Abstract:
The mangrove forest in many areas of Thailand, including Samut SongkhramProvince has significantly decreased during the past 85 years. Improved mangrove forestmanagement and re-planting of degraded areas is needed to help solve this problem. Theobjective of this study was to assess the long-term changes in mangrove forest of the coastalareas of Samut Songkhram Province and suggest suitable areas for re-planting mangrove forestand management of mangrove forest in this region. Land cover data derived from land use mapfrom 1912, 1969, 1986 and Landsat TM data from 1991 and 1997, together with soil,geomorphological, pH, and water salinity data, as well as Cabinet resolution on mangrove forestland use zonation data and declaration on preservation zone in 1992-1993 of Samut SongkhramProvince were synthesized using a GIS (Spatial Analysis Network Systems or SPANS).The results of the study revealed that between 1912 and 1997, mangrove areadecreased at an average rate of 1.66 % per year or a total of 98.70 km* (76.20 % was the total %reduction from the original). Most of the mangrove area had been changed to shrimp farm andsalt pan (56.73 % was the total % reduction from the original), orchards (19.63 % was the total% reduction from the original), settlement (5.24 % was the total % reduction from the original),and others (1.40 % was the total % reduction from the original). Correlation were calculatedbetween past mangrove areas and soil series, geomorphology, pH and salinity of water values.Based on these 4 factors, suitability map was generated to determine which areas would be bestfor future mangrove plantations. Approximately 61.62 km* (14.95 % of the total area) wasconsidered to be highly suitable, 67.11 km* (16.29 % of the total area), was suitable, 76.41 km*(18.54 % of the total area) was moderately suitable, 26.60 km* (6.45 % of the total area) wasslightly suitable and 180.36 km2 (43.77 % of the total area) was estimated to be unsuitable.Results from this study also suggest that (1) the existing mangrove area i:n theconservation zone, preservation zone and suitable areas should be conserved and reforested.(2) Others uses in the conservation zone, preservation zone and suitable areas such as shrimpfarming, salt pan, rice growing, orchards should be terminated (Effects of perennial crops andorchards, should be evaluated before removal). (3) The expansion of settlements intoconservation zone, preservation zone, economic zone A and suitable areas should be :controlled.