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St. Andrew's Creation News

Welcome back to our Creation Newsletter. This Creation Season we're looking at some of the newest UNESCO Biosphere Reserves - areas of God's creation on earth that have a unique interaction of plants and animals, water and land formations, history and humanity.

These Creation Newsletters give an introduction to a biosphere reserve offering some interesting facts, a few great resources, and hopefully, some inspiration to learn more about "this fragile earth, our island home."

Creation News - Thailand's Doi Chiang Dao Biosphere Reserve

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.

Joseph Campbell

Location and a Brief Description

Doi Chiang Dao Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 85,909.04 hectares (about 332 sq mi) in Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai, that boasts sub-alpine vegetation and many rare, endangered, and vulnerable species such as the lar gibbon, leaf monkeys, Chinese goral, tiger, and clouded leopard."

Chiang Dao has many natural caves formed by the infiltration of rainwater through limestone formations. these caves are considered sacred areas and draw local people as well as international visitors. Other attractions include birdwatching, stargazing, and a Buddhist temple in the Lanna Style.

The temple Wat Phra Singh dates back to the 14th century and is one of Chiang MaiÂs most important temples. It is located within the old city walls. Wat Phra Singh is arguably one of the best examples of classic Lanna style temple architecture in Northern Thailand. One of the oldest structures is the chedi (like a pagoda-it is a very sacred structure in the Wat). It is decorated with elephant figures emerging from the chedi.

Spotlight

The Chiang Dao Cave System

The Chiang Dao Cave Temple (วัดถ้ำเชียงดาว) is a limestone cave and Buddhist temple at the foot of Doi Luang Chiang Dao (ดอยหลวงเชียงดาว) aka Doi Chiang Dao, the third highest mountain of Thailand.
The Chiang Dao Cave Temple is one of the most sacred places for local people and has been for hundreds of years. Humans have used this cave as shelter and a place of worship at least since the 17th century. The cave is part of an extensive temple complex with pavilions with statues of monks and hermits, Buddha images, and several buildings. It is in Doi Luang Chiang Dao, approved as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2021.

Resources and Videos

Bonus:
Some of the many Colorful Birds of the tropical forests of Thailand

Green-tailed Sunbird

Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker

White-tailed Robin

I Am a beautiful bird ÂA short poem by Andrew Kalogirou

I Am a beautiful colorful bird
With many colors donÂt you see
like a beautiful rainbow in the open sea
bright for the world and all to see.
my head is blue as the ocean
my neck yellow as the sun
my body is green as a leaf
my chest is yellow and orange as a beautiful sunset on a misty day
my eyes are as red wine and black as the summer night

I love to spread my wings in the sky
as I go through the clouds as I pass bye
I love to show the world all that I am
a flying beauty and all that I am

People come and see my beauty from all around
a beautiful bird as they sit down
so come and see me for all that I am!

A beautiful bird and all that I am

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