I. First progress report (October 22, 2007):
Activities undertaken:
1. Capacity-building and demonstrations conducted
2. Monitoring, evaluation, and dissemination activities launched

Results of activities:
1. Community members show increased awareness and concern about environmental issues such as deforestation and global warming
2. 15-person Tambol Baan Bua Environment Working Group formed to assist grantee with planning
3. 10-person Kitchen Forest Protection volunteer corps formed to conduct forest inventories and reforestation
4. Seven acres of land transitioned out of mono-cropping (sugar cane, eucalyptus, etc.)
5. 500 native seedlings planted, including Jatropha Curcas Linn, a tree used for alternative fuel production
6. Ministry of Social Development and Human Security recognized the grantee as a charity organization on August 7, 2007

Project communication:
Resorting to pre-existing facilities and mechanism such as village loud speaker, Radio Thailand in Burirum Province and community radio

Project expense:
The project report the expense of THB 239,390 out of the first disbursement of THB 240,390.01.

II. Second progress report (May 5, 2008):
Activities undertaken:
1. Conducting capacity-building activities through:
? Six mobile forums
? Second youth camp
? Kitchen forest life ? prolonging rite
2. Demonstrating what are learnt in 1 in the fields:
? nursery, resources inventories, reforestation
? forest surveillance
? promoting alternative appropriate agriculture
3. Conducting monitoring and participatory evaluation
4. Disseminating project activities and results:
? producing boards and symbols
? monthly community loud speaker programme and community radio programme

Results of activities:
1. The forums provided additional opportunities for community sharing. Active participation and aggressive thought sharing among community elders, senior hunters and model farmers had been witnessed. During this six forums , there emerged additional six volunteers to protect the kitchen forest and reforested plot. Increased awareness and capacity of target population as well as collaboration with major stakeholders were witnessed.
2. Evinced reduction of inappropriate practice on fire wood consumption, field burning, hunting and marginal forest clearing , especially in three participating villages.
3. An area of 2.5 ha reforested with thriving 500 seedlings of several native species. This plot appeared more lively with vegetation . An outstanding numbers of migratory birds were seen returning to the plot.
4. Twenty indigent farmers selected to demonstrate environmentally-friendly occupation.
5. Results of dissemination of project activities:
?the posted boards serving as reminders for environment conservation and demarcations of kitchen forest
?community paying good attention to radio programme with several calling by phones to discuss on air.
?Six interested community members being invited to partake in on-air
6. Results of participatory evaluation:
?proposed activities being carries out as planned, with slight time adjustment
?more collaboration from communities and major stakeholders
?more project volunteers
?still limited cooperation from community for some activities, such as building the second nursery, making post and signboards

Project communication:
Included in activities

Project expense:
The project report the expense of THB 476,215.68 out of two disbursements of THB 477,317.18

III. Monitoring visit by NC (September 12, 2008):
On September 12, 2008, the NC and one NSC paid a monitoring visit to the project. The findings and observation are as follows:

The visiting team met target population at Baan Bua, one of the 17 participating villages. The population is known as Khmer -speaking northeasterners whose livelihood depends upon agriculture,85 %paddy farming, and provisions of forest ecosystems. One nursery in the adjacent village, Baan Khok Phet was seen filled with native species to be grown in marginal forests in project locations. There were two major species in the nursery, i.e. Weeping Banyan (Ficus micro Carpa Linn.f.) and Black Soap. While the former is a main source of foods for animals, the latter would be a source of local energy in the near future.

At Baan Don Yai, a marginal forest of 9 acres was a highlight of the visit. The plot has been managed by community for a few years but became outstanding after the intervention of the project. After a year of more systematic management , hundred thousand migrating birds (crane) found their flyway and nests in the plot. According to officers from the nearby Huay Jorakay Mark Wildlife Sanctuary, some of these birds are from Siberia.

Another managed marginal forest was in Baan Nong Mai Daeng where 8 acres of forest has been rehabilitated and conserved for community use. The plot was filled with several known species, mostly edible and of medicinal value. According to project leader, stricter regulation for use was required, since there had been instances where overuse had occurred. Next to this forest, a garden of half-an-acre of a project leaders was proclaimed as a model garden for other project members to follow. It seemed that every square inch is filled with native species- at least 20 known ones. The plot is maintained organically.

It seemed that the project has been producing satisfactory results. With inherent capacity, project leaders seemed to be very eager to share their success. There fore, it is interesting to learn how this model could be replicated and scaled up to cover more members in project location and somewhere else.

IV. Mid-course evaluation workdhop (March 20-21, 2009)
Findings and observation:
Together with representatives from other projects of the same grant cycle (from THA/06/13 to THA/06/28), and SGP country team, the project participate in the workshop to update progress , share experience and initiate a network. It was agreed that each project would keep on contacting one another and sharing experience. Contacting addresses were distributed with one project as the coordinating centre for future activities. An NSC member who represented the National Environment Fund was also committed to help in keeping the network.

V. Completion report (June 16, 2009):

Date of Participatory Evaluation( May 18, 2009)

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 900
Men: 720
Children: 360

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 180
Men: 150
Children: 156

Expense:
Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): Baht: 697,345.72
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: Baht: 766,345.72
Balance: Baht: (-69,000)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 2,308.56

Activities undertaken:
1. Conducting capacity-building activities on related subjects
2. Demonstrating what are learnt in 1 in the fields ( nursery, resources inventories, reforestation , forest surveillance, promoting alternative appropriate agriculture)
3. Conducting monitoring and participatory evaluation
4. Disseminating project results

Results of activities:

1. Increased family forest management capacity of 40 members of housewives group and 60 of youth group witnessed through capacity to substantially transfer skill and knowledge
2. Approximately 10-ha degraded marginal forest with edible species being rehabilitated and conserved gradually regaining its natural capacity
3. Emergence of institutions as follows:
? One environment working group at Tambol level with women, youth, community leaders as members (15 members)
? One forest protection volunteer group of 36 members
? One community welfare fund with 30 members
4. Three nursery centers being able to provide service for 18 villages with a one-acre pilot plot on species of energy quality ( ? Jatropha Curcas Linn?-black soap)
5. Emergence of 15 model farming families practicing environmentally-friendly occupation
6. Evinced reduction of unsustainable use of fire-woods with optimum use resulting in increased income from charcoal by THB: 2,000/ month/families ( 20 families practicing)

Project Communication:

The project did not mention any thing in particular.

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:

1. At the beginning , misunderstanding about the project through rumors resulted in limit cooperation from communities. The project was perceived as political motivated, military related, or even from the former prime minster who had been in exile. This issue was addressed through effort to make the project objective clearer through regular meeting with local government units (TAOs). Three monthly meeting produced favourable result. Some community leaders volunteered to assist the project.
2. Weather condition was not very supportive to carrying out some project activities . This was addressed through modification of plan. Sometimes, capacity-building activities and meeting were held during the night.
3. Status of the organization and project limited cooperation. Some community members would perceived the project as unofficial with no official document. This was addressed by more aggressive public relation through official mechanism and by issuing official letters.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:

1. Being registered as a charity organization, the grantee planned to apply for financial support from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to intensify the replication and upscaling. In addition, campaign to mitigate global warming would be launched.
2. Increasing management capacity of staff member to ensure sustainability through a scholarship programme
3. In 2010, planting 100,000 trees together with Baan Bua Tambol Administrative Organization aiming to reduce greenhouse effect
4. Fostering community participatory process through a One-Baht-One-Day saving scheme ? now on-going with remaining fund of THB: 22,000.
5. Strengthening the function of family forests through voluntarily watch over and planting more trees
6. Continuing launching effort to solicit participation from the Tambol Administrative Organization regarding community environment protection. The effort resulted in the budget allocation of THB: 100,000 from the TAO for planting trees to reduce global warming.