Ban Lao Nuea, Phrae: Turning forest-fire patrol routes into hiking trails to channel income back into forest protection
Ban Lao Nuea Community Forest in Song District, Phrae Province, is developing its former forest-fire patrol route into a hiking trail, returning the income to the development and protection of the community forest under the care of The Next Forest.
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
Ban Lao Nuea Community Forest in Ban Klang Subdistrict, Song District, Phrae Province, is one of the communities working with The Next Forest, a mentoring organisation responsible for the areas in Phrae and Nan under the PES mechanism. The community’s fire prevention plan focuses on creating firebreaks and patrolling during the dry season, regular work carried out every year.
What is different is the sustainable development management plan the community has put in place alongside this work: developing the existing patrol route into a hiking trail and designing a tourism programme that channels income back into the development and protection of the community forest. This is an example of turning existing fire prevention activities into a new economic foundation for the community at the same time.