Does anyone care!

Some certainly do; The New Friends of Yonok.

George Daher, Jean Jeurissen, Wilhelm van Benthum, Khun Uan, Ian Smith and Hans van Herwerden.

Years of experience here and a commitment: Some off us old boys are still rocking!

In raising the profile of Yonok Wetlands Bird and Animal Life. The level of interest within the Thai community to look after the Yonok wetland has increased significantly.

The prime consideration is the saving of the two major Harrier roosts and we received this assurance from Khun Uan of Ban Janjua.

We hope by working with a common goal to make Yonok a model for the future of conservation in Thailand, this at one time would have been an impossible dream.

I have to Thank Ian Smith who promotes Yonok wetlands Project when and where ever he can. He introduced Dowroong and I to many people with influence and experience in a variety of fields.

Yonok and Little England have to be conserved and quick.

This is happening NOW just a few miles from little England and opposite Dr Mong nature reserve. Today I returned for a last look. Every tree in these pictures has gone and the devastation is spreading at an alarming rate;

When Dr Mong was considering acquiring his area of land; he asked me what I thought.

I said it was good idea, as the area adjacent has two wetland bogs and maturing secondary forest. It also borders the only half decent jungle around Chiang Saen. The road is quite pretty as it is a mixture of small forested hills and valleys containing a number of wetland bogs.

Now! The whole are has been destroyed in a week; for what!

 PINEAPPLE !!!

They did this in Kui Buri Nation Park and such was the damage that the whole area was wrecked and 1000's of acres National Park land was destroyed, under the unseeing eyes of officials.

This sort of destruction is once again destroying Thailand valuable tourist opportunities; as the way I see it!  I would not want to journey to the Orient to see a mono culture environment! I can see that all over Europe.

Thailand has a lot to offer but for how much longer.

So if we can we should do something. I for one am lucky that have that chance.

Little England

Little England - Wetland Bog is home to fifty Pied Harriers and Grass Owls - Please Help us to save the area.

Green dots indicate the area that remains pristine. Yellow dots show the area that has recently been converted to agriculture. I believe there is still time to save this beautiful area.

We don't need huge amounts of money. But I need cash NOW to give us breathing space to work with people and formulate ideas that will safeguard the area for the future and be of benefit to many local people. We need to buy a year of time; so we can formulate a community plan for Little England's future.

The Little England valley has huge potential as a community wetland conservation project. This project would be run by Dowroong and "please" let me make one thing clear. We do not walk away and leave projects to be run by others.

If you would like to help; please email me for details.

Until I get some indication that funds will be available I cannot start negotiations as I do not wish to raise expectations and then nothing is forth coming.

Chiang Saen Lake now faces serious crises and its future as a wildlife area looks bleak.

I have to say that RAMSAR and Conservation bodies do not seem to take the job of protecting Chiang Saen Lake seriously.

In the past year we have lost 99% of the wetland fringe and the dam has recently been re-enforced.

This means a permanent loss of wetland and Chiang Saen Lake; which is now only worthy of the "title" Chiang Saen Reservoir.

We are often asked help in averting these projects, very nice that we are asked!

However we have no power to intervene. We can only advise and speak to people who may be able to help. Just a few days ago we were asked yet again to draw the worlds attention to a new major resort planned on the Heron Island of Chiang Saen Lake.

Ostriches bury there heads in the sand; seems a common attribute of people too.

Wonder girl "Dowroong" believes in direct action.

It has taken about three years hard work for us to achieve a great measure of success in stopping the killing and trapping of birds in the Chiang Saen District.

At last we are gaining ground and with support we can put an end to most.

I am very proud of Dowroong who has shown amazing guts and determination in dealing with officials and hunters.

Few would sit down and alone with hunters drinking whisky and talk to them of conserving the birds and not to kill them, or walk into a market and say to the bird traders "what your doing is illegal and I have reported you to the police. This gets them out quick.

It’s quite simple really "Public Spirit" We all have to obey the "Law of the Land" and so we endeavor to remind people in power of duty to Thailand. Sorry if this sounds heavy; but I am a righter through necessity.

Dowroong has gradually won people over and we now have meetings with a wide variety of people. I have lost count of the number of phone calls and visits to various sites

We are most grateful to the following.

The Chiang Sean Police HQ.

The Chiang Sean River Police, in dealing with gangs of fishermen electrocuting fish in Yonok.

Chiang Rai District Police HQ; for advising and assisting with contacts.

The Villages of Yonok (north) for responding to conservation by ceasing all hunting. Please don't get me wrong it is a few that are doing this for money.

Nong Bong Kai (Non Hunting Area) for assisting in the removal of 140 mist nets.

Mr Suriya - Nong Bong Kai (Non Hunting Area) for speaking with village heads explaining the law related to trapping of birds.

Local Government officers for taking time to listen and acting in the interest of conservation.

Mr Jamroung of Ban Tung Far Ham for instructing the village not to hunt and to release captive birds.

The BCST for providing books and Telescope to enable us to demonstrate bird life to children.

Phillip Round - BCST and Birds of Thailand. Dr Mong and Mr Kai also of the BCST and many others who have helped.

Ian Smith - Viang Yonok hotel; Ian has supplied us with GPS, digital camera and binoculars, these have been valuable aids in plotting netting areas.

The temples of Wat Pamak No, Wat yonok, Wat Viang Cum for their continued support support.

In particular to my good friend Pra Ajan Sane: A brave monk who tried to stop hunting and land encroachment at Wat Viang Cum, Ajan stuck it out alone and faced many threats with only the support of Dowroong and myself. How he stuck through the wet season, alone, with no electric and in torrential rain is real determination.

Ajan, has now left; his family, concerned for his safety persuaded him to return home. However Ajan made a big contribution to Yonok.

Yonok Wetlands Project - Woman Bird Conservation Group Thailand.

This is Dowroong's group; as a group we ask that they try to persuade people not to eat wild animals and birds and to care for the wetland as it is our future. The Woman group has proved highly effective in supporting important occasions, as they demonstrate unity.

Yonok Wetlands Project - Dowroong and Mick; we do a lot, but I believe that our teaching of children over the past two years has shown our commitment and this has aloud us to gain the trust of the communities.

The community is integral to Yonok Wetland and we hope to help the villages to retain there use of Yonok. We hope to implement conservation methods that will benefit all people and wildlife.

We have a real chance here. Join us and we can do something amazing at Yonok.

We have to put local people first, after all, they live here, and so we have to build a conservation plan that demonstrates a good future for all in a better environment.

I believe this can be achieved. If you want to make a serious contribution please contact us.

Dowroong is now leaning Golf a way to promote conservation in Thailand - pictured here with Senior Police Generals from Chiang Klong and Doi Lang.

I Just hope we arrived; just in the nick of time; at least before OLD NICK WINS AGAIN

strange don't you think - how many worshipers!

To be continued;

I have probably missed a few people and I will revise and add to this.

Mick D.

Dowroong Danlamajak & Mick Davies.

All rights reserved. © 2008 Yonok Wetlands Project