I. First progress report (October 15, 2007):
Activities undertaken:
1. Natural resource inventories compiled and analyzed
2. Capacity-building activities conducted for project members
3. Traditional methods of natural resource management documented

Results of activities:
1. Project leaders and Phu Khiew District Forestry Officials (58 total) collaboratively analyzed natural resources inventories compiled in other communities; they used these examples to refine the project approach
2. Project members show new aptitude for environmental problem-solving
3. 42-person project network committee created
4. Local forum established for project members to share views on development

Project expense:: THB 288,293 out of first disbursement of THB 334,054.59

Issues with project implementation:
? Some project activities? start-up costs were too high; plans were modified
? National political change affected project activities: some government officials did not trust project leaders, as they feared leaders would galvanize anti-government sentiment

II. Second progress report (April 11, 2008):
Activities undertaken:
1. Capacity-building meetings held for project members (3x)
2. Conservation activities demonstrated, including--
? Tree nursery establishment and reforestation
? Demarcation of fire-break zone
? Re-introduction of traditional conservation practices

Results of activities:
1. Project members have increased capacity, as evidenced by high level of engagement, and ability to propose plans for expanding initiative to adjacent locations
2. 50 project members from 13 villages have increased environmental awareness, as evidenced by return to environmentally-friendly natural dying techniques
3. Three tree nursery centers established; thus far, centers have supplied 200 seedlings with medicinal value, and 10,000 seedlings of a general variety
4. 16 ha of degraded forest area reforested with nursery seedlings
5. 280 ha of forest area protected from wildfire by fire-break zone

Project communication:
*Translation from www.oknation.net

Tuesday, March 11 , 2008
A traditional physician using marginal land growing herbs to treat community patients for free ( Translated from Thai by the NC, edited by Mr. Nicholas Keyes, Communication Officer , UNDP Bangkok

Samarn Naraphol, 59, has long been recognized and respected in his village for using traditional medicine to treat community members for free. A resident of Baan Kao Noi, Tambol Ban Bua, Kasetsomboon District, Chaiyaphum Province, Samarn grows herbs himself, and collects and processes them into medicine for treatment. He has been a source of help for many sick community members.

As a young man, Samarn joined his elders in week-long hunting expeditions in the area, during which they would search for herbs. It was at this time that he learned how to identify plants of medicinal value and collect them for use at home. The herbs included those known to fight malaria, ward off intestinal disorders, and help women during their menstrual cycle.

Eventually, Samarn was setting off on his own trips into the forest to collect seedlings to grow herbs at home. He moved exclusively to home production when officials imposed a ban on gathering herbs in protected wildlife sanctuaries.

Over the last 20 years, Samarn has grown and collected dozens of herbs in is one-and-a-half acre plot, including ones to fight headache, backache, and diabetes, snake bites, etc. Each herb is clearly marked with its qualities and instructions for use. At present, he is cultivating 120 types of herbs and 50 tree types.

Each week, 5-10 community members come to him for free treatment. As traditional medicine is regaining acceptance, that number is growing. This traditional knowledge is currently being supported by the Global Environment Fund?s Small Grants Project, managed by UNDP Thailand, as part of a larger project focused on rehabilitation of land, water resources, and traditional plant cultivation in the area. The project ensures that this traditional local knowledge is not lost among the younger generation.

Project expense:: THB 647,096 out of total disbursement of THB 663,297.10

III.Monitoring visit from NC and NSC (October 16, 2008):
On October 16, 2008, the National Coordinator visited the project to assess the project during the final quarter of its two-year duration. Findings and observations are as follows:

At Kasetsomboon District?s Baan (village) Bua, one of the 20 participating villages, the visiting team spent about two hours interacting with six project leaders at the Community Centre for Medicinal Plants. Compiled knowledge on traditional medicine and some of its products were demonstrated, results of dissemination and on-going activities to protect the ecosystems were put forward for sharing. The centre has been providing traditional medical services and distributing herbal species to any member at a low cost, i.e. at THB: 39. In fact, community leaders referred to this as a ?tithe? for those traditional scientists who had contributed to compiling, documenting and transferring the knowledge. A plot of half-an-acre in the centre was full of medicinal/nutritious species thriving to be used in production of traditional medicine and distributed to community at large. The centre manager, also a traditional medicine expert, presented dissemination materials about the centre, such as newspaper &television, and himself as a resources person on medicinal value and global warming. Another witnessed project result at the village was a managed community forest of about 250 ha surrounding the village , next to the Phu Khiew Wildlife Sanctuary. The forest is a catchment area, classified as a hydrological protection forests area or protection and limited production forest area, where its water drains down to Phrom River within a few kilometers.

About 15 k.m. downstream of the river, other three participating villages of Baan Kaeng, Phu Khiew District, another protection and limited production forest area of about 100 ha was visited. As a portion of the revered Wat (temple) Phra Thart Nong Sam Muen, it would be classified as a natural sacred site as well. About 20 community leaders showed the visiting team a nursery and area where its seedlings had been planted and thriving. As this community forest is immediately next to the river, it contributes to slowing down soil erosion rate into the river. By conversation, the nursery had been supplying over 10,000 seedlings of native plants growing in the temple premises. The nursery and reforestation process was carried out successfully by community members, presumably with a limit technical training.

All proposed activities seemed to be on their ways with some satisfactory results. The five Tambol Administrative Organizations situated along the river were moved and providing some financial supports. A staff member of the Thai Environment Institute, a major stakeholder, also participated in the discussion. TEI had been playing technical-supporting role to some target groups of the project, especially on persistent compiling and disseminating lesson learnt and scaling up. One emerging product was a network of 42 committee members who were managing five community learning centres on environment consistent with livelihoods , i.e. traditional medicine, sustainable agriculture and forest ecosystems. At the moment, a youth group of 10 members were actively indoctrinated on traditional medicine and forest ecosystems.

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 4, 2009):

Date of Participatory Evaluation( May 9, 2009)

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 1,922
Men: 1,850
Children: 810

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 847
Men: 711
Children: 140

Expense:

AAmount received from SGP (3 disbursements): Baht: 965,591.97
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: Baht: 1,203,647
Balance: Baht: (- 238,055.03)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 3,208.05
Amount Received from others: THB: 55,000 (in cash)
THB: 226,000 (in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1. Resources inventories and analyses
2. Capacity building
3. Compiling traditional knowledge and practice
4. Campaigning , demonstrating conservation activities
5. Monitoring & participatory evaluation

Results of activities:
1. Obtained data & information for use in effective project activities and future reference
2. Witnessed increase capacity and conservation awareness of network committee members and youth groups with several being invited to be resources persons
3. Knowledge on traditional medicine being compile and put into practice
4. Witnessed following changes in the basin :
? 25,000 seedlings of native species produced by three project nurseries being planted in 24-ha catchment area and family plots
? Recorded 360 persons visiting the project , especially on processing traditional medicine
? 231-ha forest area being recognized as community forest and being managed by communities without any forest fire like before

Project Communication:
The project did not report any thing other than what were reported in the previous period.

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:
On community participation: Since the six locations had been used to individual ,non-participatory approach, understanding content of project and relevant cooperation were rather limit at the beginning stage. This issue was addressed by allowing each location to carry out its own activities then report to monthly meeting for participatory evaluation where collective solution and mutual support were offered. Eventually, project activities were mainstreamed ; networking was proven effective.

On cooperation from public sector: Similar to situation amid community members, at beginning of the project, relevant government units , such as Tambol Administrative Organizations , district Forestry offices, and district offices themselves, paid little attention to the project thus limit cooperation and support. This issue was addressed by persistent invitation to participate in special occasion of activities such as reforestation, training and seminar. In addition, publicized activities , especially on air, resulted in substantial cooperation and support. The cooperation was kept on.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:

On capacity of the organization:
1.Regular meeting, training and seminar would be kept on, especially project leaders, target population and youth groups
2.Reaching out to and networking with community leaders of adjacent areas are under consideration.

On conservation activities:
1. The project would intensify re-vegetation of catchment areas in pilot communities and plant species to protect catchment, prevent river bank erosion and absorb water pollution. Campaign to reduce chemical use would be continued with proposed demarcated special conservation areas.
2. The project would focus more on production of bio-fertilizer.