1) The document discusses protected areas, their importance, and how to effectively manage them. Protected areas provide valuable ecosystem services like fresh water, fisheries, tourism, and cultural/religious sites.
2) Protected areas need to be well managed with trained staff, technology, and community support to conserve biodiversity and deliver benefits to people.
3) A system plan can coordinate protected areas nationally to ensure ecosystem services, wildlife protection, and nature benefits for all citizens.
The document discusses monitoring and evaluation of five pilot protected areas in Thailand under the Catalyzing Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected Area Systems project. It provides background on the project's objective to establish an effective monitoring and evaluation system using the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool. The document reports on the third monitoring and evaluation of the pilot sites, which assess threats and management effectiveness, and hopes this report will inform policy decisions. It includes data sheets reporting details of each protected area, threats assessments, and assessment of management effectiveness.
The document provides information on monitoring and evaluating the management effectiveness of five pilot protected areas in Thailand under the Catalyzing Sustainability of Thailand’s Protected Area Systems (CATSPA) project. The Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) was used to assess the protected areas, which include: Khao Chamao – Khao Wong National Park; Doi Intanon National Park; Tarutao National Park; Khlong Lan National Park; and Huay Khakhaeng Wildlife Sanctuary. METT scores from 2008, 2014, and the current assessment in 2016 are compared to track progress. Threats to the protected areas are also evaluated on a scale of low, medium, and high significance.
This document provides guidance for developing Thailand's National Protected Area System Plan, including recommendations on key elements to ensure effective management and generate new support. It draws on the consultants' fieldwork and experience to outline concepts like categories and governance, address challenges, identify benefits, and recommend policies, funding mechanisms, communications strategies, and approaches to build capacity. The goal is for the System Plan to manage protected areas as an integrated network that recognizes their social, economic and environmental context.