I. First progress report (February 4, 2009):
Activities undertaken:
1. Building capacity of target population on traditional medicinal knowledge and practices, and watershed conservation
2. Conducting biological diversity inventories
3. Putting into practice what are learnt in 2, including reforesting watershed area

Results of activities:
1. Increased capacity of 20 core leaders on approaches for watershed protection witnessed through ability to propose plan to re-vegetate the area with suitable species , both of medicinal value and other use.
2. Thoughts , ideas and indigenous knowledge being put across for exchange urging conservation of traditional medicine and initiative for collective planning
3. Emergence of two locations in Muang and Ronphiboon District for collecting over 200 species of medicinal value ready for conservation, dissemination, exchange, and sales

Project communication:
On December 2008, community radio, 94 mHz, aired a story about the project and its activities with support from GEF SGP.

Experience, lessons learnt, problem and issue:
From September 2008 to January 2009, there was an unusual rain in southern region of the country that cause some delay to project implementation.

Project expense:
THB: 114,636 out of the first disbursment of THB: 161,904.25.

II. Second progress report (July 7, 2009):
Activities undertaken:
1. Keeping on conducting biological diversity inventories
2. Building capacity of target population on traditional medicinal knowledge and practices, and watershed conservation
3. Putting into practice what are learnt in 2, including reforesting watershed area
4. Demonstrating the use of traditional medicine appliances

Results of activities:
1. Acquired inventories of 220 plants of several species within a three-ha area with their focused use for traditional medicine , and complete compilation being expected in the completion report.
2. Capacity and awareness of target population being increased witnessed through more frequent , continuous scheduling meeting and approximately 200 persons using the services of traditional medicine
3. Watershed conservation leading to a continuous supply of water for household use , agricultural practices and fish raising ? issue on shortage of water supply being addressed to a certain extent
4. One fabricated traditional wheelchair being used for 80 patients and relatives, with about 200 traditional medicine students coming to learn from the project and subsequently disseminating

Project communication:


Experience, lessons learnt, problem and issue:


Project expense:
The project report the accumulated expense of THB: 243,578 out of the sum of the first & second disbursement of THB: 323,854.91.

III. Monitoring Vist by NC and NSC (Augutst 5, 2009):
Findings and observation:
The project is a portion of forest ecosystems in the Sundaic sub-region?s Malay Peninsula of the Biogeography next to the Khao Luang Complex. It is also a watershed of several small rivers draining into the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea. A bigger portion of the area had been turned into varieties of landraces of nutritious and medicinal value, while smaller portion was for one major landrace ,i.e. paddy. Pararubber trees and other edible species for quick cash were also here and there.

At a premises in Baan(village) Huay Mai Kaen, of Tambol Ron Phiboon, the visiting team witnessed the demonstration site of water conservation. About three-ha in area, the site was filled with both medicinal and nutritious species- approximately 300. In addition, there was a small traditional medicine processing facility and a treatment room. Annually , there were about 50 patients who came for treatment - according to a record of one project leader. Other facilities witnessed included a solar dryer in operation, traditional physical therapy tools and a preparation of water turbine designed to grind raw materials for traditional medicine.

Moving on to Baan Huay Mai Kaen Community School, the visiting team witnessed the real application of traditional medicine. The school, a major project stakeholder, accommodated a mobile clinic which was organized by project members in conjunction with the Association for Promotion of Traditional Medicine and Physicians. There were a group of persons , equipments and traditional medicine appearing ready for treatments. During this short interaction of one hour, about 10 community members came for treatment. According to project members, more would come later after finishing daily agricultural activities.

The visiting team agreed that project activities had produced satisfactory result so far, even though the time for interaction last for only half-a-day. As the project location was a replication and upscale of a back project THA/05/11 ?Supporting Women?s Role in Conservation and Rehabilitation of Herbs? , activities and concrete results as well as public participation were more substantial. Traditional medicine and treatment seemed to gradually gain their popularity in project location. The mobile clinic was organized once a month on rotation around villages and made known in advance by local administrative bodies. It was stipulated that the clinic had relieved much of unnecessary burdens of the district hospitals. According to a discussion, all project members growing several species of landraces for medicine and food regularly shared their experience among one another, let alone many visits from students from formal traditional medical classes and other traditional physician from other localities.

Some anticipated results of the projects had been realized, others seemed to be on their ways. The use of water for power is of special interest. The project confirmed that it would be ready within a few months.

IV. Completion report (November 8, 2010):
Date of Participatory Evaluation( September 26, 2010):

Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 900
Men: 800
Children: 200

Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 400
Men: 300
Children: 200

Expense:

Amount received from SGP (3 disbursements): Baht: 481,954.02
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: Baht: 531,627
Balance: Baht: ( -49,672.98 )
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 1,546.81
Amount Received from others: THB: 182,523 (in cash)
THB: 313,139 (in kind)

Activities undertaken:
1. Conducting biological diversity inventories
2. Building capacity of target population on traditional medicinal knowledge and practices, and watershed conservation
3. Putting into practice what are learnt in 2, including reforesting watershed area
4. Demonstrating the use of traditional medicine appliances

Results and indicators:
1. Over 200 species , some of which threatened , being compiled and conserved for propagation
2. Increased capacity of 30 network members on traditional medicine witnessed through ability to put into practice in 10 events of traditional medicine services for public and through ability to apply watershed conservation approaches in project location, with about 600 persons receiving treatment
3. Emergence of one demonstration plot on water conservation and renewable energy promotion
4. Initiated community plan on watershed conservation with adequate participation from Tambol Administrative Organization
5. About 2,000 trees of native species being grown in plots of network members

Project Communication:
The project was continuously visited by community groups from Songkhla, Surathani, Krabi and Phijit Provinces. The number of visitors was approximately 300.

Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
The project planned
1. to replicate the water conservation demonstration plot in neighbouring area
2. to seek cooperation with local administrative organizations to support and promote reforestation in watershed areas under participation of communities
3. to continue to conserve and propagate native species together with community schools & temples
4. to continue meeting among traditional medicine network members to ensure plan for transferring experience & knowledge to later generation

Experience , Lessons Learnt , Problems and Issues:
The project referred , as an issue, to interruption or change of institutional leadership in locality. Such interruption/change naturally caused delay in participatory process thus required modification of activities to suit circumstances.