Upper Ing River Environment Educational Network Development (THA-00-G33)

Project Details & Results

The target community is the population residing along and depending upon the Ing River which is an ecological part of the greater Mekhong River. With its length of 240 km., there is the popular reservoir “Kwan Phayao”. When the population and demand for food is increasing,many native fishes species has faced extinction. In 1998, an official survey has revealed that 28 species out of original of 52 had disappeared from the project location. Added to the ever-increasing demand for water species is human activities which prompt the disposal of community waste into the river and its tributaries.

Instilling conservation awareness of young generation of a country and of the world is an effort undertaken by various sectors. Evidently, promotion of local approaches learning process coupled with encouragement of community participation in environment protection will result in conservation awareness and subsequently improving environmental situation, both at national and global level.

Project goals or objectives (including GEF problem-area addressed by projects):

1.To raise conservation awareness and encourage participation of youths and other community members
2.To demonstrate community-scale waste disposal management

Activities to be carried out under project:

1.Building capacity of youth and community members through training, seminar, open forum, natural resources assessment and disseminating data & information
2.Monitoring water quality in the reservoir and other tributaries
3.Constructing treatment pits for demonstration

Project participants and/or beneficiaries:

1. Phayao Fresh Water Fishery Station
2. Pa Wiang Lor Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Phayao Provincial Public Relation Office
4. Provincial Public Health Office
5. Friends of Environment Group
6. Phayao for Development Project


Anticipated results of project:

There emerge the following group and activity:
-one environment educational network for upper Ing River
-two waste treatment pits for demonstration
-6 schools as pilot or model for campaigning and conducting recycle from waste
-one youth leader network for environment for further dissemination

Project Results
1. 40 primary student leaders had learnt about the water-related ecosystems.
2. 150 student leaders acquired skill in community waste management and had initiated the garbage
bank.
3. Continuous dissemination of project activities and environmental status through Radio Thailand
Phayao Province.
4. The Provincial Public Health Office has been working to adjust the pit.

Participatory Evaluation:

Methods: First stage by calling meetings for monitoring among project committee and second, calling meeting with advisors in each school and taking trip to each participating schools to conduct the M & E.

Participants: 1.Staff members from Doi Luang National Park
2.Staff members from Wiang Lor Wild-life Sanctuary
3.Staff members from Fresh Water Fishery Station
4.Staff members from Provincial Public Health Office
5. Staff members from Radio Thailand in Chiangrai Province
6. Advisors from participating schools
7. Representatives from students of participating schools

Impact:

The project activities have contributed to building capacity of students: at high school level the students were able to devise plans by themselves while at primary level advise from teachers were still needed.Local government officers had shown better understanding and more cooperation. The conservation activities were being pushed and practiced continuously.

Future Plan:

- keeping on campaigning on garbage reduction/disposal in schools
- keeping on interacting amongst participating schools
- formulating plan to forge networking on volunteering development of the upper Ing , aiming at
ethnic hill-tribe minority
- keeping on coordinating with the Provincial Environment Centre for forging network at provincial
level