Eco Tours Chiang Mai and parent company, Thai Eco Solutions recently visited Sathahip in Chonburi province for 2 days of mangrove restoration for a project overseen by the Royal Thai Navy Seals. A percentage of all profits made by Eco Tours Chiang Mai goes towards such projects, therefore all customers are directly responsible for such projects being possible. A big thanks to everyone who has joined us on a tour over the past 12 months!
Why did we choose this project? We have participated in projects in this area over several years, planting mangrove trees and also conducting maintenance. To ensure the best chance of survival, regular maintenance is required for several years until the roots are firmly bedded into the ground and so this was an opportunity to see the progress made and at the request of the Royal Thai Navy Seals, help raise funds to continue this essential work.
The project required the roots of the trees to be pegged to the ground, allowing them the time to root properly and to aid the growth of the trees. During the time the area was cleared and prior to the restoration project, the topsoil was eventually eroded down to bare rock making it difficult for the new trees to take root so with this procedure the chances of the trees surviving into maturity are significantly improved.
It is clear to see the benefits to the local environment, with plenty of aquatic life such as crabs and snails scurrying around and with more organic matter covering the ground thanks to the protection provided by the mangrove trees from the sea. Whilst the growth of the trees is slow, it is reassuring to see areas of trees at different levels of maturity, from newly planting saplings to trees planting 10+ years ago and thriving.
The young trees were still surrounded by a protective casing, which eventually will decay allowing the trees to thrive once mature enough. Part of the weekend was spent topping up soil and fertilizer in the containers to encourage further growth. The technique used in this area is very labor and cost intensive but with a 90% survival rate, it is a procedure proven to work effectively.
Without our customers this type of support simply would not have been possible and for anyone who joined a tour and would like more details feel free to get in touch! We look forward to more projects in the future.
