We hope that the Community Forest School initiative will enhance community forest management in Thailand by providing concrete examples for other community forests to learn from and improve their management plans in ways that align with national policies and address climate challenges. The Community Forest Schools also showcase the integration of technology into community forest management and monitoring and evaluation, as well as the importance of communication through a mix of local and modern media.
Additionally, this initiative creates opportunities for youth and women to play active roles in community forest management. The participation of community members is crucial to the development of Community Forest Schools, as they serve as "Community Forest Facilitators" who create and lead learning themes and processes.
Ban Prao community forest in Watthana Nakhon subdistrict, Watthana Nakhon district, Sa Kaeo province was selected as one of Thailand's four pilot areas for RECOFTC's Community Forest School initiative. Located in the eastern region, the Ban Prao Community Forest School is recognized for its efforts in adapting to climate change through effective forest landscape management.
From 2022 to 2024, data on the community forest was collected based on community-designed learning themes. This information has been compiled into a Community Forest School profile book to support learning processes and raise public awareness about Ban Prao community forest management.
