I. The first progress report was received on 15 May 2006, a bound book with five photos depicting carried out activities:

Activities carried out:
1.Conducting seminars, study tours and training on traditional gardens and biological diversity, respective management systems and on the production of environmentally-friendly fertilizer
2. Producing dissemination materials ( 300 Shirts)
3. Conducting seminars, study tours and training on plantation of co-existing between para-rubber and other native species and on propagation of native species

Results and indicators:
1. Evinced increased capacity of 40 project members through discussion and experience sharing
2. Thirty members gaining insight on management of garden by local approach such as planting various kinds of native trees in one hole
3. Fifty youth members learning how to live together and about the relation of environment
4. conservation and traditional garden conservation
30 project members demonstrating increased capacity on plant propagation

Project Communication: Rangers of Tone Pliw National Park and Protected Area in Songkhla Province participated in the observation on youth camping. Picture records were made for dissemination.

II. During 18-20 October 2006, leaders of the project participated in the mid-course evaluation. The observation is as follows:

Baan(village) Busai, one of the target village of an OP2, year-4 project, was a venue of the workshop where 45 attendants from 13 projects of OP3 year 2, NSC members, NC and PA gathered together to meet. Literally, these 13 projects were dubbed among SGP Thailand as GEF SGP Class 7/1 with project number starting from THA-05-01 to THA-05-13.

Workshop AT-A-Glance:

As the venue was situated in target area of a back project THA-02-18 and adjacent to that of THA-04-22 which had been launching activities to reverse land degradation in watershed area of Lower Mekhong ecosystems, participants had learnt and shared experience with leaders of the two projects during field visits and briefing session. That was the first day.

First session of the following morning saw the NC occupying the floor confirming strategy of GEF SGP: Environment Protection , Community Empowerment, and Poverty Reduction. Then the floor was handed over to participants to conduct the session on sharing and discussion. Each project was given 30 minutes to relate background, activities undertaken and immediate results, problems/issues as well as questions and answers. The session was able to effectively cover 10 projects. That was the second day.

The morning of third day was given to the three remaining projects to cover their stories, to the NSC for observation and suggestion , to the NC to remind the grantees of what to do next according to the MOAs and finally to the grantees to collectively plan activities to strengthen this fledgling SGP environmental network and friendship. At the end, the chairperson , vice-chairperson and coordinator of Thailand GEF SGP class 7/1 emerged to take up coordinating role for all 13 projects. That was the final day of the workshop.

Each grantee was capable of articulating details of undertaken activities and their immediate results to the audiences. Project results were rated as promising. Some even gained recognition and financial supports by other stakeholders. Community members of two projects were able to increase their technical capacity in biogas technology. At an average, three projects were ahead of their proposed timeline , three a little bit behind, and seven just on time.

Nine projects presented through Power Points and audio-visual equipment, even though they are of Community ?Based Organization and not a national, tighter organization. There were four projects who accomplished their jobs by sets of photos and detailed documents.

III. The second progress report was received on December 20, with following details:

Activities carried out:

1. Providing 20 families native seedlings to be grown in traditional gardens, in para-rubber plantations, in temples, and schools
2. Conducting study tours to learn about production of organic fertilizer and compost
3.Conducting seminars, study tours and training on plantation of co-existing between para-rubber and other native species and on propagation of native species
4.Setting up Sustainable Agriculture Fund

Results and indicators
1. The 1,800 native trees being thriving successfully at this beginning stage
2. 40 project members learning about steps and raw materials in production as well as witnessing the result of application of the fertilizer
3. 30 project members demonstrating increased capacity on plant co-existence
4. 10 core farmers of the project receiving Baht: 3,000 each to be used as a reserve for improving sustainable agriculture technique

Emerging issues and experience gained:

The unprecedented high price of pararubber had prompted community members to grow more of this alien species. The majority applied the mono-crop approach in planting , hindering progress of the project . After the price went down, some other species became options of which the project would set up a model for the symbiosis.

IV. On June 30 , 2007 , Four NSC members , NC and PAs paid a visit to the project. Findings and observation are as follows:


The visiting team was introduced into a temple called Par Chaeng Kaew, in Tambol Janong, Jana District. Of about five-ha area, the temple was filled with both old and new standing trees, but mostly of native species. Until recently, the land had been used for para-rubber plantation. In order to keep this prevalent mono-crop in good balance, majority of community members decided to rehabilitate the area through natural process (letting plants grow by themselves) and reforestation of several species of native trees. At an estimate, 1,000 trees of 10 native species were added into the plot under the project. In addition, facility to produce organic fertilizer was seen but not in operation at the time of the visit. The monks in the temple and laymen in the villages were joining hands to maintain the plot.

Another plot in the vicinity which is also a target location was visited. Situated amid para-rubber plantation with about two ha, the plot belonged to one project members. Denser in appearance, it was filled with more native species, mostly edible and medicinal quality. Somehow, it was referred to as ? seven steps of forest?. In appearance, the plot would be classified as agro-forestry.

A brief discussion with about 15 project members, a certain degree of satisfaction with the project results was sensed. Several members seemed eager to respond to questions and further explain what had been happening there. The plot was a very good example of agro-forestry in agricultural land , especially that of para-rubber. Therefore, current public promotion of para-rubber was not totally regarded as a treat to ecosystems, if agro-forestry was sufficiently adopted amongst farmers.

RECORD OF COUNTRY CONTRIBUTION: During the trip,the Khao Luang National Park, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment?s Department of National Park and Wildlife generously provided food and lodging for the visiting team , worth Baht: 3,700:

V. Note: on a participatory evaluation upon completion with other contemporary projects:

GEF Small Grants Programme: Evaluation upon Completion Workshop At-a-Glance

Country: Thailand
Project Number: THA-05-01 to THA-05-13
Date of Workshop: November 7- 9, 2007
Location: Boy Scout Camp, Khao Khitchakut District, Chanthaburi

1. BACKGROUND OF THE WORKSHOP

Specified in the Country Programme Strategy and long encouraged by Thailand GEF SGP, the workshop aimed to strengthen the participatory evaluation process, build capacity of target communities, and contribute to the formation of a strong network of GEF SGP grantees. The 3-day workshop provided an opportunity for these 13 projects?all nearing completion after 24 months?to present overall results, problems/issues and their solutions, to share lessons learned and to forge partnerships for sustainability.

2. WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

The Chanthaburi Boy Scout Camp in Khao Khitchakut District, the venue for the workshop, hosted 45 participants from 11 projects of OP3 Year One, a GEF SGP team (composed of a NSC member, the National Coordinator, and Programme Assistants), and a few other major stakeholders. The 11 projects were dubbed ?GEF SGP Class 7/1,? and assigned a project number between THA-05-01 and THA-05-13. In addition, four members from THA-06-02?a project of OP3 Year Two or ?GEF SGP Class 8/1??were present to share experiences. The participants showed great geographical diversity; they had traveled from Nan, Tak, Loei, Mahasarakharm, Kanchanaburi, Ayudhaya, Phayao, Nakhornsithammarat, Songkhla and Pattani Provinces.

3. Workshop At-a-Glance

Beginning in the afternoon of November 7th, several project members began preparing dissemination materials. Photos depicting project activities were posted in the meeting hall; brochures, completion reports, instruction manuals and project products were also available.

To allow all parties to arrive and set up, the exhibition did not commence until the morning of the second day. November 8th began with the official opening ceremony, in which the chief of district officers of Khao Khitchakut District presided and gave an encouraging keynote speech. Following the chief, the GEF SGP National Coordinator delivered his welcoming remarks by reviewing the history of GEF SGP and how he felt about this get-together. After the official opening, the chief spent almost half-an-hour visiting and conversing with project members at their respective dissemination stations in the hall. Also in attendance were other district officers, including staff from local schools and the Provincial Corrective Department, which was a major stakeholder of the host grantee (THA-05-13). The chief, when requested to give his reaction regarding what he had seen and heard, offered relevant and enthusiastic feedback.

The sharing of project summaries and results then began. Throughout the day, ten projects were presented, eight of which used PowerPoint and audio-visual equipment, (an impressive feat considering the limited resources and IT skills of most community-based organizations). Three projects relied upon sets of photos and detailed documents. The remaining session of the day was spent on a site visit to the host grantee?s project.

On the third day, the National Coordinator and his team took the floor to explain the future plan of GEF Phase 4, during which the grantees would work to upscale their current activities, and build and solidify their network. Advice on using interactive online mapping to strengthen the network was also given.

It will be interesting to follow how this group would proceed with their future plans. It is notable that during the workshop, the term global warming was often heard, even from two projects whose activities did not directly address this issue.

VI. The completion report was received on 14 December 2007, five-page write up with six photos the detail of which is as follows:

Date of Participatory Evaluation: 5 December 2007
Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 20
Men: 30
Children: 50
Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 40
Men: 50
Children: 80
Expense:
Total: Baht: 849,336
Amount received from SGP: Baht: 649,464.50
Amount received from other : Baht: -
Amount contributed by grantee/community: Baht: 117,871.50

Undertaken activities:
1.Conducting seminars, study tours and training on traditional gardens and biological diversity, respective management systems and on the production of environmentally-friendly fertilizer
2. Establishing fertilizer production group, planting native species in traditional garden
3.Conducting seminars, study tours and training on plantation of co-existing between para-rubber and other native species and on propagation of native species
4. Launching plantation of the native species in para-rubber gardens
5. Establishing centre for native species trees
6. Establishing Sustainable Agriculture Fund and Traditional Garden Outlet

Descriptive results:
1. Evinced increased capacity of project members and youth groups on conservation patterns, compost production procedures, bleeding techniques and inventories of endangered plant species (about 50) through capability to formulate conservation plans , retrain other members of communities and put into practice
2. Annually 12 tons of organic compost being produced
3. Additional 300 of native species emerging in para-rubber gardens
4. Twenty project members investing in production plan
5.Emergence of additional 1,200 trees in para-rubber gardens
6. Twenty project members demonstrating increased capacity on plant propagation
7. Emergence of a centre for compiling threatened species
8. Ten project members being able to sustain pilot activities through the established Fund ( current value Baht: 30,000)
9. Sustained production activities and distribution activities of project yield in the tradition garden outlet

Impact:

1. Community members got congregated ,after gaining technical and institutional experience, to set up an organization to further conservation activities
2. Under prevalent current mono-quick cash crop promotion, the established centre and outlet seemed to be optional learning place for farmers and other interested organizations outside project location.
3. Since some area of the project was situated in the sensitive area of southern Thailand, the activities were affected to a certain extent. Target population comprised both Buddhist and Islamic Thai requiring particular approach to live and work together during this trouble time. Through the conservation activities, the project successfully contributed to the harmonious living of these two small groups.