Karen villagers at Ban Watchand in Chiang Mai's Mae Chaem district of Thailand have opposed a Forestry Industry Organisation plan to log the pine forest, saying it would lead to ecological degradation in the highlands. Their representatives submitted a letter of protest to Agriculture Minister Pongpol Adireksarn yesterday. The plan calls for the removal of hundreds of pine trees from Wat Chand pine forest covering 150,000 rai in Tambon Ban Chand, Tambon Chaem Luang, Tambon Mae Dad in the district. The area is under the management of the Ban Wat Chand Royal Project.