I. First progress report (August 29, 2008)
Activities undertaken:
1. Building institutional capacities of CBOs and their networks
2. Transferring knowledge to youth groups through environment curriculum
3. Demarcating wetland area as sanctuary for water species
4. Promoting sustainable agriculture
5. Disseminating project results and forging network with surrounding communities in Se Buy, Moon and Mekhong River

Results of activities:
1. Open commitment of 80 community volunteers and 81 local resources persons promulgating regulations on forest conservation, demarcating cultivated lands and community forest, training youth groups on conservation, disseminating experience and knowledge , establishing two fish conservation zones and developing ecotourism spots
2. Three community schools being secured for formulation of local curriculum
3. Emergence of one Se Buy Basin network comprising temples, villages, schools and one Se Buy ?Moon-Mekong Basin Network

Project communication:
1. Through community radio by People Knowledge Network , 96 Mhz, live airing on demarcation of fish conservation zones on March 9, 2008
2. Through community radio by Nongkhaen People Community, 98 Mhz, on project activities , March-April 2008

Experiences and lessons learned:
1. On Forest Conservation Activities:
- In order to speed up and scale up community participation, popular individuals with outstanding conservation roles must be approached, as many as possible.
- Personal group to work in the fields must be a major stakeholders , such as religious persons (monks) who practices in the forest, forest conservation groups, and direct forest users
- Using natural resources maps proving to be effective mechanism for sharing status of project area and for initiating action plan
- It was better for local resources persons to compile knowledge and transfer to communities and youth group, project personals should act only as facilitators

2. On formulation of local curriculum:
There was a diverse in degree of cooperation from participating schools, as follows:
- Schools with management team paying attention to environmental issue were apt to give full cooperation in formulation process
- Local resources persons or traditional teachers (elders) demonstrated high degree of eagerness to prepare for teaching and launching learning process
- During this stage, tuning ideas and thoughts were going on after which collective formulation could be realized.

Project expense:
The project report the expense of THB 430,000 out of the first disbursement of THB 460,649.53.

II. Project site visit by NC and two members of NSC (February 25-26, 2009)
Findings and observation:
The first remarkable finding was at Baan(village) Pla Eed of Khamkhuankaew District in the middle portion of the basin, where an event called ? Returning-To-The-Earth Day? was being organized. The finding involved inherent/increased awareness of target population. This environmental event was prepared and organized with contributed resources, such as food and other pre-existing facilities from communities and major stakeholders. Over 300 people from participating villages, local leaders, representatives from concerned government agencies and three members of Yasothorn Provincial Administrative Organization took part in the event. The day declared a selected wetland as a conservation zone along the Se Buy River, and witnessed thousands of native young fishes, contributed by the Yasothorn Fishery Research and Development Station, being released to naturally fare in zone. Associated activities involved a sermon on environment conservation from an abbot, demonstration of some project outputs such as seedlings of native species ready for re-forestation, dissemination materials about resources inventories and status of ecosystems of the basin, and cultural show. The dissemination materials were outputs of community activities, under technical support from the Protected Area Management Office 9 Ubonratchathani Province. A community radio transmitted the event on-air to reach other villages within 10-km radius.

The second finding, this time in the Temple of Baan Pla Eed, involved a participatory evaluation with two other projects of the same grant cycle, i.e. THA-06-26 and THA-06-27. Having fared for half way, the three projects organized a participatory evaluation to share progress and lessons learnt. The visiting team agreed that the three projects fared satisfactorily, and in some cases achieved more than anticipated.

The final finding and interaction happened in the upper portion of the basin whose ecosystem contains more watershed than wetlands. Through discussion with key community leaders in Lerngnoktha District?s Baan Sri Kaew , and 30-minute walk through a portion of watershed area evinced inherent/existing capacity of project members and project progress. It was confirmed that number of forest fires was diminished , nurseries of at least three selected native species successful and underway for planting. In addition, a humid retaining weir of local design was seen completed ready to demonstrate soil erosion slow-down and be installed with a small turbo-generator to generate some electricity during months of sufficient water flow rate.

The project, so far, had been carried out as planned without any major problems. Participation from other public sectors was notable. During the two-day visit, the Protected Area Management Office 9 had contributed in kindly , equivalent to about THB: 4,000 , for on-site transportation of the visiting team.

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 22, 2009)
Activities undertaken:
1. Continuing building institutional capacities of CBOs and their networks
2.Continuing transferring knowledge to youth groups through environment curriculum
3. Demarcating wetland and forest land for conservation
4. Promoting sustainable agriculture
5. Disseminating project results and forging network with surrounding communities in Se Buy, Moon and Mekhong River

Results of activities:
1. Emergence of a network organization to carry out conservation activities in upper, middle and lower portion of Se Buy River
2. Five more schools and two schools of the network participating in the environmental education
3. Emergence of one youth group for forest conservation
4. Completed and operational of the followings:
? One humid retaining weir as a model ( upper portion)
? 10-km long fire break zone ( upper portion)
? Forest surveillance( upper portion)
? Two fish conservation zones (middle portion)
? One wetland of 640 ha (middle portion)
? One forest (Mai Yang Na or Diterocarpus alatus Roxb.)conservation area of 112 ha
5. At least 8,000 seedlings of about 30 species being ready to be planted
in selected project locations during this coming rainy season
6. Increased institutional and technical capacity and awareness of
members of the fledging network witnessed through active participation in sharing experience and debate on common environmental threats ,i.e. current proposals to build dams across the Mekong River.

Project communication:
Project activities were aired through two community radio stations of Dong Kaen Yai and Nong Nae.

Experiences ,lessons learned, problems and issues:
1. On Forest-wetland Conservation Activities: Surrounding the forested upland which is the watershed of the river in the upper portion is mono-culture area of sugar cane and para-rubber trees. There has been agreement between the project and sugar cane farmers on field ? burning harvest. Any sugar cane field-burning requires notification and strict control to prevent flame blazing into the conservation area. As to para-rubber plantation, burning is not required but to be prevented. To stop any forest encroachment , small roads were made as clear demarcation of plantation and forest area. At the middle portion of the basin, there has been no issue on wild fire and forest encroachment for cultivation ? probably because of its wetland quality where flood has prevented permanent cultivation. As to the lower portion, there has been no encroachment because of community conservation on natural forest (Mai Yang Na or Diterocarpus alatus Roxb.)
2. On environment education: At upper portion, a youth group was more active compiling forest-based knowledge and disseminating to a Tambol Administrative Organization. Various knowledge bases or stations had been established for learning in the forest. At middle portion, a group of community selected and appointed among members ? local teachers? who shared knowledge on traditional medicine, ecosystems, plant species, fishing gear and edible species to youth groups and official teachers. As to the lower portion, a participating school established a class on social study focusing on ? making traditional fuels ( from resin of Mai Yang Na or Diterocarpus alatus Roxb. ) ?
3. On sustainable agriculture: Due to wetland nature and less potential of soil in the forest, this activity was not yet carried out fully. In stead, target population was advised to plant seedlings in selected areas of the forest to contribute to food and medicine security.

Project expense:
The project report the accumulated expense of THB: 893,212 out of the sum of two disbursements of THB: 934,941.75

V.Completion report (June 15, 2010):
Date of Participatory Evaluation( April, 2010 )
Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 1,578
Men: 1,458
Children: 454
Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 265
Men: 465
Children: 270

Expense:
Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): Baht: 1,429,141.16
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: Baht: 1,699,924
Balance: Baht: (- 171,782.84)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 4,640.37

Amount Received from others: THB: - (in cash)
THB: 220,000 (in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1. Building institutional capacities of CBOs and their networks
2. Transferring knowledge to youth groups through environment curriculum
3. Demarcating wetland area as sanctuary for water species
4. Promoting sustainable agriculture
5. Disseminating project results and forging network with surrounding communities in Se Buy, Moon and Mekhong River

Results and indicators:
1. Establishment of three conservation networks for upper, middle and lower portion of Se Buy Basin with conserved area in the basin under continued management as follows:
- 4,000 ha in upper portion
- 640 ha in middle portion
- 592 ha in lower portion
2. Emergence of one youth group for conservation of forest
3. Two sets of environment curriculum being formulated and applied in two of five participating community schools, with one more being added into school network
4. Three habitats for fresh water species being established and under continued protection
5. Approximately 16,000 seedlings of native species being planted in marginal lands and wetlands to check expansion of mono-cash crop
5. The conservation network reaching out to cover Moon and Mekhong River

Plans & activities for sustainability:
The project would keep on conservation activities in entire basin as follows:
1. With established strong volunteer group in the upper portion, conservation awareness would be transferred or instilled more into young generations, especially, those in non-formal education system.
2. With established CBOs for forest protection in the middle portion, the project would reach out to other communities aiming to promote a Tambol Administrative Organization (Nakae TAO) as a green TAO, submitted for endorsement from the Department of Local Administration Promotion.
3. With established CBOs for forest protection in the lower portion, the project would plan to develop some portion as a model for development and conservation.

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:
On activities in the fields:
1. At the very beginning, targeted communities did not exhibited much of their self confidence to work with others, in spite of there relevant pre-existing capacity and knowledge. After successive capacity-building activities, these communities had shown self-confidence and carried out conservation activities fairly successfully.
2. Reforestation of wetlands were most successful when carried out during October-November. During these two months, the flood is naturally receding , but land humidity is still enough for the activity. Reforestation during rainy season should be avoided, because some selected species would be flooded out.
3. Some activities such as demarcation and conservation of water species habitats required persistent and clear cooperation from several communities, since these habitats were public properties.
4. The project found several endemic species one of which is Careya hebaceaus. Known to local communities, this plant has nutritious and medicinal value. If the wetland is degraded, the species will sooner or later disapper.

On project management:
Some activities needed to be adjusted to suit local context and ensure optimal results. Formulation of environment curriculum in the upper portion, for example, did not meet all anticipated result when beginning with formal schools. In addressing the issue, the project changed the focus to youth groups of non-formal education in communities, and because of this, more anticipated results were met.