Faculty of Science, MU - Honours & Awards

Professor Dr. Pilai Poonsawad
wins 52nd Annual Chevron Conservation Awards

News Release

Hornbill Protector Wins International Conservation Award
52nd Annual Chevron Conservation Awards Honors
Dr. Pilai Poonswad of Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

SAN RAMON, Calif., October 9, 2006 – For her “fearless and tireless” efforts to save Asian hornbills, the quirky long-beaked birds that inhabit the forests of Thailand, was named one of six winners of the 52nd annual Chevron Conservation Awards.

"She is passionate about the conservation of hornbills, the dwindling forests in which they live, and the people with which they share their environment," said Ornithologist Dr. Alan Kemp. Of the 31 Asian hornbill species, 13 have been recorded in Thailand. While a few species are categorized as endangered, most are viewed as threatened or vulnerable.
Dr. Poonswad established the Hornbill Research Foundation in 1994 to fund research grants for the species. Her research and efforts to protect hornbill habitat have reversed the decline of the species in areas where she works.

Dr. Poonswad created a program to refurbish nests in trees that have become inadequate for hornbills. She fought to halt poaching. She also led a program to convert rural poachers of hornbill chicks into forest guards and guides at Budo Sungai-Padi National Park, generating strong support of the park leaders. In response, the villagers have allocated land, built their own hornbill education and awareness center, which opened in 2004, and established the infrastructure for ecotourism.

She also inspired the “We Love Hornbills” nature camp to educate children about the birds and their habitat and “I Love Hornbills” day to stir national pride in the birds.

Other 2006 Chevron Conservation Award winner are: California Trout, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring wild trout and steelhead waters throughout California; The late William H. Howard, president, Wildlife Habitat Council for his innovative approach to pairing industry and conservationists to find balanced solutions to natural resource protection; Iain Kerr, CEO, Ocean Alliance, for research and educational efforts to improve the health of the world’s oceans; Jeunesse Park, founder of Food and Trees for Africa, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for disadvantaged South Africans through natural resource programs; Ed Wytovich, an eighth grade science teacher in Pennsylvania for his volunteer efforts to preserve hundreds of miles of river habitat.

Winners are selected by an independent panel of conservationists. Originally created by outdoors writer Ed Zern in 1954, the program has recognized more than 1,000 conservationists from around the world. A contribution of $15,000 is made by Chevron to each winner’s conservation work.

Chevron is committed to contributing to the social and economic development of the communities in which the company operates. In 2005, Chevron invested $73 million in community initiatives around the world, nearly 65 percent of which was directed toward long-term, capacity-building projects.
Chevron Corporation is one of the world’s leading energy companies. With more than 53,000 employees, Chevron subsidiaries conduct business in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing and distributing fuels and other energy products. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information on Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

For more information on the Hornbill Research Foundation, see http://web.utk.edu/~vchimcho/hornbill/

View a video clip about the work of Dr. Pilai Poonswad

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Location: [Mahidol University][Faculty of Science] Honours / Awards