CP Foods Brings Back Thailand’s Watershed Forest by Innovation

Charoen Pokphand Foods or CP Foods, Thailand’s leading agro-industrial and foods, joins hands with the Royal Forest Department and government agencies showcase “Khao Phraya Doen Tong” forest in Lopburi province where is the Thailand’s first-ever area of utilizing innovative methods to revive watershed forest and biodiversity.

The Pasak watershed is a critical water source for agricultural and industrial uses in 5 provinces, which

are Leoi, Petchabun, Lopburi, Saraburi, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. CPF has joined hands with our alliance network to implement the CPF Rak Ni-Ves Project at Pasak watershed – Khao Phraya Doen Tong, Lopburi province to ascertain biodiversity conservation and restoration at the Pasak watershed,  covering area of 5,900 rai across Khao Phraya Doen Tong. The implementation of this project also supports the EU’s 2020 Biodiversity Targets.

Mr.Thanompong Sungthoop, head of Khao Phraya Doen Tong forest restoration project, said involved agencies including the Forest department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment together with Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization), Biodiversity-Based Economy Development Office (Public Organization) and CP Foods has brought the innovative methods for reforesting  5,971 rais of the Pasak River Basin where nourish the agriculture sector in the Central part of Thailand.

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This collaboration was implemented under CPF Rak Ni-Ves at Phraya Doen Thong Mountain Project, aiming to support the government’s policy on forest conservation and to continue CPF’s environmental sustainability “Balance of Nature” mission to restore national strategic forests from upstream to midstream and downstream under the concept “From Mountain to Mangrove – Protecting Biodiversity”.

The goal of the recovery at Phraya Doen Thong Mountain include to expand the watershed forest for the country. The forest will become the source of food, natural medicine, and timber for communities and to mitigate global warming and climate change from carbon absorption and ecosystem services of the forest.

Such innovative method is a combination of 4 key practices for forest restoration based on environment in the area. First, the practices include prudence planting by installing water drip system together with grading seed, putting fertilizer and weed disposal. Second, ecology forestation that close to nature by growing banana trees around the plantation area as well as pouring effective microorganisms to ensure flourish soil.

Third, planting extra trees to fulfill forest area and eliminate vines and weeds to allow baby plants to grow. Finally, encouraging natural fertilization by damaging vines which obstacle sunlight to the ground.

Moreover, “Khao Phraya Doen Tong” is the forest area in Pattana Nikom, Lopburi, about 160 Km. north Bangkok. It is also one of a main forest restoration model to turn degraded forest into the fertile forest. Aiming to increase the watershed area as the watershed of the Pasak river basin is rather narrow and the amount of water in the river varies seasonally.  

“It is the last water resource in the area and is the area to generate income to people in the community. We try to keep all new trees and maintain them like they were grown naturally,” said Thanompong.

Mr.Rob Chaiwat, head of village in Pattana Nikom District, a community surrounding Khoa Phraya Doen Tong forest, pointed that CPF forestation at Khao Phraya Doen Tong has gradually been developed from tree planting with various kind of plants, wire creating as well as other facilities.

“It significantly brings back nature to earth with much more trees, birds and other wild lives. Villagers also have extra incomes from selling goods to visitors,” said Mr. Rob.