EGAT and partners join hands with Green Wave to pilot 1st Premium T-Ver reforestation of Thailand
12 June 2023Lampang Province, EGAT, and partners piloted the first Premium T-Ver reforestation of Thailand, inviting disk jockeys from Green Wave Radio Station to join the project with the aim to reach the goal of 1 million rai within 2031.
On June 10, 2023, Mr. Chatchawan Chayabutr, Governor of Lampang Province; Mr. Prasertsak Cherngchawano, Deputy Governor – Strategy of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT); and DJ Go and DJ Pae, the two disk jockeys from Green Wave Radio Station took 15 lucky couples to plant trees, piloting the Premium T-Ver standard which is equivalent to the international standard for carbon credits in the forestry sector. This is the first initiative of its kind in Thailand and is carried out under the collaboration of Lampang Province, Internal Security Operations Command, Forest Resource Management Office No.3 (Lampang), Reforestation Promotion Office, Royal Forest Department, State Railway of Thailand, Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization), Kasetsart University, and EGAT. The project aims to build participation and raise awareness of the importance on reforestation, contributing to the expansion of green areas for the world. The initiative receives cooperation from government agencies, students, participants, and communities in Mae Tiap Sub-district, Ngao District, Lampang Province.
Mr. Chatchawan Chayabutr, Governor of Lampang Province, said that EGAT’s Participatory Reforestation Project is one of the key projects that align with the Carbon Neutrality policy. This project helps manage air quality and address current climate issues by absorbing and capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) with the aim to expand the green areas of the country. It is also a mission that receives cooperation from a network of partners to promote and restore the ecological system’s richness. Additionally, it aims to enhance the community’s quality of life, both on economic and social aspects. Apart from the ongoing implementation in Mae Tiap Sub-district, Ngao District, Lampang Province, there are plans to expand the project to other areas in the future.
Mr. Prasertsak Cherngchawano, EGAT Deputy Governor – Strategy, revealed that the reforestation in this area aims to restore the watershed forest in Mae Ngao National Reserve, Lampang Province, covering an area of 2,000 rai. This reforestation is the first Premium T-VER project in Thailand, with the international evaluation standard focusing on sustainability and the coexistence between humans and forests, the community’s opinions and feedback, the assessment of sustainable development, and the expansion of carbon credit market both domestic and international levels. It also aligns with the EGAT Carbon Neutrality and Thailand Carbon Neutrality. The planted trees comprising 13 different tree species, totaling 5,000 trees cover an area of 25 rai.
The two disk jockeys from Green Wave Radio Station added that as reforestation activity provides an opportunity to restore the ecosystem and mitigate global warming, they feel excited and happy to participate in this activity. Especially, the goal of the activity is to support EGAT’s Participatory Reforestation Project to cover a total tree-planting area of one million rai.
EGAT’s Participatory Reforestation Project aims to plant 100,000 rai of forests annually, totaling one million rai within a 10-year period from 2022 to 2031. The project also includes continuous maintenance for an additional 9 years. EGAT receives support from Royal Forest Department in terms of forest planting and maintenance, utilizing high-quality tree seedlings suitable for each specific area. The project aims to develop the learning center on ecosystem and promote participation in reforestation, to enhance economic and social well-being. It also supports related research to share important information. Moreover, EGAT has established principles of forest planting in collaboration with partners, focusing on carbon sequestration, forest conservation awareness, and area-based strategic forest planting which includes conservation forest, community forest, economic forest, and mangrove forest. The project is estimated to absorb and store over 1.2 million tons of CO2 annually, or a total of 23.6 million tons of CO2 throughout the project’s duration.