Estimation of Carbon Stocks from Land-use Change due to Tourism in Phuket Island, Thailand

Abstract

According to the National Statistical Office (NSO) and the Phuket Provincial Statistical Office (PPSO), Phuket Island records a high growth rate for tourism, indicating the importance in local and national economic development. The tourism industry created noticeable effect on economic, social and also on the environmental systems. The growth of the tourism industry in Phuket has resulted in significant changes to the island, especially in the urban structure, causing problems for local citizen such as serious traffic congestion, cost-of-living increases, and loss of original forest area. The tourism industry is also a major contributor to the generation of greenhouse gases whilst it is accepted that global warming may bring tsunami. Phuket is a high- risk area for tsunami events. This has become more evident since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami devastated many coastal areas on the island and this is now a major concern to many citizens. Deforestation is an obvious cause of global warming due to the release of carbon from this pool. As a starting point to find the solution for these stated problems, the study aims to explore the consequence of land-use change on soil carbon stocks in Phuket province from 2000 to 2009, applying geographical information system (GIS). This exploration can help to provide information for Phuket urban planning and initiation of the forest landscape restoration so as to be a part in assisting Phuket’s tourism industry to develop sustainably.