Our pilot project – a community forest training & demonstration centre - is located on 160 hectare of forest that covers a hilltop area (at 400-480 m.a.s.l.) and surrounds the Wat Don Kaew Buddhist temple and meditation centre.

The abbot has ceded the forest area back to the surrounding villages to be used as a community forest.

There are 4 main degraded forest areas, and several kilometres of nature trails through the healthy forest. It is along these trails that (location suitable) trees (and NTFPs) can be planted to supplement the diversity of forest cover and improve biodiversity. Our surveys indicate the site will carry some 5000 – 7500 trees.

Within a 30km radius of the centre, there are numerous areas of designated community forest and various plots of Royal Forest Department or National Park land. These have been encroached on for agricultural use by villagers. A scheme has been agreed whereby the farmers will continue using the land (boundaries agreed), if a specified number of selected indigenous species trees are also planted and maintained by the villagers on these sites.

The total plot/forest area identified will accommodate at least 250’000 trees.

Each tree is raised from seedling to sapling in the SEEC nursery, then transported to the site and planted by the villagers, with supervision and traing by the nurserystaff.. Where possible, seeds are harvested from the area in which the trees will be planted. The SEEC nursery is also used totraining in both CBR and Sustainable Agriculture for groups working on VWB supported programmes. 

Each sapling planted (a local species with an ecological benefit) is allocated a unique ID No (on a small tag in the bag it grown in.) That ID No.,the tree species, the donor's name, along with the GPS co-ordinates of the planting 'area' are uploaded - with the planting date, to the Adopt A Tree Donors Log on our website. A record of the planting day, with photo-images and video, is then uploaded to the VWB Blog. (See: Project monitoring & reporting.)
Note* See also the 'Gift A Tree' and 'Adopt A Forest' options located further down the webpage.

Firebreaks- The project site covers 160 hectares spread over a hilltop. As it is a dry forest, it requires we build firebreaks to protect the trees. A central path and firebreak of 9m wide will run along the spine of the hilltop. Additional firebreaks will run at right angles to the path, and down to the forest/cropland boundary below.

 In a departure from standard ‘cleared earth’ style firebreaks, we will plant fire retardant / moisture dense plants – i.e. succulents. These offer the community a potential a 2nd revenue stream in that they can be used as flavourings, fragrances, pesticides, medicines, dyes and as oxygen providing house plants.

Waterholes– will be strategically located along the spine of the hilltop.  Via overflow pipes, these will feed smaller ponds at lower levels along either side of the hill.

A solar power driven pump will bring water from the main irrigation canal nearby, to the centre’s main holding tank located at the highest point on the site. From there, an overflow pipe will provide water to the network of waterholes and ponds.

The benefits are: (a) the creation of oasis of biodiversity. (b) a water source for a diverse range of small animals, birds and insects. (c) a water supply to help suppress forest fires if needed.

NTFPs - Non-Timber Forest Products– include edible plants, medicine, honey, bamboo, rattan etc.) Many of these can have value added to them (medicines, soaps etc.) before being sold along the supply chain. NTFPs are the key to saving the forests located near village communities.

Grown alongside indigenous trees selected for their ecological benefit (carbon capture, air purification, water retention/purification) – NTFPs provide the financial incentive for villagers to protect their forest. Donor funding to plant and protect trees then only needs to cover the first 3 years, after which the ‘labour’ is funded by profits from the NTFP revenue stream.

The harvesting and processing of NTFPs when working alongside the villagers are activities that have great appeal to the responsible tourism market, as do the wildlife (birds, bees, insects, small animals) that they sustain.

The same transport that brings the responsible tourists in and out of the area will bring in raw materials and take out finished NTFP product. (Example: Glass jars in – honey out.) A central sales/distribution system will operate on an ‘opt in’ basis and will secure higher revenues for the product it sells.

Responsible Tourism Activities– The network of nature trails that are under development will support recreational tourism (birdwatching, flora and fauna photography.) during and after completion. They will also support environmental studies and research that will use apps and databases to track the increase in biodiversity, carbon capture, soil quality and more over time. The research will be conducted by visiting schools, universities and responsible tourists. The community and individual guides will benefit from trail and guide fees.

The Development Phase– Will present a platform for school and university ‘community service’ as well as ‘corporate social responsibility’ programmes. Activities will include tree & NTFP planting, waterhole and pond development, fire break construction, installation of ‘insect hotels’ and more.

Those interested will be able to join in the harvesting of NTFPs and get involved in the process of adding value to them to increase value before they are sold along the supply chain.

University student groups (or others) will have the opportunity to attend NTFP and tourism business skills related workshops. They could also participate in annual socio-economic development studies – to evaluate the benefits of the project to the community and identify areas for improvement.

Tourism revenue generated will be shared as determined by the village committee, and will ideally include funding or soft loans for the development of tourism assets (guest houses, restaurants, etc.)

The context:

• During the Covid pandemic a significant number of workers lost their jobs and had to return from the cities to their rural villages. This has resulted in much-reduced household income and more mouths to be fed.
• Rice is the country’s staple diet. It requires some 2,500 litres of water ( a diminishing resource) to produce 1kg of rough rice. Milled rice has limited nutritional value. Traditional cash crops are producing smaller yields due to poor soil (chemical contaminated) quality.
• Thailand’s demographic trends show a rapid increase in the number of people aged over 60. In 2020 they represented 20% of the population, and by 2050 the are projected to reach 35.8% of the population. Social benefits for this group may be reduced given reduced funding from a smaller tax base.

Raised Bed Gardening– Provides rural villagers a viable option for increasing crop yield, nutrition and revenue, whilst maximising production per m2, and reducing water use. The tasks involved are light, can be easily undertaken by the elderly.

The raised beds are typically 4m long x 1.5m wide x 30-50cm high - depending on the depth of the lower compost level and the higher growing medium level. The growing medium varies in content according to the needs of the crop: vegetable, herb, fruit grown. Numerous beds are used to allow a diversity of produce and the efficiency of crop rotation.

They can be installed in the grounds of the family home, and their design (height/width) and watering requirement ensures that they are easily tended by the elderly. Crop choice

can be selected (a) to suit dietary preferences, (b) for nutritional or medicinal value, (c) for local market sales value, (d) to meet the demand of the city market – where selected products have a higher market value.

Waste food can be used for composting, rainwater can be stored/used to replace that drawn from wells or local supply lines.

The initial cost and labour for building the raised beds can (where available) be subsidised by donations/hands on help from the RTA & CS & CSR programmes attended by Track of the Tiger Co. Ltd., school, university, corporate and special interest travel clients.

Non-Tourism Reliant 2^nd Revenue Streams– Each community is unique, and its selection of the different ‘integrated solutions’ proposed will vary based on a range of factors: (a) geographic location, (b) physical assets, (c) human resources, (d) skills & interests, (e) access to responsible tourists, (f) access to markets for goods produced and grown – via a cost-effective supply chain.

In today’s world there is a strong emphasis on the development of ‘circular economies.’ This creates a growing market for recycled and upcycled goods, many of which could be produced (cost effectively) by rural villagers, particularly the elderly, given (a) the training, (b) the raw materials, (c) a reliable supply chain.

A percentage of the donor funding raised will be used to establish this project.

The Village Labour Fund- This covers a day rate for villagers working on the community forest project as tasked by the community leaders.  They would work in small groups, or with visiting groups of responsible tourists keen to contribute to the success of the project.

Tasks would cover tree & NTFP planting, building and maintaining the waterhole/pond network, firebreak and nature trail development, NTFP harvesting and biodiversity monitoring.

A percentage of the Adopt A Tree project donor funding is allocated to this fund until the end of year 3. From year 4 on, the village community covers the forest labour costs itself, from revenue generated from the sale of NTFPs or through the other integrated solutions implemented.

Project Management–Track of the Tiger – founded and covers the overheads of VWB (The Volunteers Without Borders Foundation) our non-profit partner.  VWB does not have any full time staff.
The project’s primary source of donor funding comes from clients attending its experiential education programmes, and its CS & CSR programmes for schools, universities and corporate groups.

Track of the Tiger staff are seconded to VWB to work with the community on developing and managing the Community Based Forest projects.. Their salaries are paid by the company but the project donor funding helps subsidise their out of pocket expenses whilst working on the project.

Project Monitoring– Templates have been developed for monitoring project progress – trees planted, annual growth, carbon capture, and increase in biodiversity.
 

Additional socio-economic studies will include the revenue and impact generated by the other solutions implemented: NTFPs, Responsible Tourism, Sustainable Agriculture, and Non-Tourism Related 2^nd Revenue Streams.

Reporting - The reports of these studies will be made available to the RTA community members on request.

Recognition - Each sapling planted (a local species with an ecological benefit) is allocated a unique ID No (on a small tag in the bag it grown in.) That ID No.,the tree species, the donor's name, along with the GPS co-ordinates of the planting 'area' are uploaded - with the planting date, to the Adopt A Tree & NTFP Donors Log on our website. A record of the planting day, with photo-images and video, is then uploaded to the VWB Blog. (See: Project monitoring & reporting.)

Note* See also the 'other reforestation options located further down the webpage.

The Ecological Benefits- The average tree planted in this type of forest, altitude and location will capture 22.5kg of carbon by its 3^rd year, and 1000kg of carbon by the end of year 25.

Saving the remaining forest from encroachment and establishing a ‘successful’ operation based on the ‘integrated solutions’ model, will have a positive impact on air quality, rain water retention, biodiversity increase & ecosystem protection.

Most importantly, success will lead to replication amongst other communities that share the same challenges – in our immediate area and beyond – magnifying the ecological benefits for all.

Those who support the project, in the form of donations, hands on support, or in conducting the various studies will share it its success and become ambassadors for its implementation elsewhere.

Donations in units of US$3.- per unit – Will be much appreciated and recorded on the project website donors logs. The portion of the US$3.- allocated to the other solutions will be lodged in those specific funds and used for that purpose with accounts being open to inspection on request.

Priorities– Our timetable is dictated by (a) the seed collection season – (November December) and (b) the planting season – (June – August.)

Outside of those times our priorities will be: (a) establishing the water supply, waterholes and ponds, (b) establishing the raised bed (sustainable agriculture) project, (c) identifying the NTFPs to be planted, (d) developing the nature trail network and (e) running initial NTFP ‘value addition’ and ‘Non-tourism related 2nd revenue stream’ workshops. These are aimed at shortlisting the options the community selects.

Support– Our partners Track of the Tiger Co. Ltd.& The MRV Project Co. Ltd., Is an experiential education provider for schools and universities. We invite enquiries for programmes run from our Sanpatong base in Chiang Mai, to include components that use the Adopt A Tree project as a learning platform. The same invitation is extended to our corporate clients seeking team building & CSR programme clients.
Contact: info@track-of-the-tiger.comfor more detail.

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