCV 4: Critical ecosystem services
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, including provisioning
services such as food and water; regulating services such as regulation of floods, drought,
land degradation, and disease; cultural services such as recreational, spiritual, religious
and other nonmaterial benefits; and supporting services such as soil formation and
nutrient cycling; and cultural services such as recreational, spiritual, religious and other
nonmaterial benefits. According to the definition, such basic services become HCV 4 in
critical situations.
An ecosystem service is critical where a disruption of that service poses a threat of severe,
catastrophic or cumulative negative impacts on the welfare, health or survival of local
communities, on the functioning of important infrastructure (roads, dams, reservoirs,
hydroelectric schemes, irrigation systems, buildings, etc.), or on other HCVs.
Large scale watershed services
At the larger scale, most of the remaining forest on the hill slopes and peak of Khao
Phanom Bencha and the Khlong Phraya Wildlife Sanctuary are believed to perform a
watershed protection function for Krabi and Suratthani provinces (Proforest 2008). Other
large forested protected areas within the assessment area are likely to play the same role
for different towns and villages. In this sense, many of the protected areas which include
the forested mountain ranges and headwaters of rivers, play a role in providing HCV 4
services. Under the precautionary approach, we would assume that watershed areas 1A,
1B and 2 are HCV 4 areas. Many of these already overlap with national protected areas.
See figures 10 and 11 for important watersheds in Krabi and Trang provinces (watershed
shapefiles for Suratthani were not provided).
The Krabi Estuary Ramsar Site also appears to be particularly important for provisioning
services (fisheries), regulating services (coastal erosion prevention) and cultural services
(tourism is a major economic activity in the area). According to ONEP Krabi, there are
some impacts on the Krabi Estuary Ramsar site (predominantly mangrove areas) from the
oil palm activities upstream but they do not have data to support this view. RTFD
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Suratthani has a similar concern about the impacts of upstream agricultural activities on
mangroves but pointed out that oil palm was not the only source of water-borne
pollution. According to consultation a representative of Raks Thai Foundation, some
farmers convert abandoned shrimp farms, which are supposed to be restored to
mangrove forests, to oil palm plantations. Most of these areas have issues of unclear land
ownership and land title. We did not see evidence of this during our visit, but any HCV
assessor should be cautious when evaluating such areas.
Water management at the smallholder plot level
The majority of the potential HCV sites identified by smallholders in Trang, Krabi and
Suratthani provinces are thought to contain HCV 4 – and specifically, provision of
freshwater. After discussions and farm visits, however, it is likely that most of these
smallholder plots do not actually contain HCV 4 themselves but that activities conducted
in the smallholding may impact upon HCV 4 which is provided by some of the rivers and
watercourses.
Rather than only considering the section of river which borders a smallholding, the
smallholders need to consider the different downstream users of the water source as well.
Specifically, whether downstream users rely on water for fishing, household needs, etc.
According to discussions during our visit, it appears that local villages do not use rivers and
streams for drinking water. However, this may not be the case everywhere.
But where resources or capacity may not permit a full survey of the watershed values,
following good practice for water management will protect the majority of HCV 4 services.
This means ensuring there is a suitable buffer zone (band of vegetation) left along rivers
and streams and that agro-chemicals are properly handled and disposed of.
The Tapi River in Suratthani (including the Tha Thong tributary), for instance, was
identified by many of the smallholders interviewed as being important for the livelihood
of local communities, particularly for fisheries resources. According to the Thailand
Country Report for the Asian Wetlands Directory by Wetlands International (Jintanugool
and Round 1989), the estuarine delta formed by the Tapi and at least nine other smaller
rivers (e.g. Ao Bandon or Bandon Bay), is the largest estuarine and mangrove inlet on
Thailand’s east coast of the Thai-Malay peninsula, and is backed up inland to a distance of
2 km by shrimp ponds and degraded mangroves. The directory noted that the fishery at
Bandon Bay is of immense importance and the remaining mangroves are probably
essential in maintaining its productivity. The Bandon bay is also believed to be a major
wintering and or/staging area for migratory shorebirds, including seven species of herons.
The Tapi River itself (jointly with the Nong Tung Tong Non-Hunting Area) is included in the
Thai wetlands directory, and of particular interest is the complex of swamps and
grasslands along the Tapi River including the Non Tung Tong and Nong Tung Ka swamps.
Had Chao Mai National Park and the Ko Libong Non-Hunting Area in Trang Province are
located downstream of the Trang River (Mae Nam Trang). According to Jintanugool &
Round, 1989), both inshore and offshore fisheries (mainly mudflat invertebrates) around
these two protected areas are important on a local scale. Ko Libong has been identified as
one of the most important staging and wintering areas for shorebirds in Thailand, with the
largest concentration of the bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) recorded in Thailand and
the Malay Peninsula combined.
According to ONEP Krabi, there are regulations in place for agricultural activities near
water courses with a buffer zone of up to 30 m from either side of the river for large rivers
Image 7 Severe erosion in a
smallholder plot
Photo: Proforest
Image 6 River running through
palm smallholding
Photo: Proforest
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
39
and smaller buffer zone for tributaries and canals. However, there are conflicting laws
enforced by different government agencies. These laws differ in the size of buffer zones
stipulated and even how the buffer zones are defined. In the smallholding group areas
visited by Proforest, it was observed that oil palms were frequently planted close to the
riverbanks and the edge of waterways.
Agricultural clearing which goes right to the edge of rivers and waterways can make the
banks more vulnerable to soil erosion. In some cases, soil erosion has resulted in the
collapse of riverbanks and the loss of oil palm trees (see image 7). Sedimentation caused
by erosion and pollution from agro-chemical run-off can threaten the services provided by
HCV 4 rivers, streams, and mangroves. Even man-made canals need to be managed for
HCVs if relevant. Any waterway, natural or man-made, that flows into larger waterways
crucial for ecosystem services must be managed according to good practices.
In the recommendations section, special attention is given to water management in oil
palm smallholdings.
5.5 HCV 5: Basic community needs
HCV 5 refers to sites and resources that are fundamental for satisfying the basic
necessities of local people. The role of the HCV assessment is to characterize the level of
dependence on the resource and to provide management recommendations for how to
mitigate negative impacts on local people’s livelihoods.
Based on the available information, it appears that most local communities are not highly
dependent on natural resources for their basic needs. Assuming that the smallholders
interviewed were representative of the wider set of local communities in the Krabi,-Trang-
Suratthani landscape, it appears that few if any of them are directly dependent on natural
resources from the remaining forest or natural wetland areas for their daily subsistence.
The smallholders do not regularly extract products or materials from the forests or
wetlands for their critical livelihood needs. Water abstracted from waterways that pass
through oil palm smallholdings is mainly used for washing and not for drinking, and as an
alternative to piped water supply which is widely available. Fishing activities in these
waterways appear to be recreational or supplementary to the daily nutritional needs
which are mainly bought from markets. However, this needs to be verified through
interviews with fishers. According to discussions with mill representatives, there are many
aquaculture areas downstream; this would need to be further investigated to understand
if sedimentation or agrochemical pollution could have any impact on these downstream
activities. It is likely that good water management (e.g. respecting buffer zones and
responsible handling of chemical) will be sufficient to prevent any negative impacts. There
were very few cases where mapping teams identified HCV 5 sites or resources. Instead,
most were identified as HCV 4 (waterways) which have an important link to HCV 5 values
(e.g. drinking water, fishing resources). Special attention is given in the recommendations
section on the importance of consultation with local communities whose resource use
may be impacted by oil palm cultivation by smallholders.
The community forestry approach implemented by the RTFD allows for local community
groups to directly manage a designated area and conduct activities such as ecotourism
and small-scale harvesting of non-timber forest products for food, medicine and
fuelwood. Logging and hunting activities are strictly prohibited. An example given by the
RTFD Suratthani is the Baan Toong Soon community forest in Ao Luk district in Krabi which
Image 8 Fishing net placed along
river in smallholding
Photo: Proforest
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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is famous for ecotourism, and is surrounded by oil palm smallholdings. Another example is
the Ban Tam Pueng community forest in Suratthani which has similar characteristics.
Community Forests would qualify as HCV 5 sites, though we did not see any direct
example during the discussions and site visits. It is not unusual to have local communities
engaged in both oil palm cultivation and ecotourism activities. We did not have access to
geospatial data on the location of community forests, but there are 77 in Trang province
alone. This would be useful information if it can be acquired from RTFD.
5.6 HCV 6: Cultural values
The definition of HCV 6 is extremely broad and it is useful to divide it into two different
categories: cultural values of global or national significance, and values critical for local
people at the site scale.
Sites, resources, habitats or landscapes which are significant at the global or national level
are likely to have widely recognised historical, religious or spiritual importance and in
many cases will have an official designation by national government or an international
agency like UNESCO. Occasionally, new sites or resources of extraordinary cultural
significance may be discovered through exploration of sites for development (e.g. ancient
burial sites or prehistoric cave art); these can qualify as HCV 6 based on expert and
stakeholder opinion, without an official designation.
National level cultural heritage
Much of the cultural values known to occur in natural areas within the three provinces are
concentrated in limestone caves. Some caves within the limestone karst systems at
Tharnbok Koranee National Park have historical and cultural significance (Proforest 2008).
Tham Phi Hua To in Tharnbok Koranee National Park is famous for its ancient petroglyphs
found on the cave walls. These paintings have been dated at 2000-3000 years old and
portray animals such as fish, dugong, shark and crocodile (Price 2011). Two pottery-
bearing sites in Krabi date to 6400 B.P. (Tham Sua) and 4400 B.P. (Khao Kanaab Nam), and
the earliest pottery-bearing cave sites from Suratthani are from ca. 6000-5000 B.P.
(Anderson 2005).There are likely to be more such sites as “…less than a dozen cave sites
(and even fewer open prehistoric sites) have been archaeologically tested or excavated.
Most of these are from… Phangnga, Krabi, Trang, Satun and Suratthani” (Anderson 2005).
The location of these archaeological sites is shown in below.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Figure 15 Map showing locations of archaeological sites in southern Thailand. Source: Anderson
2005.
Local-level cultural values
HCV 6 also represents areas of cultural significance that have traditional importance to
local or indigenous people. These may be religious or sacred sites, burial grounds or sites
at which traditional ceremonies take place.
Based on the findings from the site visits with smallholders, it is highly likely that HCV 6
sites are present in very localised, limited and dispersed areas within individual
smallholdings. Examples seen during the study include: an abandoned temple site, a grove
of trees where traditional offerings are made annually by the landowner, and spirit houses
located within oil palm smallholdings. HCV 6 sites are fairly straightforward for
identification and management. If an area is of cultural importance, even for just a family
or a village, it is considered HCV 6 and therefore should not be negatively impacted by oil
palm activities. The designation of HCV 6 could only be removed with the agreement of
those people who understand/assigned the value in the first place.
Image 9 Area of regenerating
vegetation in former temple site
Photo: Proforest Image 10 Site at the base of a tree
where local offerings are made
Photo: Proforest
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Table 6 Summary table of potential HCVs in the three provinces
HCV Definition Provincial scale Smallholder plot scale
HCV 1
Concentrations of biological diversity including endemic species, and rare, threatened or endangered species, that are significant at global, regional or national levels.
Present: Protected areas (national parks, forest reserves), Important Bird Areas, Ramsar sites, Tapi River (endemic fish)
Likely absent: No evidence of HCV 1 at the smallholder plot level
HCV 2
Large landscape-level ecosystems and ecosystem mosaics that are significant at global, regional or national levels, and that contain viable populations of the great majority of the naturally occurring species in natural patterns of distribution and abundance.
Absent: High degree of fragmentation Not applicable
HCV 3 Rare, threatened, or endangered ecosystems, habitats or refugia.
Present: Limestone karst formations , fresh water swamps peat swamps (e.g. Kanthuli peat swamp in Ta Chana District, Suratthani), lowland forest of significant size
Likely absent: The limestone cave site visited in Krabi may be HCV but no species information is available
HCV 4
Basic ecosystem services in critical situations including protection of water catchments and control of erosion of vulnerable soils and slopes.
Present: Forested mountain ranges (mostly in protected areas) providing water for large towns and villages; Mangroves providing flood control and filtering services
Present: forest areas that protect steam heads used by local people. Some rivers and streams that provide critical services. Any areas critical for replenishment (spawning grounds) of fishing areas
HCV 5
Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying the basic necessities of local communities or indigenous peoples (for example for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water), identified through engagement with these communities or indigenous peoples.
Present: Community forests, if they are crucial for NTFP collection and/or revenue from ecotourism would be HCV 5
Likely absent: Though people use water resources for washing and bathing and practice fishing – it appears there are affordable alternatives and these sources are not critical. However, this should be determined on a case-by-case basis with people concerned
HCV 6
Sites, resources, habitats and landscapes of global or national cultural, archaeological or historical significance, and/or of critical cultural, ecological, economic or religious/sacred importance for the traditional cultures of local communities or indigenous peoples, identified through engagement with these local communities or indigenous peoples.
Present: petroglyphs found on cave walls in Tham Phi Hua To, Than Bokkhorani National Park, Pottery-bearing sites in Krabi (Khao Kanaab Nam) and Suratthani
Present: Spirit houses, trees where offerings are made, abandoned temple site
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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6 Recommendations
6.1 Targeted training for smallholders and mill
representatives
Mapping and geospatial data
It is highly commendable that mapping teams comprising members of the different
smallholder groups in the three provinces have organised themselves and conducted
preliminary mapping of potential HCV sites. However, there is a need to ensure that they
have the capacity to capture geospatial data in the correct format consistently and
effectively manage the data so that it can be used for analyses using geographical
information systems (GIS). It would be highly beneficial to Patum Veg and Shell if capacity
is built within these mapping groups through the provision of a tailor-made course that
capture the following elements:
Collecting geospatial data using GPS equipment, for example transferring and
storing data from GPS to computer. For example, the Trang team directly
connected GPS units with Google Earth when loading waypoints and therefore
don’t have a site on their computers where the individual waypoint information
is stored.
Introduction to basic mapping techniques and GIS
Use of Google Earth and other freely available or open source GIS software
Management of geospatial data (choosing the right file format, data labels,
electronic filing system, archiving, etc.)
HCV identification
In addition to building mapping capacity, it is recommended that a follow-up HCV training
is provided which is based on real examples from the smallholders’ experience. Ideally,
the training would help smallholders or the mill RSPO teams to filter their pool of potential
HCVs into a more refined group of HCVs with strong justifications for the HCV designation.
The mill teams have already received a 2-day classroom training from FIO and since then
they have applied the HCV approach in practice. Now it would be useful for those same
teams to build on their classroom training and field experience. This enhanced
understanding of the HCV concept will also help group leaders to evaluate new potential
smallholder group members – with the objective of avoiding risk to HCVs in the three
provinces. Section 6.2 presents the basic logic behind this approach.
Water resource management
Finally, as was recommended in the 2008 Proforest report, training in best practice for
water resource management is urgently needed for smallholders. Not only will it
contribute to HCV 4 conservation, but it will also help towards compliance the RSPO water
management requirements. RSPO is currently working on guidance regarding water
management. Oil palms that have already been planted in a buffer zone area do not need
to be removed, but the undergrowth of natural vegetation should be allowed to
regenerate in these areas and no chemicals should be applied. This is currently not the
case in the smallholdings visited, where undergrowth is cleared and chemicals are applied
to palm trees nearest to waterways.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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6.2 Additional filtering of potential HCVs
As described above, the smallholder mapping teams have erred on the side of caution in
identifying potential HCVs – this is a positive finding! In most cases they seem to already
have a good basic understanding of HCVs as most of the potential HCV sites identified by
them were reasonable and there were even some that needed a significant amount of
investigation by the Proforest team before an opinion could be formed as to whether
HCVs were potentially present or not. A common feeling by people new to the HCV
approach is that they want to “find HCVs” and therefore in some cases people may be
disappointed to reduce the number of HCVs in their group. However, this should not be
the case. An HCV assessment will not necessarily identify a certain number of HCVs and
there may be some categories (from 1-6) which are totally absent in an area. It is
important to distinguish between general environmental values (e.g. clean water, wildlife
conservation) and HCVs which are exceptional or critically important values often
requiring additional safeguards; more familiarity with the HCV approach will help people
to make this distinction.
The smallholder mapping teams will benefit greatly from simple guidance documents or
decision-making tools such as the diagrams below, extracted from the Proforest HCV
guidance for smallholders (Rayden et al. n.d.) that prompt HCV assessors to ask key
questions before arriving to a conclusion with regard to the presence or absence of HCVs.
These tools need to be translated into the Thai language and accompanied with training
and local examples where appropriate to maximise ease of usage. There are some HCV
informational materials available in Thai. A brief brochure with the definition of the six
HCVs was produced by Patum Veg and a guidance document on HCV assessment was
produced by FIO.
The diagrams are below are schematic and meant to illustrate the kind of basic filtering
process that the teams and smallholders could use.
Key questions
Does the smallholding contain or share borders with natural forest areas or other natural
areas?
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Does the smallholding contain or share borders with other natural habitats features? (e.g.
wetland areas)?
Does the smallholding contain any water courses or streams that provide local people
with water?
Do local people collect products or hunt in the smallholding?
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
46
Does the smallholding contain cultural or religious sites?
6.3 Need for stakeholder consultation
Due to limited time during the field visit Proforest was not able to meet with local
community groups or villagers concerning their use of natural resources. While most of
the smallholders are themselves local community members, their perception of HCVs and
the impacts of oil palm activities on HCVs may be influenced to a certain extent by their
desire to obtain RSPO certification for their oil palm smallholding. It is important that
smallholder mapping groups, mill representatives and HCV assessors make concerted
efforts to consult more with local communities especially those that may be impacted by
oil palm activities. According to the HCV 5 definition, values should be identified through
engagement with the local communities who rely upon such resources. This is particularly
important for any potential HCV 4 services such as water use and fishing.
6.4 Document HCV assessments
At present, there are no documented HCV assessment reports. It may not be necessary to
have a comprehensive and detailed set of reports, however it will likely prove valuable to
have some kind of record of how the assessments were done, who was consulted, maps
available, etc. We recommend that the mill groups decide on an HCV report template that
can be used for all groups. This could correspond to the simplified guidance suggested in
Section 6.2. This may serve useful during certification audits and routine follow up visits
over the years. It can also be useful if mapping or RSPO team members change over time.
Preliminary management recommendations
On the whole the oil palm smallholdings visited by the Proforest team appear to be well-
managed with the plot owners keen to improve their knowledge of HCVs and conform
with best management practices. Two critical smallholding management issues that are in
most urgent need for further improvement are:
Water management
Smallholdings adjacent to forest reserves and protected areas
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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6.4.1 Water management
With regard to river and waterway buffers, many of the smallholdings visited have oil
palms planted close to river banks and waterways, and in some cases right to the water’s
edge. This has resulted in soil erosion (including collapse of riverbanks in severe cases) and
increased risks of pollution from fertilisers and pesticides used by the smallholders. The
creation of river and waterway buffers and control of activities in these buffer areas is
critically important where there are HCVs located downstream, as in the case of
smallholdings that are located adjacent to or upstream of the Tapi River.
It could not be ascertained during the field visit if existing laws on river buffer
management are effectively enforced by the relevant authorities. Based on the
information gathered, it appears that there are overlapping laws with different definitions
of river buffers. Regardless of what is prescribed by these laws, the RSPO Principles &
Criteria (P&C) are very clear about the need to protect natural water courses. The
guidance for criterion 4.4 states that: “group members should maintain natural vegetation
and/or plant appropriate crops to maintain riparian buffer zones and to avoid the run-offs
of soil, nutrients or pesticides”.
For countries with an RSPO national interpretation, the width of buffer zone should be
based on national regulations while for countries without national interpretations, the
RSPO has provided the following generic guidance:
Table 7 Recommended buffer zones for waterways (Source: RSPO). Note: the width of the river
should be measured as the distance between either (1) opposite banks of a channelled river or (2)
one bank and the maximum extent of flooded areas (in the case of rivers without clear channels).
River width (m) Recommended buffer
zone width (m) on each
side of river
1-5 5
5-10 10
10-20 20
20-40 40
40-50 50
>50 100
Current practices to minimise erosion and chemical run-off by smallholders interviewed
include laying oil palm fronds at the edge of the watercourses in order to slow down
surface water and limiting the application of fertilisers only to the side of the oil palm base
facing away from the edge of the watercourse. The merits of these two practices
(especially the latter) are questionable and it would be best that the smallholders adhere
to the best management practices such as buffer zones. However, one challenge in
implementing this good practice approach is that smallholders are motivated to maximize
the area under cultivation. This leads them to plant in all possible areas – including right at
the river’s edge. A solution is needed to change the incentives for smallholders when it
comes to respecting waterway buffer zones. Any re-plantings should avoid these buffer
areas.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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6.4.2 Smallholdings adjacent to forest reserves and protected areas
As the national land use zoning plan has yet to be completed and there are potential
overlaps between the land reform areas (as defined by the government) and forest
reserves/protected areas, there is a risk of encroachment of oil palm smallholdings into
forest reserves and protected areas. Incidents of such encroachment have been
highlighted by government officials interviewed during the field visit and have also been
directly observed by the Proforest team. The oil palm smallholders groups may wish to
exclude smallholder members who have encroached into reserved areas as this would
jeopardise their certification under RSPO.
Where the boundaries of forest reserves and protected areas have been clearly
demarcated, smallholders who cultivate oil palm adjacent to these reserved areas should
take extra measures to ensure that their activities do not impact negatively on HCVs
within these reserved areas. These measures include minimising the use of pesticides and
fertilisers, monitoring trespassers who may be using the smallholding to access reserved
areas (especially hunters or people removing protected plant species) – and reporting
these cases to government officers.
6.5 Future HCV assessments
As this HCV scoping study is aimed at providing a preliminary assessment at the landscape
level, future HCV assessments can be directed to more specific areas to identify HCVs at a
more local level. These HCV assessments should focus on gathering more information
from local communities other than smallholder group members as well as NGOs and CBOs
where relevant.
HCV Recommended additional information to be obtained
1 Request shapefiles of watershed classification zones for
Surrathani, shapefiles of Ramsar sites (if available), species
information for rivers and tributaries, follow up with Forestry
Department concerning apparent overlap of smallholder plots
and forest reserves
2 Not applicable
3 Any maps (or shapefiles) of freshwater swamps and peat
swamps, location and extent of remaining significant areas of
lowland forest
4 Better understanding of the services provided by natural
vegetation and waterways. Watershed classifications mapped
onto rivers potentially affected by oil palm smallholders. Water
quality analysis.
5 Surveys/discussions with local communities who use natural
resources which may be impacted by oil palm activities.
Shapefiles (or at least locations) of community forests.
6 Surveys/discussions with local communities who use natural
resources which may be impacted by oil palm activities
General Harmonized geospatial data from all mill mapping teams
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7 References
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Early and Middle Holocene. Asian Perspectives Vol. 44(1): 137-153.
Appalasamy, S. 2012. Independent smallholder group initial RSPO certification assessment
of the Community Enterprise Group – Suratthani Tasathon Sub-District, Phunphin District,
Suratthani Province, Thailand. A public summary report prepared by BSI Group Singapore
Pte Ltd., Singapore.
Aratrakorn, S., S. Thunhikorn & P.F. Donald. 2006. Changes in bird communities following
conversion of lowland forest to oil palm and rubber plantations in southern Thailand. Bird
Conservation International 16(1): 71-82 doi:10.1017/S0959270906000062
Baltzer, J.L., S.J. Davies, S. Bunyavejchewin & N.S.M. Noor. 2008. The role of desiccation
tolerance in determining tree species distributions along the Malay-Thai peninsula.
Functional Ecology 22: 221-231.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Provisional List of Protected Areas in Krabi, Trang
and Suratthani Provinces
Source: www.protectedplanet.net, www.wikipedia.org unless stated otherwise; Jintanugool (1988);
Jintanugool & Round (1989); Birdlife International (2004); WWF (2008)
Province Protected area (WDPA ID) Area (ha) Coordi-
nates
Notes
Suratthani Tai Rom Yen National Park (39517) 42,500 8⁰52’ N
99⁰27’E
Located east of the Suratthani Province.
Consists of the northern end of the Nakhon Si
Thammarat mountain range and is mostly
covered with forests.
Suratthani Khao Sok National Park (4006) 73,900 8⁰56’12 N
98⁰31’E
Includes the Chiao Lan reservoir dammed by
the Ratchaprapha dam. Comprises the largest
area of virgin forest in Southern Thailand.
Suratthani Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park
(4005)
10,200
(1,800ha
terrestrial)
9⁰37’ N
99⁰40’E
Marine national park in the Gulf of Thailand
comprising 42 islands.
Suratthani Kaeng Krung National Park (39513) 54,100 9°18′N
98°52′E
Located in the northwest of the province,
within the Phuket mountain range. Consists
of two mountain chains, with the highest
elevation the Khao Sung at 849 m above sea
level. The northern part drains via the Khlong
Sa toward the Lang Suan River, while the
south drains via the Khlong Yan to the Phum
Duang River.
Suratthani Khlong Phanom National Park
(312953)
41,040 8°52′N
98°42′E
Located in the southwest of the province,
within the Phuket mountain range.
Contiguous with the Khao Sok National Park
in the north, separated by highway 401.
Contiguous with the Tonpariwat Wildlife
Sanctuary to the southwest.
Suratthani,
Nakhon Si
Thammarat
Namtok Si Khid National Park
(312952)
14,500
Suratthani,
Nakhon Si
Thammarat
Hat Khanom – Mu Koh Thale Tai
National Park (313024)
73,900 9°13′N
99°51′E
In the process of establishment as of 2007.
Hat Khanom refers to beaches of Khanom
district, and Thale Tai archipelago consists of
8 islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Also includes
forested hills and mangrove forests.
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Suratthani Than Sadet – Ko Pha Ngan Marine
National Park (317238)
6,593 9⁰45’N
100⁰4’E
Mostly on the island of Koh Pha Ngan. Khao
Ra is both the highest peak (727m asl) of the
park as well as of the whole island Pha Ngan.
Suratthani Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary1 115,500 Steep mountains dominate most of the
reserve. Only small patches of lowland
stretch along the valleys with some areas of
limestone crags. The land cover is mostly
evergreen forest and the southern part is
flooded by Ratch Prapa hydro-electric dam.
Suratthani Khlong Phraya Wildlife Sanctuary
(4015)
15,360 8⁰25’N
98⁰58’E
Located at the boundary of Suratthani and
Krabi Province. Originally covering 9,500ha in
Krabi Province and was enlarged by 5,860ha
to include parts of Suratthani Province.
Terrain is mostly mountainous and covered
with dense forests, but also some grassland.
Suratthani Nong Tung Tong Non-Hunting
Area2
2,960 8°44’-
8°54’N,
99°12’-
99°16’E.
Swamp area along the Tapi River.
Coordinates are for the Tapi River and Nong
Tung Tong Non-Hunting Area wetlands as
included in the Asian Wetlands Directory by
Wetlands International.
Krabi Khao Phanom Bencha National
Park (5068)
5,000 8⁰14’ N
98⁰54’E
Located 20km north of Krabi town. Highest
point is the peak of Khao Phanom Bencha
(1,397m), part of a mountain range running
north to south. Also contains a cave called
Khao Pheung. An extremely rare bird found
here is the endangered Gurney's Pitta.
Krabi Had Noppharat Thara – Mu Koh
Phi Phi Marine National Park
(12857)
38,996 7o53' N
98o50' E
Marine component is 32,600. Includes the
rocky mainland coast around Krabi town. The
islands of the Ko Phi Phi archipelago comprise
limestone extrusions with tall cliffs, fringed
by sandy beaches and surrounded by coral
reefs. Small areas of primary forest remain on
the steeper, less accessible island slopes.
There is a significant human population
within the national park. Freshwater Sawfish
Pristis microdon (CR)
Krabi Tharn Bok Khoranee/Than
Bokkhorani Marine National Park
(312954)
10,400
(3,700ha
terrestrial)
Set up mainly as a marine protected area
(covering several islands in the Krabi bay),
but also covers one of the larger chains of
linked limestone outcrops and some smaller
limestone hills. These outcrops have not
been well described from a biological point of
view but protect some unique cave paintings
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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(Proforest, 2009).
Krabi Klong Phraya Wildlife Sanctuary1 8,500 Mostly steep mountains covered by moist
evergreen forest. Most of lowlands along the
boundary have been extensively converted to
oil palm and other crops but some key
lowlands remain.
Krabi Khao Pra-Bang Khram Wildlife
Sanctuary2, 3
According to Aratrakorn et al. (2006): “Most
of the forest loss in the areas around Khao
Pra-Bang Khram has been caused by legal and
illegal conversion of forest to commercial
plantations of rubber and oil palm, largely
within the last 20 years. Most recent
clearances have been for oil palm planting,
although some new rubber plantations are
also being established.”
Krabi Thung Thale Non-hunting Area3 491
Trang Khao Pu – Khao Ya National Park
(7472)
69,400
Trang Ko Libong Non-Hunting Area2 3,400 7°12’-
7°22’N,
99°20’-
99°29’E
A large island comprising low-lying
mangroves fringed by mudflats and forested
hills, located 3.5km offshore.
Trang Had Chao Mai Marine National
Park (9805)
23,086 7°23′N
99°19′E
Appendix 2: Important Bird Areas
List of IBAs in Krabi, Suratthani and Trang. Source: BirdLife International (2004); Jintanugool 1988.
Province IBA site
(number)
Size
(ha)
Coordi-
nates
Protection
status
Habitats
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Appendix 3: List of selected rare, threatened and endangered
species in Krabi, Suratthani and Trang Provinces, Thailand
Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
Surattha
ni
Ao Bandon
(TH041)
3,164 9⁰17’N
99⁰27’E
Unprotected Coastline
Krabi Hat
Nooparat
Thara - Mu
Ko Phi Phi
(TH047)
38,790 7⁰53’N
98⁰50’E
Protected Artificial landscapes (terrestrial); coastline; forest; rocky
areas
Krabi Na Muang
Krabi
(TH048)
11,400 7⁰57’N
98⁰51’E
Unprotected
(note: also a
Ramsar site)
Artificial landscapes (terrestrial); coastline
Krabi Khao Nor
Chuchi
(including
Khao Pra-
Bang Khram
Wildlife
Sanctuary)
(TH049)
20,000 7⁰50’N
99⁰22’E
Partially
protected
Low plateau (c.270 to 300 m asl) supports evergreen forest,
much of which has been selectively logged. Most important
lowland forest habitat, which now covers c.3,000 ha, lies
along the foot of the western flank of the plateau, (80 to
120 m asl). Scattered human settlements and plantations
fringe and encroach the site. The Gurney’s Pitta (Pitta
gurneyi), also known as the Black Belly Pitta, is an endemic
to the Andaman Ecoregion, and in Thailand is only found at
Khao Phra-Bang Khram Wildlife Sanctuary (WWF, 2008)
Trang Ko Libong
Non Hunting
Area
(TH050)
47,630 7⁰18’N
99⁰27’E
Protected
(also a
Ramsar site)
Coastline
Trang Hat Chao
Mai National
Park (TH051)
23,087 7⁰14’N
99⁰25’E
Protected
(also a
Ramsar site)
Coastline; forest; wetlands
Satun,
Trang
Palian Lang-
ngu (TH052)
31,200 7⁰10’N
99⁰41’E
Unprotected Coastline
Patthalu
n, Satun,
Songkhl,
Trang
Khao
Banthad
Wildlife
Sanctuary
(TH054)
126,69
6
7⁰17’N
99⁰56’E
Protected Mountain ranges of Khao Banthad extend along the
peninsula from north to south. Evergreen forests dominate.
The largest areas of lowland in the south of the sanctuary
are extensively deforested.1
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
PLANTS
Algae Micrasterias
subdenticulata var.
ornata;
M. suboblonga var. tecta;
M. tetraptera var.
siamensis;
Indo-Malaysian
region
Ngearnpat et al.
(2008)
Rare desmids which can be
considered to be Indo-
Malaysian endemics.
Collected from the Jud peat
swamp, a habitat that is
very rare
in Thailand.
Orchids Paphiopedilum callosum;
Bulbophyllum smitinandi
Khao Phanom
Bencha, Krabi
Province; Khao
Luang (south
Thailand’s highest
peak), Nakhon Si
Thammarat
province.
Proforest (2009) Ground orchids reportedly
endemic to the slopes of
the two mountains.
Paphiopedilum exul and
P. leucochilum
Southern Thailand Proforest (2009) Two endemic species of
spectacular slipper orchids.
Krabi is an important area
for a number of
Paphiopedilum orchids
confined to lowland
limestone outcrops. The
taxonomy of the genus is
still under discussion
(Cribbs, 1998), but the
orchids are certainly being
collected for the specialist
trade and are openly
traded on internet sites.
Aerides cf. krabiensis
Southern Thailand Proforest (2009) A narrow-leaved orchid
endemic to coastal
limestone karsts in
southern Thailand.
Corybas ecarinatus Sarawutwinai et al.
(2013)
Endemic terrestrial orchid,
originally described from
limestone cliffs near Khao
Sok National Park,
Suratthani Province. A
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
second site was discovered
in Muang District, Phang
Nga. Most of the primary
forest around these sites
was cleared, especially for
agricultural activities,
resulting in very limited
suitable habitats for this
sensitive orchid.
Calanthe ceciliae Krabi Maxwell (2009) Found at the Emerald Pool
(Sra Moragote) area in
Khao Pra-Bahng Krahm
Wildlife Sanctuary, Krabi
province at approximately
8°N latitude, 99° E
longitude. The area is an
ecologically distinct habitat
in lowland (25-75 m
elevation), fresh water,
seasonal, swamp forest on
limestone bedrock. Down
to a few individuals and in
danger of extirpation.
Pandan (screwpine) Pandanus calcis Suratthani, Krabi Proforest (2009) Endemic to the limestone
karst systems of
Suratthani-Krabi.
Commonly seen on most
limestone cliff faces.
Palms Licuala distans Peninsular Thailand Barford & Saw
(2002)
Endemic to Peninsular
Thailand, only recorded
between 8°-10° N latitude.
Found in Khao Sok National
Park, Suratthani Province
as well as Ranong and
Phangnga. Locally very
common but restricted
overall distribution of the
species is of concern and
habitat destruction
represents a possible
threat.
HCV scoping study Oil palm smallholders in Southern Thailand
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Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
Licuala merguensis Peninsular Thailand
and adjacent Burma
(Isthmus of Khra)
Barford & Saw
(2002)
Endemic to Peninsular
Thailand and adjacent
Burma. Not recorded south
of 8°N latitude. Localities
include Khao Sok in
Suratthani, as well as
Ranong, Phangnga and
Phuket. Recorded from
many localities locally but
often quite scattered
locally. No immediate
concern but further
research is required.
Pitcher plants Nepenthes suratensis Suratthani province Clarke & Sarunday,
2013
Categorised as Critically
Endangered in the IUCN
Red List because it is
suspected that the
population will undergo at
least an 80% reduction in
the next three years due to
urban and agricultural
expansion. Endemic to
Suratthani Province. The
only subpopulation that
has been surveyed to-date
is near the town of
Kanchanadit. The site of
the main subpopulation is
scheduled for urban
development in the near
future which is like to
result in the destruction of
this subpopulation. Grows
in lowland savannah, in
sandy soil, and on steep
slopes on low hills.
Sedges Khaosokia caricoides Simpson et al.
(2005)
A newly discovered genus
and species of Cyperaceae.
Endemic to the limestone
cliffs in Peninsular
Thailand. Known only from
the type locality of Khao
Sok National Park,
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Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
Suratthani Province.
Conservation status is
assessed as VU. Its relative
inaccessibility on limestone
cliffs may assist in its
protection. However, the
plant was seen only as
small populations on three
of the cliffs visited.
ANIMALS
Snails e.g. Sarika spp Southern Thailand Tropical karst areas are
important speciation
centres for land snails. The
likelihood of endemics is
high amongst limestone-
associated snails”
(Proforest, 2009)
Fish Betta simplex ( Krabi
mouth brooder betta)
Krabi Schindler & Schmidt
(2006);
www.fishbase.org
Endemic to Thailand where
it is known only from the
area around Krabi. Type
locality is northwest of
Krabi, spring of Tham Sra
Kaew and Nine Ponds,
behind Ban Nai Sra village,
2.2 km from National
Highway 4034, 1800 m
behind Public Health
Center. The species is listed
as Critically Endangered in
the IUCN Red List.
Cromileptes altivelis
(Humpback grouper)
Wide distribution in
the Western Pacific,
including Suratthani
Marine fish threatened due
to overfishing. Classified as
Vulnerable in the IUCN Red
List.
Ellopostoma mystax
(Enigmatic loach)
Known only from
the Tapi (Suratthani)
and Pattani basins
Inhabits mainstream rivers
in sandy shore. Endemic to
Thailand. Classified as
Endangered in the IUCN
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Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
Red List.
Epinephelus bruneus
(Longtooth grouper)
Known from several
provinces in south
Thailand including
Suratthani
www.fishbase.org Classified as Vulnerable in
the IUCN Red List.
Himantura signifer Estuaries and rivers
of the Gulf of
Thailand including
the Tapi River.
www.fishbase.org Freshwater fish belonging
to the stingray family
(Dasyatidae). Inhabits
sandy bottoms in estuaries
and rivers. Classified as
Endangered in the IUCN
Red List.
Reptile Cyrtodactylus thirakhupti
(Thirakhupt’s bent-toed
gecko)
Ellis & Pauwels
(2012)
Restricted to a single cave
(Tham Khao Sonk) on a
small, relatively isolated,
forested and steep
limestone hill in Suratthani
province. Likely to be
classified as threatened
owing to its highly
restricted range.
Cyrtodactylus lekaguli
(Boonsong Lekagul’s
bent-toed gecko)
Khao Chong
waterfall, Khao
Chamao, Trang;
Petch Phanomwung
Cave, Kanchanadit
District, Suratthani;
Krabi, Krabi
Province.
Grismer et al. (2012) New species currently
recorded only from Satun,
Trang, Suratthani and
Phang Nga provinces in
southern Thailand.
Birds Pitta
Gurneyi (Gurney’s
pitta/black belly pitta)
Khao Phra-Bang
Khram Wildlife
Sanctuary
WWF (2008) Endemic to the Andaman
Ecoregion, in Thailand only
found at Khao Phra-Bang
Khram Wildlife Sanctuary.
Previously thought to be
extinct until it was
rediscovered along with
several other rare and
endangered lowland
evergreen forest species in
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Taxonomic group Species
Distribution Reference Notes
the early 1990’s.
Bats Eptesicus dimissus (Surat
serotine bat)
Proforest (2009) Near-endemic, likely to
occur throughout the
limestone forest and karst
throughout the area.
Hipposideros turpis Krabi, Trang and
Nakhon Si
Thammarat
Puechmaille et al.
(2009)
The species is known to
occur only at 8 localities in
the three provinces (6 in
Krabi Province and 1
locality each in the other
two provinces). About 60%
of the known population
was found in Krabi. All
localities were in limestone
outcrops, mainly
surrounded by rubber and
oil palm plantations,
temples and villages.
Appendix 4: Detailed itinerary of field work
Field Visit Itinerary 11-18 March 2014
Date Activity
11 March (Tue) Team members travel to Krabi and evening briefing with all team members
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Date Activity
12 March (Wed)
Krabi:
Meeting with smallholder groups mapping teams (organised by Patum
Veg) including: Krabi Palm Oil Farmer Cooperatives Federation (KFF), Sri
Charoen Palm Oil (Krabi), Southern Palm Oil (Suratthani), Trang Palm Oil
(Trang), SPO Farmers Group (Suratthani) & Thai Thallow (Suratthani).
Presentations by the smallholder mapping teams on potential HCV sites in
members’ smallholdings.
Visit to selected potential HCV sites within the Sri Charoen Palm Oil
smallholdings (Team A).
Visit and meeting with officials from the Krabi office of the Royal Thai
Forestry Department.
Visit and meeting with officials from the Krabi Office of Natural Resources
and Environmental Planning (ONEP) (Team B).
13 March (Thu)
Travel from Krabi to Trang
Trang:
Visit to remnants of the Jud peat swamp
Visit and meeting with the Trang Palm Oil group mapping team
Visit to selected potential HCV sites within the Trang Palm Oil group
smallholdings.
Travel back to Krabi
14 March (Fri)
Travel from Krabi to Suratthani
Suratthani:
Visit and meeting with officials from ONEP and Royal Thai Forestry
Department offices in Suratthani
Visit and meeting with the SPO Farmers group mapping team and
representatives
Visit to selected potential HCV sites within the SPO Farmers group
smallholdings.
15 March (Sat)
Suratthani:
Visit and meeting with the Southern Palm Oil smallholder group
Visit to selected potential HCV sites within the Southern Palm Oil group
smallholdings
Visit and meeting with the Thai Thallow smallholder group mapping team
Visit to selected potential HCV sites within the Thai Thallow smallholdings.
16 March (Sun) Suratthani
Visit to the Tai Rom Yen National Park
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Date Activity
17 March (Mon)
Travel from Suratthani to Nakhon Si Thammarat
Nakhon Si Thammarat (NST):
Visit and meeting with officials from the NST office of the Royal Thai
Forestry Department
Visit and meeting officials from the NST office of the Department of
National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
Travel from NST to Krabi
18 March (Tue)
Krabi:
Team debriefing and review of all documents and geographic data
collected and discussion of findings
19 March (Wed) Team members travel back to respective offices/sites
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