Good news from Mae Sa Noi: no burned areas throughout the B.E. 2568 dry season
Drone images confirm that no burn scars occurred in Ban Mae Sa Noi Community Forest this year, as the community begins regenerative tourism and greenhouse farming enterprises
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
The Hmong people of Ban Mae Sa have cared for this forest for 30 years, guided by their belief in “Pa Dong Seng”, a sacred forest that no one may trespass on. During the B.E. 2568 dry season, the community was able to protect the forest from fires and prevent fires from spreading into the community forest, so no areas were burned.
The community uses drones to monitor forest conditions within the area under its care, and bioacoustics to record sounds of nature as an indicator of bird species diversity. Degraded areas have returned to montane evergreen forest, where wild boar, Asian palm civets, muntjac and leopard cats can be found.
The village has begun developing its economy through two approaches under community enterprises: regenerative tourism and modern greenhouse farming. An agreement allocates part of the income to a fund for long-term forest care.