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.
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.
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.
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 reducing fires, caring for forests and community income, tracked through fire hotspots, burned areas and field data.
The Forest Guardians Project aims to equip communities with the resources to care for forests, and tracks results using verifiable data. It measures more than just the number of times fires are extinguished; it also considers community capacity and an economy that supports forests. ProjectForest Guardians UpdateLessons from the B.E. 2569 fire season: Success is measured by community capacity, not just the number of fires put out
- Forest Guardians The number of fire hotspots in Ban Khun Chang Khian fell from 38 to 2 in B.E. 2568, while Ban Mae Sa Noi, Mae Hia Nai and Ban Pang Wae kept burned areas at zero. ProjectForest Guardians Nine of the 10 community forests in Mae Chaem have been registered, covering more than 18,500 rai, and households in Huai Pla Lod earn more than 14 million baht a year from agroforestry. ProjectForest Guardians
We track fire hotspots and burned areas using satellite data, as well as the greenness index, drones and community surveys. This Issue The impact figures above cover the specified cases and areas; they do not represent results from every community in the Project. ProjectForest Guardians
How was this work carried out, and what lessons can be applied going forward?
We enable communities to plan and manage budgets according to local needs, linking fire prevention with restoration and income generation, and using data to monitor results.
We start by supporting communities that are already caring for forests, rather than creating new mechanisms, and give them the freedom to plan how to use their budgets according to local needs. This Issue
- Forest Guardians works on everything from firebreaks, patrols and forest restoration to developing non-burn agriculture, restorative tourism, and income from tea and coffee grown beneath large trees. ProjectForest Guardians It uses satellites and AI to analyse greenness indices and burn scars, drones for surveys, and trials bioacoustics to monitor bird diversity. ProjectForest Guardians UpdateTrialling forest sound monitoring: piloting bioacoustic technology to measure biodiversity at Ban Mae Sa
The lessons are that mobilising people in the village can get fire prevention started without waiting for government funding; technology should reduce risks to life; donations should fill immediate gaps; and forest care becomes more sustainable when forests also generate income for those who care for them. UpdateLessons from the B.E. 2569 fire season: Success is measured by community capacity, not just the number of fires put out In Doi Chang Pa Pae, every household helps build firebreaks and uses sensors and sprinklers to reduce the risks of going in to turn on the water amid a blaze. UpdateDoi Chang Pa Pae and Mae Pok: Firebreaks built on a village-wide pledge, backed by sensors, cameras and water management systems
What types of areas is this approach suitable for, and what do we need to get started in our area?
This approach works with communities that are already caring for forests and adapts activities to local issues. We have not yet fully documented the criteria for selecting areas or the conditions for getting started.
Examples of areas where we work include communities in northern forests and community forests around Saraburi’s limestone mountains. Each area plans its work according to its own context. This Issue
- Forest Guardians works with communities that are already caring for forests, with mentor organisations helping to develop community management and finance. ProjectForest Guardians In B.E. 2569, PES plans were developed with 42 communities in 6 northern provinces, and 25 communities were selected to receive actual funding. UpdateExpanding to 42 communities in 6 provinces: Developing PES plans with 6 mentor organisations across the North Activities include firebreaks and patrols, nature restoration, and creating income that does not depend on burning. ProjectForest Guardians
This approach gives communities the freedom to plan how to use the budget based on local issues, and tracks results using satellite data, drones and community surveys. This Issue We have not yet fully documented the criteria for selecting areas or the minimum conditions required to begin implementation.
What methods or tools can be used straight away?
You can start with firebreaks and patrols, communication equipment, or monitoring tools, then choose what suits the area and its risks.
We focus on tools that communities can use to address problems on the ground, and let them choose how to use the budget based on conditions in their area. This Issue
- Forest Guardians Basic examples include creating firebreaks, organising patrol teams, and preparing firefighting and communication equipment. ProjectForest Guardians Ban Pak Kong East organises patrol teams and uses communication equipment alongside firebreaks. UpdateBan Pak Kong Tawan Ok, Lampang: Hotspots fall to just 9 after joining the PES mechanism Ban Huai Pla Lod uses sprinklers together with agricultural land to create wet firebreaks, and uses a leaf blower to reduce the time needed to make firebreaks from 1 day to a few hours. UpdateHuai Pla Lod: Wet firebreaks integrated with farmland, with donated equipment reducing the time needed to create firebreaks
If an area has risk points that are difficult for people to reach, heat and smoke detection sensors connected to sprinklers that can be activated by smartphone may be used, or cameras can be used with wind data to help with planning. UpdateDoi Chang Pa Pae and Mae Pok: Firebreaks built on a village-wide pledge, backed by sensors, cameras and water management systems Thermal-detection drones can help locate fire hotspots beneath smoke and vegetation, reducing risks to volunteers. UpdateBan Doi Pui: Thermal drones locate fire fronts beneath smoke, reducing risks to volunteers Tool selection should therefore start with the problem and the safety of people working in the area. UpdateLessons from the B.E. 2569 fire season: Success is measured by community capacity, not just the number of fires put out
How does this work connect to systemic issues, and what kind of collaboration is needed?
This work connects community forest care with wildfires, PM2.5 pollution and ecosystems, while requiring funding, equipment, mentoring organisations and income generation that supports forest conservation.
Wildfires affect air quality, water sources and ecosystems, while government staff alone are not enough to care for large forest areas. Communities, as the first line of forest care, therefore need support. This Issue Lessons from the areas also show that waiting for government budget disbursement may take too long during a crisis, and that forest care must be linked to the income of community members. UpdateLessons from the B.E. 2569 fire season: Success is measured by community capacity, not just the number of fires put out
Forest Guardians For the B.E. 2569 fire season, we are raising funds to support communities and mentoring organisations in the areas, including costs for firefighting equipment and maintenance, firebreaks and patrols, and economic development that supports forest care. This Issue The collaborative work involves communities, mentoring organisations, and monitoring outcomes using satellite data, drones and community surveys. ProjectForest Guardians
PES Center This database connects supporters with projects in which communities care for forests, coasts and rivers, and prioritises measurable outcomes and sustained work. ProjectPES Center The specified collaboration therefore covers funding and resources, mentoring organisations, and the development of monitoring systems—not just support for a one-off activity. This Issue ProjectPES Center
We are raising funds for the B.E. 2569 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