I. First progress report (August 26, 2008)
Activities undertaken:
Launching capacity-building activities to systematically compile 10-year experience of communities , to survey community context, study tour on marginal forest management

Results of activities:
1. Ten core leaders being able to substantially demonstrate activities on marginal forest rehabilitation
2. Tighter organization and clearer line of responsibility
3. Substantial participation and support from local administrative organization , and the Centre for Community Forest Development and Study 11
4. Acquired approach on rehabilitation of marginal forest for sustainable community use , and on tripartite cooperation: government-private sectors ?communities.
5. Commitment of 132 families to rehabilitate 150 ha with reforestation of three native edible species

Project communication:
1. Project activities and results through community radio Tawan Chai Khong ( Sun along Mekong) during March- May 2008, 09:00-10:00, Monday to Friday
2. The project was aired through television NBT and Ten TV during May 2008, Channel 5 TV on June 2008, and again on NBT on July 2008
3. Topic on management of marginal forest was published in the magazine ? Sarakhadi? ( Documentary)

Experiences and lessons learned:
There was an issue for secondary target community residing around Pha Taem National Park. These population were concerned that they might be evicted and resettled somewhere else. Therefore, they had deforested some area for mono-quick cash crop , which is currently popular among communities in the northeastern region. It was referred that the project was reaching out to them too late.

Project expense:
The project report the expense of THB 448,000 out of the first disbursement of THB 475,332.89.

II. Project site visit by the NC and two NSCs (February 27, 2009)
Findings and observation:

The project location in Ubonratchathani Province?s Sri Muang Mai District could be classified as ?plots of cultivated flatland with marginal forests in the vicinity of Pa Taem National Park , and only a few miles to Mekong River?. Paddy were main grown species, but plots of other cash crop and commercial species , such as tapioca and para-rubber trees also had their active roles here and there. Two major categories of land were included in the location, i.e. land reform and national forest.

In Baan(village) Na Thoy, one of the 20 participating villages, the visiting team was walked into an apparently well conserved marginal forest of about two ha belonging to one of 131 project members. It was a plot dubbed ?family forest? which had been protected for about a decade. During the walk, the owner demonstrated awareness and capacity by identifying several edible and medicinal species and relating how the plot was being managed and shared with other community members. Despite of apparent surrounding dry soil, the plot surprisingly produced running water into a creek which runs its course subsequently to the Mekong River.

A few kilometers away ,but still in Baan Na Thoy, another family forest of about one-and-a-half acre was visited. This one appeared less dense but was able to provide medicinal and nutritious species for community members in the village. In addition to maintaining and protecting the plot, the owner also added other native species, some of which were rated as endangered, onto it. Interestingly, the owner gave a brief about rites long practiced in traditional medicine before picking or taking portions of medicinal species. The practice implied a kind of respect communities had for Mother Earth before taking anything from her.

At a premises in Baan Rai Sri Suk , another participating village, this time , a family forest full of medicinal species was witnessed in operation. The owner had been collecting medicinal species thriving in a forest to grow among those thriving in a garden. Besides, rare or extinct species in the locality had been identifies and collected to regenerate for later generation. The premises was a learning place for network members and youth groups of the project. Knowledge about traditional medicine was compiled by the owner where the Sri Muang Mai District Hospital was preparing to publicize.

Up to this point, the project appeared to fare as planned. One major problem mentioned in the first progress report regarding reluctance to participate in the project of secondary target population residing in the Pa Taem National Park was partly resolved, with acknowledgement from the park officers.

One community forest of about 56 ha was briefly visited. This forest, and others of the same characteristic in other participating villages, were created about a decade ago. Perceiving imminent threats on them when population increase in the future, the project launched this idea of family forest where the threats would be minimized.

The visiting team discussed and perceived that the existing plots of community and family forest in project location were serving as a buffer zone for the Pa Taem National park, flyways for birds , and habitats for other species. Plans for replication, conservation and sustainable use were under way. It would be interesting to see all 131 family forests functioning from now on and how connected local fragmented forests would keep on contributing benefits to ecosystems and population in this lower portion of Mekong Region.

III. 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.

IV. Second progress report (April 20, 2009)
Activities undertaken:
1. Continuing launching capacity-building activities to systematically compile 10-year experience of communities , to survey community context, study tour on marginal forest management
2. Producing dissemination materials
3. Sharing experience/lessons learnt on kitchen forest network among project members and wider audiences in 16 villages
4. Launching monitoring and evaluation among project leaders and members

Results of activities:
1. Increased technical and institutional capacity of 151 project members explicitly evinced by actively sharing management models/skills of family forest, and brainstorming to push the formulation of the regulations for the use of family forests
2. Evinced recognition from concerned local administrative units which carried out activities on environment and natural resources conservation and poverty reduction as well as providing concerned data and information for target communities
3. The posters as one dissemination materials being posted to clearly demarcate the entire 151 family forests
4. More community members in target villages being interested in being memberships of the project
5. Project and non-project members participating in the sharing sessions recommending practical development approaches for project activities such as sustained capacity building, and complementary livelihood activities which resulted in the emergence of the regulations for the use of family forests
6. Emergence of pilot one-Baht-per-day saving and 15 edible species planting activity among 40 project members

Project communication:
1. The National Broadcasting Television (NBT) visited and interviewed project members on Community Livelihoods and Natural Resources Dependence who later aired the story on December 5, 2008, 11:00-12:00.
2. The project result was aired through NBT and Television Channel 5 under the programme ? Travel through Thailand with Renewable Energy? on March 7, 2009.
3. Project leaders gave an interview about project characteristics through the Information Centre of Civil Society in Ubonratchathani Province and the local TV station (RTV).

Besides, the governor visited the project exhibition once, while the vice-governor honored the project by presiding over an event of declaration of project visions and to hear about project results.

Experiences ,lessons learned, problems and issues:
The project stipulated 3 issues as follows:

1. Communities within and outside targeted location learned more about the project and wanted to become members. Due to remote locations, some with difficult access, the project was not able to work closely with new potential members.
2. Seasonal farming of project members engendered adjustment of project timeline to ensure optimum participation and results.
3. Once well-known, project leaders were more busy with visitors and being invited as resources persons.

The above issues & problems were to be solved by application of more holistic approaches to maximize the limited resources and times

Project expense:
The project report the accumulated expense of Baht: 894,000 out of the sum of two disbursements of Baht: 956,555.37.

V.Completion report (October 8, 2010):
Date of Participatory Evaluation( March 9, 2010 )
Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 1,495
Men: 1,421
Children: 456
Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 215
Men: 321
Children: 85

Expense:
Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): Baht: 1,466,507.55
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: Baht: 1,468,000
Balance: Baht: (-1,492.45 )
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 4,788.28


Amount Received from others: THB: 1,000 (in cash)
THB: 1,121,000 (in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1. Launching activities on compiling 10-year experience, surveying community context, technical 2. Formulating community livelihood development plan by applying community forest management tradition
3. Launching activities on family traditional forest
4. Sharing experience/lessons learnt on family forest network
materials
6. Monitoring and evaluation

Results and indicators:
1. Evinced harmonious family lives contributing to livelihood security and instilling conservation awareness at family scale
2. Forest area being increased by 150 ha and systematically protected as habitats for native species by 153 families
3. Evinced increase/return of wild lives in family forests
4. Emergence of learning network on local ecosystems
5. Evinced increased technical capacity and awareness on local ecosystems contributing to future cooperation in localities

Plans & activities for sustainability:
One year after completion, the project planned to continue with collecting data/statistics on uses and benefits generated to project members. The data/statistics would then be submitted to the governor so that the project approach would be incorporated in a provincial plan for family/local level natural resources management . The project would offer itself as a location for learning and sharing at provincial level.

In addition to communication at various stages of the project, other dissemination materials such as booklets, tracts and VCD were produced for other communities who were interested in the project approaches.

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:
The implementation of the project had resulted in increased conservation awareness of communities and other sectors thus more participatory holistic management approaches.

Under official survey and verification of natural forest areas being used by communities, the responsible agencies had endorsed the right of communities for continued use , due to the fact that the area had been managed in a sustainable way with established community regulation. By-and-large, such an endorsement was very difficult and rare.