I.The NC and two members of NSC visit the project (January 23, 2008):

The ICM project manager invited the NC and other stakeholders to witness the signing ceremony to scaling up partnership in the province and witness some progress of the project.

findings and observation :

About 70 participants representing 24 municipalities, Tambol Administrative Organizations (TAO), concerned government agencies and other distinguished guests gathered together at the Pattaya City Hall. The ceremony began with a slide presentation telling history of PEMSEA, ICM site and how partnership developed to the current stage. With five municipalities as partnership members in 2001, it had scaled up to 10 in 2006, 22 in 2007 , and finally 24 in 2008. The ceremony was specifically organized for the official membership for the last two municipalities. It was related that all coastal municipalities and TAOs in Cholburi Province were now on this one partnership.

After signing the partnership, three distinguished guests were invited to give comments which aimed at ?global? and encouraged collective discussion and environment activities in the immediate future. For example, the current issue of the sea colour turning ?green? in the locality (so called ?whale dung?) was submitted to the 24 organizations for thoughts/ideas and future action.

Baan (village) Laem Chabang Community in Sriracha District , one of participating villages was visited. It was a fishing community next to the famous Laem Chabang Industrial Estate. The community school was found to play a leading/ supporting role in coastal natural resource management. Witnessed activities included mangrove conservation, water quality monitoring by students, and conservation and sustainable use of a marine species blue swimming crabs.

Another project location in Cholburi District is a coastal community . Since it is located next to the provincial town, community livelihood involved more the use of marine products and other small scale business activities, even though some fishing activities were witnessed. Here, a plot of about one hectare was shown with 4,000 or so thriving mangroves of reforestation -nearly 90 % survival. However, the correspondent figure for another plot only a few km. away was said to be only 5 percent and land-based pollution was said to be the main cause.

The visiting team had found that the project was in progress satisfactorily. There were several integrated conservation activities which were not directly supported by SGP resources, but from business and academic sector. Apparently, the signing ceremony drew attention of several people at policy-making level who admirably addressed the event.

II. First progress report ( March 12, 2008):
Activities undertaken:
For target location 1:
1.Launching capacity building for target communities through training on sustainable fishery, approaches on management of marine & coastal resources and on new theory of agriculture
2. Demonstrating sustainable consumption of blue swimming crab by building artificial habitats for the species
3. Disseminating the results of activities and lessons learnt to wider audiences

For target location 2:
1.Launching capacity building for target communities through confirming understanding on project activities for GEF, current status of mangrove and study tour
2. Launching reforestation of coastal area focusing on mangrove whose seedlings are available and of endemic
3. Keeping records of and maintaining reforested area
4. Releasing crabs into the water

For target location 3:
1.Launching capacity building for target communities through confirming understanding on project activities for GEF, current status of mangrove and study tour on re-use/recycle activities
2. Producing organic solution ( liquid organic fertilizer) to be used at family level

Results of activities:

For target location 1:
1. Evinced increased technical capacity of target population through active participation in project activities and sharing thoughts and idea resulting in various models of artificial habitats to build
2. Estimated 2,000 crabs reproducing under the built habitats
3. An academically surveyed area of 544,000 sq.km , being found with additional numbers of blue swimming crabs ,i.e. approximately 42 millions of fishes and other kinds of water species being found , one third of which being the crabs
4. Increased output of coastal fishery by community assessment ( 5-10 crabs/catch/time against 1 to 5 before commencement of project)
5. The project being a learning place and a study tour destination of various groups and agencies

For target location 2:
1. Evinced increased technical capacity of target population through active participation in project activities
2. Project mangrove areas becoming learning places for local schools
3. Thriving of 2,000 mangroves of reforestation
4. Witnessed more participatory actions of communities and local administrative organization

For target location 3:
1. Witnessed more active participation and support from local administrative organization
2. Evinced reduction in solid waste and less burden for the municipality

Project Expense: THB:200,773 out of the first disbursement of THB:481,289.42

Project Communication:
1. Invitation of concerned private & public agencies to participate in selected project activities
2. Production of dissemination materials for wider public
3. Hosting study tours for groups / individuals
4. Periodic visits from mass media

III. Second progress report ( March 20, 2009):
Activities undertaken:
For target location 1:
1.Launching capacity building for target communities by participating in a seminar with other agencies undertaking coastal resources management in the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand (in Cholburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trad Province)
2. Modifying fishing gears to support conservation of marine resources
3. Launching cleaning activities for mangrove by getting rid of solid waste that had been accumulated for several years

For target location 2:
1.Launching capacity building for target communities through study tour on management of mangrove in a community of Trad Province
2. Launching reforestation of coastal area focusing on mangrove whose seedlings are available and of endemic

For target location 3:
Continuing production of organic solution ( liquid organic fertilizer or ionic plasma) to be used at family level and solid waste re-use / recycle

Results of activities:

For target location 1:
1. Evinced increased technical capacity of target population with an established network and coordinating centres in these four provinces
2. Improved method for increasing juveniles of aqua species with witnessed increased amount
3. The project continuing being a learning place and a study tour destination of various groups and agencies

For target location 2:
1. Evinced increased technical capacity of target population through active participation in project activities and demonstration of holistic approach for development
2. About 10 ha of mangrove being rehabilitated and under protection

For target location 3:
1. Approximately 100 households regularly participating in re-use/recycle activities, 60 in production of ionic plasma for use and 30 in production of organic fertilizer.

Project Communication:
1. Solicitation of major stakeholders, both public and private, to participate in project activities in all three locations
2. Publicity through knowledge documents
3. Visitations from groups and individuals
4. Periodical participation from reporters and journalists

Project Expense:
The project reported the accumulated expense of THB: 515,209 out of the sum of first and second disbursement of THB: 919,726.22.

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 (January 18 ,2010):

Date of Participatory Evaluation( January 6, 2010)

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 12,642
Men: 10,934
Children: included

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 90
Men: 64
Children: 109

Expense:

Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): Baht: 1,419,301.29
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: Baht: 1,615,000
Balance: Baht: ( -195,698.71 )
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 4,652.84
Amount Received from others: THB: 3,248,000(in cash)
THB: 2,274,000(in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1.Launching capacity building for target communities through training, seminar, study tours and exchange forum on integrated coastal management
2. Putting into practice what are learnt in 1
3. Disseminating the results of activities and lessons learnt to wider audiences

Results of activities:
For location 1 (Crab condominium)
1. Increased conservation awareness and institutional capacity of target population witnessed by ability to formulate conservation plans ,secure support from both private and public sector, and put into practice coastal management approaches
2. Increasing numbers of marine species in project location confirmed by both community and relevant marine agencies active in project location ( four times increase)
3. Emergence of a learning centre for youth groups and other coastal communities

For location 2 (Mangrove)
1. Increased conservation awareness and institutional capacity of target population evinced by active launch collective conservation plan for 43-ha mangrove in project location , together with 31 organizations
2. Emergence of a mangrove learning centre and an instruction book to supplement curriculum called ? Wonder Creation in Mangrove?

For location 3 ( Reuse/Recycle)
1. Increased conservation awareness and institutional capacity of over 100 families in target location evinced by active launch reuse/recycle activities on regular basis
2. 30 families being able to produce compost and bio-fertilizer to be use in their backyard gardens.
3. Evinced sustainability of activities upon cooperation with coastal municipality Kiuta Kiuchu of Japan
4. Emergence of learning centres on garbage management for other 190 communities in project location

Project Communication:
During this period, the project was visited by several groups from both public and private sectors. More outstandingly, on October 6, 2010, the UNDP administrator dropped a short visit to the project on her way to a regional meeting in Pattaya. Several mass media , both national and regional, were invited to witness the visit and interviewed the administrator. Later, the story of the project was disseminated through television channels and newspapers.

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:
1. In transferring environment responsibility to younger generation, good example and competent resources persons were required.
2. Securing cooperation of stakeholders was very important as it offered options for communities in addressing emerging issues.
3. Participatory evaluation and subsequent modification of project was proven to be an effective mechanism to ensure attainment of project goals.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
Under advice of the ICM office, the activities of the project were carried out continuously. The project approaches were replicated in many coastal communities in the Gulf of Thailand and Sea of Bengal. Strengthening institutional capacity of target communities was one of the focal development theme in the next step.