Forests and Community Livelihoods
When the state does not have enough capacity to care for 102 million rai of forest, communities living with forests are the first line of defence. We support them with the resources they need to fight fires, restore forests and earn incomes that sustain the forests.
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
Every year, more than 3 million rai of forest is burned, and 65% of the area burned nationwide is caused by forest fires. These are a major source of PM2.5 dust, which harms the health of people across the country. With more than 102 million rai of forest, the capacity of state officials alone is not enough. Many communities have therefore worked to protect the forests around their villages every year, despite receiving almost no outside support.
When communities can prevent forest fires and encroachment, they help preserve air quality, water sources and ecosystems that support the quality of life of people downstream in cities. Supporting communities is therefore a form of payment for ecosystem services (PES), with outcomes tracked using verifiable data on hotspots, burned areas, the greenness index and biodiversity.
Hmong, Pga K’nyau and Black Lahu communities in Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Tak, and communities around the limestone forests of Saraburi, work with mentoring organisations including Chiang Mai Breath Council, Phuea Kan Phatthana Thi Yangyuen Foundation, Hug Muang Nan Foundation, Nawattakam Chao Ban and The Next Forest.
- 01 Directly support communities that are already caring for forests, without creating new mechanisms that duplicate existing ones.
- 02 Give communities the freedom to plan how to use the budget according to local issues.
- 03 Measure outcomes using satellite data, drones and surveys conducted by the communities themselves.
- 04 Link household economies with forest conservation to reduce long-term reliance on external funding.
3 projects
A project is how we act on an Issue. Every progress update from the field is on the project’s own page.
Forest Guardians
Raise funds from the public, private sector and various organisations to support 25 forest guardian communities in 4 provinces to fight fires, restore forests and earn income in ways that support the forest.
Thai CF Net
A community forest database compiled through collaboration between government and civil society by RECOFTC Thailand. It covers nearly 800 community forests nationwide.
PES Center
A database of more than 300 PES projects across the country, connecting private companies and supporters with communities protecting forests, coastlines and rivers.
Progress that matters for the whole Issue
Not every update: the ones we think change the overall picture for this Issue
How can we
help you?
Choose the question that fits your role. Answers are summarised from our own records of the work, and you can talk to the CF team from any card.
What change does this work create, and how do we know it is effective?
We see results in the reduction of hotspots and burned areas, forest restoration, and forest-friendly income. We track these using satellite data, drones, and community surveys.
This work supports communities to care for forests while restoring nature and creating forest-friendly income. We track results using verifiable data, such as hotspots, burned areas, the greenness index, and biodiversity. This Issue
- Forest Guardians has examples of measurable results, such as hotspots in Ban Khun Chang Khian falling from 38 to 2 in 2025 and no burned areas in Ban Mae Sa Noi throughout the 2025 dry season. ProjectForest Guardians UpdateDoi Suthep-Pui: Hotspots at Ban Khun Chang Khian fell from 38 to 2 UpdateGood news from Mae Sa Noi: no burned areas throughout the 2025 dry season Satellite data also confirms that Ban Pak Kong East had just 9 hotspots throughout the fire season after receiving funding and equipment for firebreaks, patrols, and communications. UpdateBan Pak Kong Tawan Ok, Lampang: Hotspots fall to just 9 after joining the PES mechanism
- Thai CF Net records information about activities in community forests, such as 456 forest fire management plans, 129 biodiversity surveys, and 179 community enterprises, showing both forest management and the activities taking place. ProjectThai CF Net
Outcome figures do not only show the number of activities; they also help link support to what is happening on the ground. Each location has its own context and reporting scope. UpdateLessons from the 2026 fire season: Success is measured by community capacity, not just the number of fires put out
How was this work carried out, and what lessons can be applied going forward?
We started by strengthening the forest-care mechanisms communities already have, enabling them to plan their own budgets and monitor outcomes using scientific data. The lesson is that technology must suit the area and reduce risks for the people doing the work.
Our approach is to strengthen the work communities are already doing, rather than create overlapping new mechanisms, and to give communities the freedom to plan how to use their budgets according to local problems, while monitoring outcomes with satellites, drones and community-led surveys. This Issue
- Forest Guardians works across several areas, from firebreaks, patrols and forest restoration to developing the community economy and monitoring outcomes using data. ProjectForest Guardians The example of Doi Chang Pa Pae combines firebreaks maintained jointly by every household with sensors, cameras and sprinklers that can be operated remotely. UpdateDoi Chang Pa Pae and Mae Pok: Firebreaks built on a village-wide pledge, backed by sensors, cameras and water management systems Lessons from the fire season are that success is measured not only by the number of times fires are extinguished, but also by mobilising people, technology that reduces risks, and income that rewards forest stewardship. UpdateLessons from the 2026 fire season: Success is measured by community capacity, not just the number of fires put out
- Thai CF Net compiles community forest profiles and develops the CF-NET Index to help communities assess and improve their own forest management. ProjectThai CF Net
- PES Center connects supporters with communities and emphasises clear objectives and geographic boundaries, as well as measurable outcomes in both ecological and socio-economic terms. ProjectPES Center
From these examples, we see that designing for local conditions and the way communities work is just as important as having tools or funding. UpdateJoin us for a discussion forum on lessons from community-led wildfire technologies in Lamphun and Chiang Mai, 21 November 2026
What types of areas is this approach suitable for, and what do we need to get started in our area?
Examples of this work are suited to areas where communities already manage forests and face issues such as forest fires or forest use. Conditions or steps for starting work in a new area have not yet been recorded.
Examples from several areas show that this approach starts with communities that already manage forests, with support designed to fit the issues and resources of each area. This Issue
- Forest Guardians uses different approaches depending on the context. For example, Ban Huai Pla Lot connects a sprinkler system to agricultural areas to create a wet firebreak, while Ban Doi Chang Pa Pae uses firebreaks alongside sensors, cameras and a sprinkler system. UpdateHuai Pla Lod: Wet firebreaks integrated with farmland, with donated equipment reducing the time needed to create firebreaks UpdateDoi Chang Pa Pae and Mae Pok: Firebreaks built on a village-wide pledge, backed by sensors, cameras and water management systems In areas seeking to connect income with forest management, examples include developing tourist routes from patrol routes and ecotourism that contributes a share of its income to a community forest fund. UpdateBan Lao Nuea, Phrae: Turning forest-fire patrol routes into hiking trails to channel income back into forest protection UpdateMuaklek Nai: From firebreaks to a green economy, and the Muaklek Nai Nature Camp, 2-4 May
Our guiding principles are to support communities that already manage forests, avoid creating overlapping mechanisms, enable communities to plan how to use the budget themselves, and monitor results using satellite data, drones and community surveys. This Issue We have not yet recorded the conditions, steps or minimum resources needed to start work in a new area.
What methods or tools can be used straight away?
Start with firebreaks and patrols based on community plans, use cameras or drones for monitoring, and choose equipment suited to the area, such as two-way radios or sprinklers.
The tools selected depend on the conditions in the area and how the community works. We therefore support communities in planning around their own problems and using technology to strengthen fire prevention and forest monitoring. This Issue
- Forest Guardians offers examples of approaches that communities can consider adapting, such as creating firebreaks, organising shifts and patrols, restoring degraded areas, and building check dams to increase moisture. ProjectForest Guardians Ban Huai Pla Lod uses sprinklers alongside agricultural areas to create wet firebreaks, and leaf blowers to reduce the time needed to create firebreaks from 1 day to just a few hours. UpdateHuai Pla Lod: Wet firebreaks integrated with farmland, with donated equipment reducing the time needed to create firebreaks Doi Chang Pa Pae uses sensors, cameras and sprinklers that volunteers can activate via smartphone to monitor conditions and prepare for fires. UpdateDoi Chang Pa Pae and Mae Pok: Firebreaks built on a village-wide pledge, backed by sensors, cameras and water management systems Ban Doi Pui uses thermal-detection drones to locate fire hotspots hidden under shrubs or smoke. UpdateBan Doi Pui: Thermal drones locate fire fronts beneath smoke, reducing risks to volunteers
Monitoring can take many forms, from satellite and drone imagery to recording natural sounds to study bird diversity. ProjectForest Guardians UpdateTrialling forest sound monitoring: piloting bioacoustic technology to measure biodiversity at Ban Mae Sa
How does this work connect to systemic issues, and what kind of collaboration is needed?
This work connects forest fire management with PM2.5, air quality, water sources and ecosystems, and requires the involvement of communities, supporters and mentoring organisations.
Forest fires are linked to PM2.5 and affect health, while forests cared for by communities also support air quality, water sources and ecosystems that are connected to downstream urban residents. This Issue The systemic context is that government officials alone do not have sufficient capacity, while many communities work to protect forests year after year but receive almost no outside support. This Issue
- Forest Guardians uses the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanism to support communities that conserve forests, and tracks results using data on hotspots, burned areas, the greenness index and biodiversity. This Issue Key approaches include supporting communities that already care for forests, enabling communities to plan how to use funds based on their needs, and linking household economies with forest conservation. This Issue
For the 2026 fire season, we are raising funds to support forest guardian communities and mentoring organisations in the area. We are seeking funding for firefighting equipment and maintenance, firebreaks and patrols, as well as the development of livelihoods that support forest stewardship. This Issue
We are raising funds for the 2026 fire season to support forest guardian communities and mentoring organisations on the ground.
- Firefighting equipment and maintenance costs
- Firebreaks and patrols
- Developing an economy that supports forest care