NAUCRATES FIRST MISSION AFTER THE TSUNAMI
Aims

• Build a common area (dining room) with a little library for the children

The project funded by the Italian Fundation "Aiutare I Bambini" will provide a room adjacent to the school where the children can eat their daily meal and be together. After the trauma of the tsunami, we believe it is important to create space and an environment to facilitate social life amongst people. In particular, we wanted to concentrate this effort on the children because they have been a primary focus for our work over the last 8 years and we want to contribute towards their future life.

• Materials for children

During the last three months, materials such as clothes, toys, books, etc were collected in Italy. Italian schools were involved and people participated with enthusiasm in contributing towards this collection. These materials have been shipped to Thailand in a container and should arrive in July 2005.

•  Conduct a post tsunami assessment

Preliminary Study on environmental disturbances caused by the tsunami of 24/12/04 and resulting inundation at Phra Thong Island, South Thailand. (According to preliminary post-tsunami evaluations in South East Asia, coastlines already damaged by pollution and poor land management suffered more from the tsunami than those with healthy coral reefs and other natural protections).

This study aims to collect preliminary data utilizing specific tools in order to be able to evaluate mid-long term changes in the ecosystems affected by the tsunami. The physical alteration or degradation of habitats such as mangroves, wetlands, seagrass meadows, beach forest, savannah, coral reefs, and tidal flats directly affects the quality of the marine environment and the health of marine living resources.

Having established a research/conservation project based on the island of Phra Thong in 1996, and having evaluated the situation of sea turtle nesting populations, mangrove forests, coral reefs, littoral vegetation, and herpetofauna, it would be interesting to compare our previous findings with an evaluation of the impact of such a catastrophic natural event.

•  Evaluation on the possibility of rebuilding the Naucrates Centre

During the three months since the event, many international organizations have been operating for the emergency needs of local people. The villagers are living in tents on the mainland, while the Government and International Aid Organisations are planning the rebuilding on the island. The current international aid effort is still providing clothing, food and water as well as medicines.

Naucrates would like to continue its conservation effort in Thailand and to help the local community to find the serenity and quiet life as it was before the tsunami.

Naucrates is also elaborating on a new idea for its future work on Phra Thong

Naucrates intends to support longer-term goals by building a Conservation and Education Centre (CEC) so that people can have the opportunity to re-establish their livelihoods. The proposed Conservation Education Centre will provide support for conservation activities and will help continue our previous work. 

It would also enable and encourage more involvement from the local community in this and other conservation projects and would provide them with an additional source of income. In accordance with other community-based tourism schemes, Naucrates will train and set up activities for the villagers in order that they are an integral part of plans and activities to conserve their natural resources and to gain an alternative source of revenue.

The CEC aims to attract visitors who do not require luxury hotels and the structures and infrastructures that go with this. Rather, tourists will be encouraged who can provide a source of revenue to help protect and conserve the nature of the area while contributing to community development and well being.

During its first mission the Naucrates team will investigate the possibility of building such a scheme on or nearby the island.