I. First progress report (May 11, 2007):
Activities undertaken:
1. Capacity-building activities and demonstrations conducted re: (a) water ecosystem conservation and rehabilitation; (b) renewable energy, and energy conservation; and (c) environmentally-friendly agriculture
2. Indigenous approaches to natural resource conservation promoted
3. Seminars held on community-based natural resource management
4. Youth involvement in energy and natural resource conservation heavily encouraged

Results of activities:
1. Project members? increased capacity evident in ability to engage government officers, and solicit active participation from local administrative organizations
2. Community management plans drafted
3. 800 ha of watershed area conserved, and undergoing rehabilitation (i.e., reforestation)
4. 320 ha of community forest designated a ?conservation zone?
5. 20 project members and 20 youth group members show increased renewable energy-related technical capacity, as shown by ability to install 5 biogas pits

II. Second progress report (October 26, 2007):
Activities undertaken:
Activities 1-4 described in first progress report continued.

Results of activities:
1. Additional 1,000 native trees planted in community forest and 376 ha of watershed area, and nine humid retention weirs constructed; this was accomplished with assistance from 15 Kasetsart University forestry students
2. Communities living along Huay Yang Wai Creek have increased conservation awareness, as demonstrated by reforestation activities and resource monitoring (or ?guarding?)
3. 300-person volunteer group formed to conduct forest surveillance and participatory forest management in concert with local government agencies
4. Waterwheel constructed using local knowledge, and now irrigating 30 ha (11 direct beneficiaries)
6. Additional 192 ha of community forest designated a conservation zone
7. Renewable energy group received first prize for the ?Charcoal Stove and Sufficiency Philosophy? in a contest organized by the Khon Kaen Education Office Area 5
8. Six demonstration areas equipped with renewable energy and biogas applications
9. 20 native species of rice collected and grown organically
10. 40 farmers are practicing agro-forestry

Project expense : THB: 1,080, 897 out of the two disbursements of THB1,050,897.54

III.Mid-course Evaluation Workshop):
Together with 11 other projects of the same grant cycle, the project attended midcourse evaluation on March 19-21, 2008.

IV. Monitoring visit from NC (October 17, 2008):
On October 17,2008, the NC and one NSC paid a monitoring visit to the project, the findings and observation are as follows:

Chumphae District?s Baan (village) Non Saard, one of participating village along Sern River Basin was selected as the first location to visit. It is situated in a flat ?land of agricultural-fresh water ecosystems. Majority of community members earn their living by growing paddy during rainy season and practicing horticulture during off-season. Both practices depend upon rain water and water from the Sern River.

A spot along the river near the village is a location for an operational water wheel. Built by community members, this traditional irrigating equipment was seen smoothly supplying water across a paddy field and fields of other crops belonging to about 40 families. Before, community members used diesel pump with the average rate of fuel consumption of 250 litres/year/family. Now ,after putting into operation the water wheel since April 2008, this rate was said to be considerably reduced. In fact, the communities had used water wheels for irrigation before, but when globalization reaching down to them, diesel pumps had a preference to the wheels for about 20 years. Two years ago, with joint effort of communities , GEF SGP and other major stakeholder, the traditional irrigation system was revived.

Community members looked happy and satisfied with what the water wheel produced. Four other units were to be completed within the year providing irrigation service to wider area. With this initial accomplishment, the Ministry of Social Development and Social Security decided to allocate fund for establishment of the Learning Centre on Water Wheel. However with this readily and more water supply, there was one concern about growing mono-cash crops or alien crops at bigger scale which would lead to excessive water withdrawal or land degradation. The visiting team shared experience and thoughts as a friendly reminders and precaution.

The second visited village was Nam Nao District?s Baan Huay Rahong. Situated in a forest-mountainous ecosystems, most of its population ? 310 families- depend upon provisions of the ecosystems. Paddy is the main crop, with a yield just enough for consumption in a good year. Community has been fairly successfully managing a forest of about 120 ha situated between Namnao National Park and Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition, the project had formulated a plan to return several endemic species to their habitats.

In spite of existing capacity and awareness of community, there remain an issue to address. This concerns an overlapping zones between the two protected areas and community cultivated land thus requiring a clear demarcation. The community stipulated they had settled there for more than 100 years-long before the promulgation of these two PAs. On April 21, 2008, the governor of Petchabun Province visited the area to launch a cooperating effort resulting in about 90% of clearer demarcation throughout the forest.

V. Experience- sharing meeting (January 14-16, 2009):
Together with leaders of 8 others project of the same grant cycle from various regions of the country(THA/06/01 to THA/06/12) , the project participated in the event.The group had reach agreement to produce knowledge product in a form of booklet sharing experience in implementing their project. The title of the booklet is " Weaving Ways of Lives from Mountain down to Sea".

VI. Completion report (January 27, 2009):

Date of Participatory Evaluation(10 January 2009)

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 3,060
Men: 2,080
Children: 490

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 950
Men: 690
Children: 400

Expense:

Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): THB: 1,546,991.63
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: THB: 1,887,250
Balance: THB: (-340,258.37)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 4,892.43
Amount Received from others: THB: 763,400

Activities undertaken:
1. Launching capacity - building activities and related demonstration to conserve and rehabilitate water ecosystems from watershed down to wetlands ( humid retaining weir, re-vegetation, forest surveillance and youth camping for young generation)
2. Promoting the application of local knowledge & practices on conservation of natural resources and environment ( water wheel, open forum, sharing experience and regulations for use)
3. Launching capacity building activities and demonstration on application of renewable energy and energy conservation (Biogas and High Efficiency Charcoal Producing Kiln)
4. Launching capacity building activities and demonstration on environmentally-friendly agriculture (Native species
5. Organizing seminars on community-based natural resources management: prevailing problem & issue analysis , drafting plans for management of watershed
6. Promoting youth?s role on conservation of energy and natural resources

Results of activities:

1. Increased cooperation among major stakeholders in project locations: local administrative organizations, local schools, community members and local university (RDI of Khon Kaen University) to build humid retaining weir to cover an area of 333 ha , with marginal/ public land of 20 ha reforested, and about 240 ha of community forest demarcated
2. Increased institutional capacity of target population witnessed through an emerging volunteer group to conserve and plan sustainable use of natural resources
3. An area of over 30 ha of 11 community being irrigated by renewable energy (water wheel) replacing diesel driven water pump
4. Emergence of six demonstration sites for high efficiency charcoal producing kiln, biogas with 48 project members piloting the use resulting in avoiding cutting down about 300 trees / year required for fire-woods
5. Project members, 40 in numbers practicing selective bleeding of 20 native rice species
6. Emergence of a youth group of 40 members sharing experience and lessons learnt on how to revive the ecosystems of the project

Project Communication:
1. Through a mobile meeting of 10 Tambol Administrative Organizations in Nongrua District, Khon Kaen Province, where project activities and results were communicated
2. Through activities of youth group and community radio

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:

On Conservation of ecosystems:

1. Some project activities were delayed because of being scheduled over planting / harvesting period. Adjustment was necessary to ensure optimum community participation.
2. Average community members had long been familiar with ?consuming only? pattern of life , not with ?conserving too?. Therefore, they appeared to hesitate to express effective thoughts and ideas, at the very beginning of the project,
3. Cooperation with government agencies in locality was very important to conservation activities, as the agencies always played supporting roles to CBOs.
4. As there are lots of regulations applied to the country?s forest area-causing complexity to community conservation activities, community members must realize their right and have self-confidence in their conservation role. Urgent launch of conservation activities to demarcate and protect the forest had proved to be of utmost practical.
5. Practicing sustainable agriculture to reverse land degradation trend required longer time (5-6 years) before favourable results loom. Agricultural price fluctuation (low price) could add an insult to the injury as well.
6. Formulating and incorporating curriculum on environment study into local schools experience some delay, because of busy routine works of the school faculties.

On Conservation of Energy and Renewable Energy:

1. Some project members did not pay enough attention to maintain the biogas/kiln regularly. This might lead to technical problem thus discontinuity.
2. Due to high water level, up-scaling water wheel of local wisdom was not able to proceed according to schedule. The coming March ,when water level is low, was perceived as the right period to proceed.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
1. Continuing building capacity of CBOs and developing their network to be an organization steering activities on natural resources management, energy management, and formulation and adoption of local curriculum on environment
2. Inducing local administrative organizations to incorporate plans of the project for continuity and sustainability
3. Continuing building capacity of youth network to ensure effective conservation , from generation to generation