1. The progress report was received on on October 4 , 2004 , with the following immediate results:

- Emergence of new 2,300 saplings of native trees in the nursery
- Additional 4,000 trees of native species in about 20 acres of degraded land
- Cooperation of the five targeted villages in formulating regulation for forest management ? for future amendment
- Emergence of plan for seed collection
- Emergence of supplementary income groups capable of planning production of organic compost insecticide and integrated farming
- Expression of built capacity in marketing of product
- Support of 3,800 saplings from the centre and other logistic issues
- Participation in project activities from members of TAO (Legitimate administrative body at community level)

2. The project was visited on May 13, 2005, with the following findings and observations:
Through briefing by project members, capacity-building activities had resulted in promulgated regulation of community forest use, current fire-break, nursery of native species, and alternative, supplementary occupation to reduce threat on the community forest. The most successful activities implied is the enforcement of regulation of community forest and effectiveness of the fire-break. Other activities such as alternative occupation and environmentally-friendly agricultural practice still need sufficient time to show themselves. The seven-month severe drought during the previous years had substantially attributed to the current output and progress.

This is a typical hardship of one village struggling to conserve or manage common forest area shared by other surrounding villages. Though majority of community members observe the regulation, violators are not completely rid of. Since the project area is for sugar-cane and paddy field, forest encroachment is imminent. The current promotion of sugar-cane by sugar mills in the province, in conjunction with increasing numbers of cattle and reducing area of grassland, will definitely impose threat upon the forest. The visiting team had witnessed a big pile of a number of small native trees felled and cleared from one private property just to pave way for sugar-cane.

However, community leader had thought of ways out. One way is to request support from the TAO to provide fence. The other is to seek ,in earnest, cooperation from cattle owners so that they allocate some area of themselves as a feeding ground for their animals.

One remaining activity was to launch reforestation of native species which had been left over from the previous year due to the drought. The project leader would set out to launch the activity as soon as rainy season sufficiently began, which was only two months away.

Note: the project planned to conduct participatory evaluation upon completion in November 2005.

III. The completion report was received on May 5, 2006 , with following details:

Activities to be carried out under project:

1. Organizing training/seminars/study tours and putting into practices on wild fire prevention, nursery and reforestation in degraded land and marginal paddy fields
2. Organizing training/seminars/study tours and putting into practices on integrated farming- producing organic compost, chemical-free vegetable and agro-product processing
3. Organizing meeting among community leaders/committee members to evaluate lessons learnt and formulating work plan

Results of project:

1. Approximately 50 ha of the two community forests under constant guard by community
2. Emergence of the agreement and regulation for the use and protection of community forest
3. The nursery providing 2,300 saplings of native trees
4. Re-vegetation of marginal paddy fields and additional wooded area for community consumption
by 7,700 native trees of various species
5. Established fire-break zone of one ?meter wide around 10 ha of community forest
6. 25 families practicing integrated farming ,
increasing income by Baht: 200-300 /day/family
7. Approximately three tons of organic compost Produced
8. Collaborative effort to protect the forest by five target villages
9. Local authorities (Non-formal Education Office, Provincial Forest Office, Provincial Land
Development Office, District Agricultural Office and Police Station) lending respective supports
such as materials and advice, to activities initiated by CBOs?

Participatory Evaluation: Conducted on 25 September 2004 for mid-project evaluation and 25
February 2006 for completion evaluation
Participants: 39 persons comprising project leaders and members, youth groups,
teachers, and representatives from concerned TAO / government
agencies
Methods: Open forum for experience-sharing , analysis and recommendation
Impact: In spite of witnessed token of supplementary income and reduction of
daily expense resulting from project activities, a number of labour
forces in target communities are not able to resist globalization.
Regarding such gain as less importance, these forces prefer to sell their
labour anywhere outside their own communities which pays better,
especially in urban area including Bangkok. Some key project members
even follow the pattern during off season. Average self-confidence in
community members is rather low. Apparently ,moral support from outside
was required from time to time to ensure continuous activities.
Future Plan: 1. With support from the TAO, the project planned to continue with the
production of organic compost by increasing palletizing and drying
facilities.
2. With support from the local forestry office, the community planned to
increase re-vegetation area
3. The community would proceed with other livelihood activity such as fish-
raising