Biodiversity

Only two operations (GHECO-One and SPP3) of GPSC Group's Environmental Impact Assessment found that there are potential impacts to biodiversity in the nearby operations. These sites are located in Map Tha Phut industrial area. The potential impacts are minor impacts on egg and larvae and aquatic species. Based on the recommendation from ecological studies in Map Tha Phut industrial area by biodiversity specialist (Chulalongkorn University) in 2012, GPSC Group must release aquatic species such as Flower crab and shrimp zoea, which are local species nearby Map Tha Phut area, at least 1-2 million zoea per year. Between 2015-2017, GPSC group have done aquatic restoration projects by releasing approximately 10 million egg and larvae of local aquatic species such as Flower crab and shrimp zoea nearby GHECO-one and SPP3 operation sites. In addition, to protect and restore marine habitat, GPSC Group have completed constructing 50 imitation reefs made of coconut tree leaves.

In addition, GPSC Group, in collaboration with experts, conducted terrestrial and marine biodiversity in 2021 nearby the key operations in Rayong province. The results are as follows:

Marine Biodiversity Results

• Heavy metal contamination in sediments and aquatic tissues
• For sediments, the contamination level was under the standard required by law. In addition, the heavy metal content in aquatic tissues were found in very low amounts of heavy metals, which were under all legal standards.
• Species richness and density
• For phytoplankton, zooplankton and marine animals, the spices richness and density were nearly the same level with last measurement indicating that the water quality was in a normal level. In addition, there were three dominant species of marine animal in the area that are the common species found in general marine ecosystem.
• For eggs and larvae, The trends in species richness and density at each station were similar.

The three dominant species are as follows: (A) Nemipterus furcosus, (B) Eubleekeria splendens and (C) Lutjanus lutjanus

(A) Nemipterus furcosus (Forktailed threadfin bream or ทรายแดง)

(B) Eubleekeria splendens (Striped ponyfish or แป้นเมือก)

(C) Lutjanus lutjanus (Bigeye snapper or กะพงข้างเหลือง)

Terrestrial biodiversity Results

• Plant biodiversity survey
• All plant species found in the survey sites were the common plant species in mixed deciduous forest and deciduous dipterocarp forest. In addition, the survey result shown that there were no endangered species in the areas.

Example of plant species in survey areas

• Wildlife biodiversity survey
  • The wildlife species found in all survey sites were the common species in general conservation forests. There were also related to the ecosystem of each area. For example, in the Mab Chan community forest area, amphibians were the food for birds and snakes in the areas where they were found and the fruit-eating birds and bats could help promote the distribution of plants. Therefore, the species of wildlife surveyed could be seen widely. In addition, the survey result shown that there were no endangered species, that is listed in IUCN Red List, World Heritage sites, Ramsar Wetlands, UNESCO MAB and national law and regulatory, in the areas within 5 km away from GPSC operation sites.

Example of plant species in survey areas

• Development of Geo-database
  • Geo-database was developed in form of Geographic Information System (GIS) by integrating spatial and attribute data gathered from in-site data collection, relevant documents from GPSC and other relevant agencies and satellite imagery.
  • Using satellite imagery with various forms of wave reflection data is limited because the study plots are smaller than the resolution of satellite imagery. That might cause the results inaccurately but the changes are still observed by different colors at different period.
  • The results will be used for monitoring physical and biological aspects including geological resources, temperature, rainfall and plant and wildlife resources.

Example of geo database in form of GIS

In conclusion, there is “No Net Loss” found in biodiversity as compared the number of species (species richness) and the density of biodiversity with the previous year (base year). Based on an annual biodiversity monitoring results, the biodiversity restoration was conducted effectively. It is recommended to maintain and increase biodiversity to achieve “Net Positive Impact” in the future onwards.

• Thai Royal Forest Department
  • The agency aims to monitor forests, coordinate research, encourage community forest management, conserve forest land and monitor the wood industry.
  • Environmental Consultant (SECOT)
• SECOT is an environmental consultant firm with special expertise in the following academic field:
  • Coastal aquaculture
  • Analysis of benthic animals and sediment quality
  • Oceanography and Environment
• Previously, SECOT has done with several key marine biodiversity projects, such as:
  • Impact of the transportation of tapioca starch and other goods diffusing from cargo ships in the Sri Ra Cha bay and Si Chang island area
  • Environmental resource management and the development of aquaculture to increase the value of production
  • Taxonomy of oyster in Thailand
  • Biodiversity of primary producer in marine and coastal ecosystem
  • Study of biological resources and environmental impacts affecting resources in the upper Gulf of Thailand area
  • Survey of marine environment in the upper Gulf of Thailand area
• Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University
  • Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University is the only school in Thailand that provides forestry education endeavoring to contribute to the body of knowledge about tropical forestry through advanced research and study. They also provide training, informational resources, and academic services to society in areas of forest management, forest biology, forest engineering, silviculture, forest products and conservation.
• Chula Unisearch, Chulalongkorn University
  • Chula Unisearch, Chulalongkorn University was the Thailand’s first autonomous university agency established specifically to serve the R&D needs of both public and private organizations with their high-level academic expert in various field including biodiversity.

From the results of GPSC Group's environmental impact assessment, we have only two operation site where are potential minor impacts to biodiversity in the nearby operations, GHECO-One and SPP3. GPSC Group has already developed the biodiversity management plan for avoiding, minimizing, offsetting and restoring the impacts based on the EIA results and mitigation hierarchy principle. In addition, GPSC Group also seriously aware of how important of biodiversity to ecosystem. That drives GPSC Group to develop biodiversity management plan for all the operation sites in case of the unexpected situations.

GPSC Group have studied and made operation plans in the field of marine biological resources to carry out projects appropriately and more effectively by coordinating with communities and academic agencies involved in supporting aquatic species to annually releases such as the Blue Crab / Khai Squid Bank project, the aquatic animal breeding project and artificial coral project. There was sustainability assessment of all the action plans to recommend the further study about which kind of aquatic animal will be released into the sea. To increase survival rate of animal released based on the recommendation from the external experts, GPSC Group has a plan to study more about relation between kinds of released animal and releasing sites to avoid being food for the native predators at the releasing sites. In addition, the company will conduct the survey to community fishermen to make up amounts and species of captured aquatic animals baseline for comparing natural resources trend periodically.

GPSC Group works closely with external partner such as Thai Royal Forest Department to protect, restore forest area and follow International and Thailand's national conservation area and conservation species regulation. GPSC Group promises to 'No Net Deforestation'; the future reforestation to compensate, where possible, the current forest loss or future implementation, and no exploitation of people and local communities who live next to the areas by 2025. Various activities have been conducted create environmental benefits. GPSC Group is committed to ensure group-wide compliance with forest regulations and mandatory standards, monitor and drive tree plantation performance through monitoring system to ensure compliance to group-wide commitment. To achieve the target “No Net Deforestation” by 2025, GPSC Group strives to build up the partnership and engagement with all suppliers and partners with realizing that GPSC Group can not do it alone, it requires all stakeholder contribution. Accordingly, GPSC Group works closely with external expert partners such as Thai Royal Forest Department and Kasetsart University to protect, restore forest areas and follows International and Thailand's national conservation area and conservation species regulation. GPSC Group also collaborates with other external partners including PTT group, suppliers, partners, government authorities and third party to manage, mitigate deforestation risks, maintain and monitor forestry areas in order to create positive shared values.

At present, GPSC Group's operations are no current forest loss based on the biodiversity and forestry assessment where GPSC Group closely keep monitoring on deforestation activities in the future implementation and conduct reforestation to compensate through afforestation projects continuously.

As of 2021, GPSC Group conducted reforestation projects by planting more than 60 plant species. The progress can be summarized as follows:

Moreover, GPSC Group also conducted a project to plant 4,000 seagrass in the Napha Tharaphirom Beach (EOD beach) in Rayong province in 2021. This project will continue in 2022 to enhance marine ecosystem in the Rayong area.

GPSC Group has studied and monitored terrestrial (Plant, Wildlife) biodiversity as well as prepared geo database in the key operational area (Rayong province) by collaborating with biodiversity experts to assess species richness and density including plants and wildlife from the project performances. For Group-wide compliance, selective types of monitoring system are regularly conducted in annual basic and its detail below.

• Plant biodiversity/Forestry survey

  The survey included various types of plants (tree, sapling and seeding). GPSC Group collected data by separating 10*10 meters sampling plot into 10 plots then analyzed with 10 parameters consisted of density, frequency, dominance, relative frequency, relative density, relative dominance, importance value index, plant diversity/species indices, evenness Index and similarity Index. (According to Shannon-Wiener’s equation in the reference of Ludwig and Reynold, 1998).

• Wildlife biodiversity survey

  The survey included various types of animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds). GPSC Group collected data by appropriately harmless methods for different types of animals then categorized them following different local and international laws, regulations and agreements such as Thai Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act (1992), Biological Resource Status of Thailand, IUSN (2010) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

• Preparation of Geo-database

  GPSC Group has developed a spatial and attribute database that can be linked to other data in the form of a Geographic Information System (GIS) database. This database consists of biodiversity, as well as environmental, socio-economic indicators for impact monitoring.

• Marine biodiversity survey

  GPSC conducted the marine ecology assessment with expert for measuring marine biodiversity with the indicators including and species richness/density of phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, eggs and larvae, and marine animals. Moreover, heavy metal contamination in sediments and aquatic animal tissues was measured to monitor the efficiency of GPSC’s pollution management system.

GPSC Group ran the forest restoration projects with external stakeholders including suppliers. These included our suppliers (e.g. Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd., Q Power Engineering And Service Co., Ltd., ACE Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., jpj industrial services (thailand) co., ltd. and MMM Group Supply & Services Co.,Ltd.) The projects are as follows:

One Earth One Family Project

GPSC Group presented to the community the second plot of reforested land under the project that has been done in collaboration with Khao Huay Mahad’s Forest Conservation Group, Noen Kraprok’s security squad, local communities, supplier, GPSC employees, and local government agencies. A tree planting activity was also held at Khao Huay Mahad, Hual pong Sub-district, Muang District, in Royong province as part of GPSC’s One Earth One Family Project, which aims to restore forest and promote local natural resources awareness and protection. The delivery of the reforested plot of land will help reduce greenhouse gas emission by 9.5 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. The company initiated the Khoo Huay Mahad Reforestation Project (2nd plot) in 2015. The project covers over ten raise of land and has been conducted in collaboration with various sectors for five years under the Khoo Huay Mahad Forest Restoration and Water Conservation Project to help increase the ecological fertility of Rayong’s essential watershed forests.

Check Dam Building Project

GPSC group of companies helped build check dams for the sixth consecutive year, restoring the ecosystem in the khao phu don - huay mahad community’s forest area.

Global Power Synergy Public Company Limited or GPSC, the innovative power flagship of PTT Group, organized the “Check Dam Building Project” activity in collaboration with the Banchang Sub-district Municipality, Banchang District, Rayong Province. The check dam building project, which has been run for the 6th consecutive year, aims to restore the water sources and ecosystem in the community’s forest area. The project has been jointly undertaken by the public sector, the private sector, and the community since 2015 and 122 check dams have been built so far. The check dam building activity, which was held at the Khao Phu Don - Huay Mahad community’s forest area, was attended by local government agencies, volunteer staff members, and the community’s locals.