Sister Parks Arrangement for Resources and Knowledge Sharing (SPARK)

 

Khao Yai National Park is a World Heritage Park with great biodiversity. Managing the Park is at the heart of sustainable biodiversity conservation in tandem with constantly increasing tourism. The SPARK program came about from a cooperation between the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, and the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) to upgrade the management of Khao Yai National Park to international standards, and be a model for the management of other National Parks in Thailand and the region.

Previous Programs

Mission I

Between 21 January to 9 February 2015

A party of senior experts in national park management from the United States of America were invited to visit KYNP to study the Park's management systems and recommend improvements. Management weak points not up to international standards were surveyed and recommendations made to develop basic operations with a priority list in a 10-year project.

  • Mr. Dale Ditmanson, former Chief, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  • Ms. Maria Burks, former Chief, National Parks of New York Harbor
  • Mr. Kevin FitzGerald, former Deputy Chief, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Mission II

Between 30 August to 18 September 2015

A party of volunteer experts from Global Parks was invited to KYNP to extend SPARK Mission I by looking for gaps identified in the Mission I Report, and add issues encountered with management efficiency. An action plan was made to remedy these issues in the short-term by prioritizing those that required to be addressed urgently, where there were clear improvements, and investment was cost-effective.

  • Mr. Brian Bawtinheimer, Managing Director, British Columbia State Parks Department, Canada.
  • Ms. Maria Burks, former Chief, National Parks of New York Harbor
  • Mr. John Block , former Director, branches of British Columbia State Parks and Protected Areas, and former Manager, Recreation Facilities Development and Operation, British Columbia State Parks Department, Canada.
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Mission III

Between 18 to 31 May 2018

A party of volunteer experts from Global Parks was invited to KYNP for the objective of Branding and Trails Development, part of the plans resulting from SPARK Mission II to upgrade the quality of tourism and recreation. Another team of experts was invited at the end of the year to help with field training in preparing a Nature Trail, which would become Thailand-USA Nature Trail to Celebrate 200 Years of Relations (No. 7)

  • Mr. Sam  Vaughn, former Head, Communication Planning, Harper Ferry Design Center, National Parks Department, USA.
  • Mr. Kevin  FitzGerald, former Chief, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  • Mr. Hunter  Turner  , Expert in rehabilitating, reviving and developing nature trails / former official of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Trails Forever program.
  •  Ms. Cynthia  Slaughter , Photographer, Writer and Editor
  • Ms. Chelsea  Turner , Expert in brand development for the eco-tourist and agri-tourist industry
  • Mr. Stephen Sanford Griswold , Expert in preparing nature trails, National Parks Department, USA, and Committee member initiating the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Trails Forever Initiative
  • Mr. Ernest Arthur Milan , Expert in preparing nature trails.
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Mission IV

Between 27 April to 3 May 2019

A party of volunteer experts from Global Parks was invited to KYNP with the purpose to survey and evaluate the feasibility of an eco-tourism strategy to develop the quality of life for communities in Khao Yai National Park. Eco-tourism not only encourages community awareness of the value of their natural resources, but also builds a grassroots economic system based on a balance between the forest and urbanization, as another route to sustainable conservation.

  • Mr. Marc Koenings , former Chief of National Parks, USA, and Expert in Park Management, and of eco-tourism in communities surrounding the Park.
  •  Mr. Graham Edgeley , Co-founder of Village Ways, a company promoting community tourism in India and Nepal
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Mission V

Between 21 to 30 May 2019

A party of volunteer experts from Global Parks was invited to KYNP to evaluate and advise on developing content on signage for the Thailand-USA Nature Trail to Celebrate 200 Years of Relations, as well as make proposals to develop exhibitions in the Tourist Center. They also gave knowledge on basic training for officials, analyzing gaps to find ways of training to communicate. They also gave recommendations for communications training in the future. Appropriate communications are at the heart of conservation, as tourists gain the knowledge and awareness giving them the correct conduct to assist with the sustainable conservation of natural resources.

  • Mr. Constantine (Costa) Dillon , former Chief, Indiana Dunes National Park and Head Trainer, National Parks Department, USA
  • Ms. Lorenza Fong , former Deputy Chief, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
  • Ms. Amy Yee , Communications Officer, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
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Mission VI

Amata Foundation and the ICCF agreed to invite a party of expert volunteers to KYNP for continued evaluation and work with local personnel, helping to achieve rapid improvements in efficiency. Mr Joe Alston, former Head, Grand Canyon National Park was invited to visit the Park in February 2020, to make assessments and prepare a program for the team to be working with local personnel. However, the Covid pandemic caused this program to be postponed, and the focus was shifted to a more achievable activity, the development of Khao Yai National Park's website to meet international standards, as can be seen here.

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