BAAN PANG CHAMPEE, CHIANG MAI

Finding a suitable location in Chiang Mai, that assured the sustainability of a long term Gibbon Release programme was a considerable challenge, not least because we were determined that the local community had to be responsible for protecting the Gibbons if the project stood any chance of success.

After several years of in-depth site surveys and researches, the village of Baan Pang Chumpee was discovered and chosen. Pang Chumpee Community Forest (PCF) is in the Mae On National Forest Reserve, (under the National Forest Reserve act B.E. 2507 (1964)) nestled in the folds of Doi Saket Mountain, approximately 40 km. East of Chiang Mai.

The village encompasses a total area of approximately 12,091 Rai (1,934 ha), consisting of no-hunting conservation zone 5,091 Rai (814 ha) and sustainable utilization zone 7,000 Rai (1,120 ha). There are several streams and waterfalls with some wild mammals such as Wild boar (Sus scrofa), Common Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), Asiatic Black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus), Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica), Common Palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphrodites) and Large Bamboo rat (Rhizomys sumatrensis). The natural predators of the gibbon in PCF are potentially the Crested Serpent-eagle (Spilornis cheela), Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) and some large wild cats.

The most exciting and significant fact about Baan Chum Pee is the villager’s commitment to rehabilitating the Gibbons. The headman tells of his grandparents often describing the Gibbon song to him, and after many years of exploiting his forest, he and the other villagers have realised that their future lies in preservation and conservation, not exploitation. The long term future of the project in Chiang Mai is dependent on this type of cooperation. The other major goal for the project will be educating the local people, especially the next generation about the Gibbon and how they can be part of it.

With the help of the villagers, extensive ground and aerial surveys were conducted to find the best area to place the Gibbons. The most suitable habitat is at Huay Pong Lung valley. This site was firstly selected because it was a dry evergreen forest, where there is water supply all the year and easily accessed by the following and observation team. There was high abundance of food trees, which mostly were Ficus species and at least 22 different species of plants (in 16 families).

Huay Pong Lung valley site is large enough to release 3 family groups. PCF is connected to a huge Mae On National Forest Reserve. This habitat could be much larger than our original Khao Phra Thaeo forest release site in Phuket and can sustain more than 60 family groups. As part of many initiatives, villagers are very eager to participate in the re-introduction of Gibbons to the forest.

FAMILY-SPECIES	PART EATEN	PLANT HABITS	THAI NAME
Anacardiaceae
– Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurz – Mangifera sp.	F F	Tree Tree	มะกอก มะม่วงป่า
Annonacesae
– Alphonsea boniana Finet & Gagnep.	F	Tree	กล้วยค่าง
Burseraceae
– Protium serratum Engl. – Canarium subulatum Guillaumin	F F	Tree Tree	มะแฟน มะกอกเกลื้อน
Dilleniaceae
– Dillenia sp.	Fr, L	Tree	ส้าน
Euphorbiaceae
– Antidesma sp. – Baccaurea ramiflora Lour. – Balakata baccata (Roxb.) Esser – Phyllanthus emblica L.	F F F F	Shrub Tree Tree Tree	เม่าควาย มะไฟ โพบาย มะขามป้อม
Flacourtiaceae
– Flacourtia indica (Burm.f.) Merr.	F	Shrub	ตะขบป่า
Gnetaceae
– Gnetum sp.	F	Climber	มะเมื่อย
Graminaceae
– Gigantochloa sp.	BL	Grass	ไผ่หวาน
Guttiferae
– Garcinia cowa Roxb. Ex DC	F	Tree	ชะมวง
Irvingiaceae
– Irvingia malayana Oliv. ex A.W.Benn.	F	Tree	กระบก
Moraceae
– Artocarpus sp. – Ficus sp.	F F	Tree Tree	มะหาด ไทร
Musaceae
– Musa acuminata Colla	L	Herb	กล้วยป่า
Myrtaceae
– Syzygium sp.	F	Tree	ชมพู่
Rhizophoraceae
– Carallia brachiata (Lour.) Merr	F	Tree	เฉียงพร้า
Sapindaceae
– Dimocarpus longan Lour.	F	Tree	ลำใยเครือ
Theaceae
– Adinandra fragrans Wall.	F	Tree	พิกุลป่า

Community involvement is the key

BAAN PANG CHAMPEE, CHIANG MAI

Sample gibbon food plants found in the area