สำนักงานราชบัณทิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume IV - 2012 48  Majesty’s work in the conservation of natural resources and the environment has admirably gained international recognition. Apart from several awards, in 1986 she was presented with a certi fi cate by the World Wide Fund for Nature proclaiming her one of the world’s leading conservationists. In 1992 the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) presented her with a gold medal for her work in conservation. In 2010 the Royal Thai Government designated Her Majesty Queen Sirikit ‘The Mother of Biodiversity Protection’ in accordance with Her Majesty’s lifelong duties dedicated to the protection of nature and biological diversity or biodiversity. In fact, she had led the conservation activities on biological resources more than three decades prior to the world community’s creation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. Many obligations contained in the Convention are surprisingly in conformity with Her Majesty’s activities on the aspects of conservation and sustainable management of biological diversity. Lan Dusita, a fragile habitat of seasonal blanket marsh vegetation Her Majesty has clearly shown her fascination for the natural splendour of the wild fl ower fi elds in the northeast. Prior to 2005, Her Majesty normally went to the Phupan Palace in Sakon Nakhon during October-November to follow up various royal assignments in rural areas. While residing at the palace, after long and strenuous daily visits to the local populace and royal project work in remote areas, she loved to spend her free time in the breezy evening in the wilderness of the wild fl ower fi eld adjoining the palace compound. Beyond the deciduous dipterocarp forest margins, the open, wet forest fl oor is enriched with a mass of miniature wild plants in bluish violet to deep violet blooms. They are small, erect in fl orescences of tiny, delicate fl owers clustered closely towards the end of the stalks. The fl owers bloom gradually one after another. The beauty of this miniature plant pleased Her Majesty and she graciously granted it the royal name ‘Dusita ( ดุสิตา )’. Accordingly, the sandstone plain of the wild fl ower fi eld is called ‘Lan Dusita ( ลานดุสิตา )’. Though Dusita dominates the fi eld, there are also masses of color with other beautiful wild fl owers of remarkable appearance. Additionally, Her Majesty named the tiny golden yellow orchid-like fl owers ‘Soi Suwanna ( สร อยสุวรรณา )’; the pale-pink or pinkish white fl owers ‘Thip Kesorn Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and the Conservation of the Wild Flower Fields in Northeastern Thailand