Nonthaburi – Ratch Group Public Company Limited and Royal Forest Department (RFD) announce 16 model community forests in 2023, of which Ban Tontan community forest, Yi Ngo district, Narathiwat province, has been praised as the best model for sustainable community forest management under the Love the Forest and the Community’s national community forest award who entitled to receive the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Siridhorn’s Trophy. The award winner is outstanding from the community strength particularly the women and youth who play an important role in forest care and conservation. Today, Pol. Gen. Patcharawat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment presides over the ceremony as the chairman to present “Love the Forest and Community Award 2023” to Ban Tontan community forest and another 15 community forests which will be backbones for expanding the network of sustainable community forests to preserve and increase the green areas as a means to capture greenhouse gases, achieving the country’s carbon neutrality goal by 2050.

Pol. Gen. Phatcharavat Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment said, “Congratulations to Ban Ton Tan Community Forest in Narathiwat province which received the national community forest award this year. This award contributes to morale among community members to carry on with their forest conservation and being recognized as the best example of community forest for running the forest restoration and development. The community forest becomes a learning center for educational institutions, students, youth, and general public to study and engage in natural activities along with the Ban Ton Tan community. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has given importance to strengthening the the public and private sectors’ participation in sustainable forest management. The Royal Forest Department (RFD) has been assigned to expedite the establishment of community forests nationwide following the national target of 15,000 community forests. As a result of the people and private sectors’ collaboration to conserve, restore, and maintain the community forests for more than 12,000 forests across the country. The successful results become concrete that people can take benefits of biodiversity abundance from their community forests to generate incomes, create carbon capture sources, and develop a carbon trading market. Most importantly, the goal is that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment works together with the public sector to maintain and conserve the forests, all fellow citizens will benefit from the forests by gaining advantages of natural resources and environment for creating incomes and improving the quality of life. Lastly, thanks to all the people from the community forest network and RATCH Group Public Company Limited who have been working together for forest conservation under the Love the Forest and Community Project as well as to encourage all community forest networks safeguarding the forests and utilizing the sustainable benefits of the community forests.

Miss Choosri Kietkajornkul, RATCH CEO said, “The company aims to achieve carbon neutrality goal in 2050 by driving the climate change strategy, which has three main approaches: increasing efficiency production; increasing renewable energy capacity; and promoting forestation for carbon sinks. The Love the Forest and Community Project is our commitment to promote and support the communities’ participation in forest conservation with aim of “Sustainable Forests and Community Benefits.” Importantly, this project also meets the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, Goal 15: Life on land as it supports and encourages communities to protect, restore forests, and utilize ecosystems. The sustainable forest management and biodiversity preservation of community forests is an efficient and important source of carbon sinks for the country in the long run. In addition, they can respond to Goal 13 because communities are aware and being able to cope with climate change. For Love the Forest and Community Project’s 2008 – 2023 performance, it has supported the community forests that are outstanding in sustainable forest management and contributed to 1,773 awarded community forests with a total prize money of 45.9 million baht and a total area of 1,599,151-rai forests, which can create carbon capture capacity of approximately 10 tCO2e. This year, there were 16 community forests that received “Love the Forest and the Community” Award, the company is delighted to collaborate with the Royal Forest Department and communities in safeguarding the sustainable forest existence for the country.

Ban Ton Tan Community Forest in Narathiwat province, which received the Royal Trophy for Love the Forest and Community Award, was the national champion this year. It is considered an example of a community forest that is a model for rehabilitating and developing community forests that have natural resource scarcity, causing the problem of arid soil not holding water. As a result of the community’s cooperation in strong community forest management, the natural resources and forests have returned to their abundance, especially the hornbills have returned to live there. Ban Ton Tan has developed into the natural and cultural learning center where educational institutions, students, youth, and interested visitors both Thais and foreigners come to learn and do activities in the community forest with Ban Ton Tan continuously.

Mr. Masi Makeson, Head of Ban Ton Tan community forest, said, “The challenge of Ban Ton Tan community forest is to maintain soil moisture in this mountainous community forest. We built weirs to preserve them as groundwater banks. Together with planting more trees and learning about water management for use throughout the year, we spent more than 5 years working until the abundant forest has returned and water source is available all year round. In addition, Ban Ton Tan community forest also encourages women and youth to play an important role in participating in natural resource and environmental conservation activities. The Ban Ton Tan women’s group can connect relationships and the youth group is a chain to connect the community people working together on community forest development, building up to “Ban Ton Tan Community Forest Learning Center." It also helps drive various activities such as reforestation, forest patrolling, making weirs, and transferring local knowledge on processing forest products such as basketry work, Chan Rong honey, herbal tea, and local foods. By establishing “Ban Ton Tan Community Forest Community Enterprise,” we will use products from the community forest and process them to create jobs and additional income for the group and community. The youth group will support as the forest tour leader and cultural ambassador which help promote the identity and uniqueness of the Ban Ton Tan community to wider awareness of the community and outside society.

The work of the Ban Ton Tan community forest, is evident from the past awards of “Love the Forest and Communities,” including the Outstanding Youth Forest Conservation Award in 2015, the Outstanding Women Volunteer on Community Forest Development Award in 2016, the Provincial Community Forest Award in 2018, and the runner-up award for outstanding community forestry, continuing, maintaining, expanding, and creating happiness for the people, in 2019.

The Royal Forest Department and RATCH Group Public Company Limited continue to promote and support community forests’ growth and strength, to drive the country to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.