TERF Project detail
Specific Objectives
WERF will run a 6 month project with the following specific objectives:
- To obtain an overall picture of the human elephant conflict problem in Thailand in all 49 protected areas with wild elephants.
- To undertake detailed surveys of 13 protected areas with a history of HEC to establish the history of and changes in the HEC problem and to document the methods used and their effectiveness.
- To run a 3 day nationwide workshop and training course for local area representatives.
- To raise public awareness about HEC.
Activities
1. HEC Surveys
1.1 All Protected Areas with Elephants: WERF will undertake brief questionnaire surveys to establish presence or absence of HEC and summary of extent and seriousness.
1.2 Thirteen Protected Areas with HEC History: WERF will adapt and use the standardized HEC survey method created by the IUCN African Specialist Group to survey 13 Protected Areas which are known to have HEC. This will include:-
- Interviews with affected community members.
- Interviews with local community leaders.
- Interviews with local Protected Area staff .
- Direct field surveys of affected agricultural and community areas.
- Assessment of current methods to repel elephants
2. Protected Area Level Meetings
At each protected area, WERF will run a one day meeting to enable communities from around the protected area share experiences, discuss tactics and to improve local understanding about the nature of wild elephants.
3. National Workshop and Training
WERF will run a three day national workshop and training to enable representatives from each protected area to meet up and discuss the problem – sharing ideas, experiences and planning ways forward. As part of the meeting, provide training for the representatives on HEC event survey methodology so that they can monitor future HEC events. The training will include how to collate, understand and utilise the data at a PA level and how to forward the data to a national database.
Training will also include fundraising ideas to provide money to help provide equipment to repel elephants, protect farmland and to assist affected communities.
4. Film/Media Products
WERF and Siam University, in collaboration with ITV Thailand will bring the issue of HEC into the public eye through a full-length documentary to be shown on Thai national television. This will also be a way of raising funds to support local PA representatives’ HEC surveys, field work, networking and supporting ways to reduce the impact of HEC.
WERF and Siam University will create an educational video aimed at students living adjacent to protected areas with elephants (other crop raiding animals) to improve understanding about wild elephants, the reasons for HEC and effects of HEC and the effectiveness of different ways to deal with the problem.
WERF and Siam University will create a video to support the report and assist with information sharing and training HEC surveyors (eg on interview techniques, how to assess damage to crops/property, elephant behaviour and tracks, and examples of methods used to repel elephants)
5. Reporting
Provide written reports for all sponsors and for others interested in the issue. Hard copies of reports to be registered with the National Parks, Wildlife, Plants and Conservation Department, University libraries, Wildlife Fund Thailand and other NGO organizations working with communities, elephants and HEC or similar wildlife issues.
A summary of the report will be put on the website and interested parties can request a computer copy (PDF or Word).