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Projects

Catalyzing the Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected Area System

Client: United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Partners: Government of Thailand, Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP)

Project overview

Starling Resources led an effort with the government of Thailand and the UNDP to design a full scale project on "Catalyzing Sustainability of Thailand Protected Area System". Starling worked with a local team to assess and analyze the state of the current PA system and identifying fi nancial and management barriers to sustainability of the system. Starling also sought to identify innovative financing mechanisms and cost saving management approaches at both the PA site and system level.

Challenges

Financial management capacity weaknesses and systemic barriers to effective management and budgeting remain problematic in Thailand’s 400+ protected area system of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, forest parks, non-hunting areas, botanical gardens, and arboreta. In addition, while national budgets are quite sufficient for much of the DNP administrative functions, many specific Pas lack the necessary resources to effectively accomplish their objectives. Issues related to community rights, tourism management, and enterprise development is also a challenge.

Approach and Outcome

Starling designed a 5-year initiative with the DNP to address systemic barriers at the national level, while implementing financing and management initiatives on the ground through at select PA demonstration sites. These demonstrations will include, for example, developing novel models of PA management, increased participation by local communities and other stakeholders, and mobilization of diversified revenue sources, supported by improved knowledge-based planning and accounting systems.

Working through the UNDP, Starling helped to successfully to secure $3.4 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to be matched by $14 million from the Thailand Government, to implement this 5 year initiative.

Starling Resources led an effort with the government of Thailand and the UNDP to design a full scale project on "Catalyzing Sustainability of Thailand Protected Area System", helping to successfully to secure $3.4 million from the GEF, to be matched by $14 million from the Thailand Government, to implement the 5 year initiative.