Showing posts with label natural rehabilitation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label natural rehabilitation. Show all posts

Monday 30 September 2019

#Thailand - Maya Bay 'well on the road to recovery'


Coral reefs and ecosystems at the world-famous Maya Bay in the Andaman sea have been almost fully revived, but a date for its reopening to tourists has not been set. 
 
“After being closed for many months to facilitate natural restoration, the beach's green forests have started to recover and coral reefs in the bay area have also been showing recovery and these are encouraging signs,” Thon Thamrongnawasawat, well-known Thai marine biologist, wrote on his Facebook page on September 25.
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He also showed several photos provided by the marine national park operation centre, featuring lively coral reefs, crystal blue water and a shark swimming in its waters.

He praised the collaborative efforts for natural rehabilitation by many parties including nature conservation officials, staff of Kasetsart University, representatives from the private sector and volunteers.

There is still the problem of floating garbage spoiling coral reefs but the good news is that officials and volunteers are constantly collecting those garbages, he said.

As part of the two-year natural restoration plan, officials currently are working on the tourists' walk trail to ensure tourists do not damage trees. They are also arranging a new boat pier, ticket booking, tourist quota and other things, he said.

He expected the famous beach could be reopened for tourists uninterrupted. After that it should not be opened and closed from time to time as in the past, he said.

The bay has been closed since June 2018 after overcrowding by tourists damaged the bay environment. The authorities announced in May this year that it would be closed for two years to allow natural rehabilitation.
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Thon said the latest developments pointed to growth of diversified coral reefs, blacktip reef sharks swimming freely and beach forests turning green.

“This is the mission for the future to ensure that later generations would not condemn us (for destroying nature),” he wrote.

He did not speculate when the bay will reopen for tourists, but hinted that it would not be far away, saying that “new hope is approaching”.

Many who commented on his post were excited about the updates but some suggested that the bay remain closed for a more fewer years.

Source - The Nation

Tuesday 24 July 2018

#Thailand - Rafting added to ban on visiting Thi Lo Su Waterfall


Rafting trips have now been added to the travel ban for the Thi Lo Su Waterfall tourist destination in Tak province due to concerns about heavy run-off.

The road access to Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary in Tak’s Umphang district where the waterfall is located was closed from June to October for the rainy season and to allow natural rehabilitation.

The original closure allowed rafts to visit the waterfall and camp in the wildlife sanctuary.
But park officials have now shut down rafting starting on Tuesday due to the danger posted by heavy run-off
 
 
 Yutthachai Pattamasonthi, director of the 14th Conservation Area Management Office overseeing the Umphang wildlife sanctuary, on Tuesday issued an order totally banning access to the sanctuary and the waterfall, including by traveling on the creek.
 
 Access to the creek and waterfall will be indefinitely banned until the rains stop, he said.
 
Source - TheNation
 
https://12go.asia/?z=581915