Thailand’s community forests offer a multitude of valuable cases and lessons. Examples range from diverse groups and communities collaborating for inclusive and sustainable forest resource management to multiple communities adapting to pressing climate challenges.
From 2022 to 2024 through the Citizens’ Forest Network and Citizens’ Forest Master initiatives, we worked closely with local governmental and civil society organizations to develop four exemplary community forests into Community Forest Schools (CF Schools), and community members, including women and youth, into community forest facilitators. RECOFTC has compiled these experiences into a set of four books in Thai to inspire other communities in the country – both those living close to nature and those living in urban dwellings.
With community-designed learning themes specific to each forest, the CF Schools have promoted activity-based learning. They further knowledge on the importance of community forest management and related local wisdom and innovations.
While on-site learning is encouraged, we published the Thai-language Community Forest School profile books in 2025 to disseminate the four CF Schools’ environmental and socio-economic information, success stories and lessons.
Situated in Sa Kaeo province in Thailand’s eastern region, the Ban Prao Community Forest School highlights the importance of climate adaptation through forest landscape management. Representing the central-western region, the Ban Sa Si Mum Community Forest School in Ratchaburi province showcases how effective forest restoration and management have transformed a degraded forest into a hub of food, medicinal resources and forest education. Located in Surat Thani province in the south of Thailand, the Ban Nuea Nam Community Mangrove Forest School gives insight into mangrove forest conservation for food security. The Ban Don Koi Community Forest School in the northeastern province of Sakon Nakhon serves as a prime example of how the Phu Thai ethnic group’s traditional way of life and wisdom can be integrated into future-ready forest management.
- Profile of Ban Prao Community Forest School, Sa Kaeo province: Adapting to climate change through forest landscape management
- Profile of Ban Sa Si Mum Community Forest School, Ratchaburi province: Hub of food, medicine and forest education
- Profile of Ban Nuea Nam Community Mangrove Forest School, Surat Thani province: Conserving the mangrove forest for food security
- Profile of Ban Don Koi Community Forest School, Sakon Nakhon province: Phu Thai community-based forest resource management
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Nitchanun Tantapong is communication officer at RECOFTC Thailand.
The Citizens’ Forest Network initiative receives financial support from the Thai Corporate Governance Fund (by HAND Social Enterprise).
The Citizens’ Forest Master capacity development initiative is part of the project, ‘Strengthening capacities for biodiversity management’, funded by the UK Government through the Darwin Initiative.
For more information, please visit Strengthening capacities for biodiversity management in Thailand’s community forests project page and explore the Thai Citizens' Forest database. (Links in Thai)