The wetlands of the lower Songkhram River basin need collaborative conservation

The lower Songkhram River basin, the last free-flowing tributary of the Mekong, supports over 14,000 households through capture fisheries and floodplain agriculture. Despite being protected under the Ramsar Convention, the Mekong River Commission, and Thailand's Master Plan for Integrated Biodiversity Management, these wetlands face threats from hydropower dams in the upper Mekong, agricultural expansion, and industrial pollution. Current management is hindered by a lack of coordinated procedures, the marginalization of traditional knowledge, and the prioritization of development over ecological conservation. The document recommends strengthening collaborative governance, valuing wetland ecosystem services, and increasing financial flows for conservation to ensure regional food and water security.

• The lower Songkhram River is the last free-flowing tributary of the Mekong River and provides essential resources for more than 14,000 households and various endemic species.
• Wetland productivity and biodiversity in the region are driven by the 'flood pulse phenomenon,' where the Mekong River floods the Songkhram River, delivering nutrients and sediments that support riparian forests, marshes, and oxbows.
• The wetlands are under threat from development activities, including industrialization, agricultural expansion, pollutants, and the construction of hydropower dams in the upper Mekong River, which alter hydrology and flood levels.
• While the area is recognized under the Ramsar Convention, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), and Thailand's Master Plan for Integrated Biodiversity Management, the effectiveness of these frameworks is limited by the fact that wetlands are under-represented in development planning.
• Local communities have established three networks to lead conservation efforts, but they face challenges such as the exclusion of traditional knowledge from government planning and a lack of resources.
• Significant policy gaps exist, including a lack of coordinated procedures for executing conservation actions and basin-level development plans that underestimate the water flows required to support downstream aquatic ecosystems.

APA

Saluja, R., & Piman, T. (2022). The wetlands of the lower Songkhram River basin need collaborative conservation. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/songkhram-river-wetlands-conservation-sei2022.029-corrected.pdf

Chicago

Saluja, Ridhi, and Thanapon Piman. The wetlands of the lower Songkhram River basin need collaborative conservation. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2022. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/songkhram-river-wetlands-conservation-sei2022.029-corrected.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Saluja |first1=Ridhi |last2=Piman |first2=Thanapon |title=The wetlands of the lower Songkhram River basin need collaborative conservation |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=August 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/songkhram-river-wetlands-conservation-sei2022.029-corrected.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{saluja2022wetlands, author = {Saluja, Ridhi and Piman, Thanapon}, title = {{The wetlands of the lower Songkhram River basin need collaborative conservation}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/songkhram-river-wetlands-conservation-sei2022.029-corrected.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }