A model for restoring forests and improving livelihoods in Thailand

Thailand aims to increase its forest cover to 40 percent of its land area by 2036. Smallholders planting trees and producing timber on public land could be a key part of that forest cover restoration but they are deterred from doing so. Challenges include the slow allocation of public land to farmers and communities and the complex and unclear legal requirements for tree planting, timber harvesting, transport and trade.

This policy brief suggests ways policy-makers can support smallholders who want to grow and sell teak legally and sustainably on two types of public land. The recommendations would incentivize tree planting and sustainable forest management, enable the development of community-based enterprises and improve supplies of legal teak for the private sector. 

The policy brief draws on experiences in Nan Province, where RECOFTC has piloted approaches for demonstrating the legality and controlling of supply chains for teak grown by smallholders on public land.

This publication is produced under the FLOURISH initiative with the financial support of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). Learn more about FLOURISH www.recoftc.org/projects/flourish.