Mae Hong Son community wins forest award for 2015
The Baan Tor Phae community forest in Mae Hong Son won the National Community Forest Award 2015 under the "Love the Forest and Community 2015" programme organised by the Royal Forest Department (RFD) and Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (RATCH)
Meanwhile, Noon Yai community forest in Si Sa Ket province won the special award under concept of "Youth Loves the Forest".
Privy Councillor Ampol Senanarong presided over the award presentation ceremony.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister General Surasak Kanchanarat, said the national community forest area was expanded and now more local communities nationwide are being allowed to establish community forests.
At present 9,470 villages have established community forest areas covering 4,067,128 rai, a huge increase over the previous 1,956,549 rai by 3,534 additional community forests during 2008-2015. This expanded community forest area was partially supported by the company’s "Love the Forest and Community" project initiated in 2008.
RATCH CEO Rum Herabat added that the "Love the Forest and Community" project is a collaboration between the company and RFD.
Launched in 2008, this CSR project has been aligned with the company’s intention to operate business with corporate and social responsibility based on the concept of human beings living in harmony with nature. The company stresses the importance of natural resources and environment, especially forests, which are regarded as a food bank for the community, a habitat for other animals and the key source of carbon sink – the area that can help alleviate the global warming problem.
The project in 2015 was successfully accomplished, thanks to 1,204 community forests registering to participate in this programme. The increasing number of participating community forests reflects the community’s increasing awareness about forest conservation. This project can obviously stimulate the public to acknowledge and understand the importance of community forests in line with the company’s established objectives.
In the Community Forest Contest under the concept of "Love the Forest and Community 2015" project, this year saw 137 award-winning community forests.
The Baan Tor Phae community forest, from Tambon Mae Ngao in Mae Hong Son province was selected as the winner of the national community forest and received the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Trophy and a Bt200,000 Community Forest Conservation Fund.
The three runners-up, who were each granted an honorary plaque and a Bt100,000 Community Forest Conservation Fund, were:
l Suan Somdet Chao Fa Chulabhorn community forest, Moo 2,3,5,7, Tambon Cha-uat, Amphoe Cha-uat, Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
l Baan Tra Krao Thong community forest, Moo 6, Tambon Baan Lang, Rayong.
l Baan Hua Bung community forest, Moo 9, Tambon Sai Moon, Nam Phong, Khon Kaen.
The winner of the best community forest award under the concept of "Youth loves the forest", Noon Yai Community Forest, Moo 3, Tambon Siow, in Si Sa Ket. was granted an honorary plaque and a Bt100,000 Community Forest Conservation Fund.
The three runners-up, each granted an honorary plaque and a Bt25,000 Community Forest Conservation Fund, were:
l Baan Pang Ngun community forest, Moo 6, Tambon Saroi, Wang Chin in Phrae province.
l Baan Phu Toom community forest, Moo 5, Tambon Hauy Luek, Baan Lad, in Phetchaburi province.
l Baan Ton Tan community forest, Moo 2, Tambon Jor Bo, Yi-ngo, in Narathiwat province.
The provincial model community forest award was granted to 65 communities who were given an honorary plaque and a Bt25,000 support fund for community forest preservation. There were also 64 consolation prizes, which included an honorary plaque and a Bt10,000 support fund for community forest conservation.
Under the "Love the Forest and Community" project, other activities for promoting community potentiality have been created to equip communities with sustainable forest conservation approaches, such as the biannual community forest leaders’ network seminars and the biannual "Kla Yim" youth camp, which will be rotated nationwide. This year, the biannual community forest leaders’ network seminars were organised in the South and Northeast and the biannual "Kla Yim" Youth Camp was organised in the North and Central regions.
