Forests and communities have had a long supportive relationship, particularly communities in rural areas. They are mostly involved with the use of natural resources. As a result, a community forest project was launched based on the idea of assisting people to live peacefully with forests as well as to gain awareness for the preservation of forest, which is a natural resource useful to their community. On March 15, 1999, Her Majesty the Queen made the following suggestion at the Little House in the Big Forest Project, Baan Huai Maihok, Mae Tuen Sub-district, Omkoi District, Chiang Mai Province:

"…Allow forest to co-exist with man. Emphasize the happy and sustainable co-existence between man and forest…"

A land piece of 160 and a half rai (64.2 acres) at Tokprom Sub-district, Kloong District, Chanthaburi Province which the Lakkunaprasit family presented to Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, was developed to be a place for the community forest. People were led to take part in the forest care taking and conservation for their own future benefits.

Community forest which was originally a useless deserted rubber forest

 

The rubber forest which had been deserted for 40 years was developed to be a place for "The Royally-initiated Community Forest Development Project at Tokprom Sub-district (Baan Ang Ed)". The project started in the year 2002. Government agencies involved have joined this project to serve the royal initiative. In the early stage of the project's establishment, cooperation was received from Royal Forest Department and Department of Agriculture to explore the kinds of trees and plants grown in the area. It was found that this area was still fertile. Trees, herbs, plants and fruit trees grown in this area can be divided into three categories:

• Perennial trees, covering up to 90 percent of the area, consist of mostly ไม้เนื้ออ่อน with a few number of ไม้เนื้อแข็ง. Perennial trees grown in this area are namely para rubber, นนทรีป่า กระบก กระท้อนป่า อ้อยช้าง โมกป่า คอเหี้ย อินทนิน ยางนา สำรอง เลือดควาย ไทร มะไฟ ชะมวง มะกล่ำต้น มะเดื่อ ไผ่ป่า
• พันธุ์ไม้เนื้อล่าง with densely grown seedlings of natural plants covering throughout the area which include ……….
• Useable kinds of trees. The trees which their wood textures can be used are for examples, ………. The trees for other uses such as for consumption and medicinal purposes involve ……………….…………….
  

Wild bamboo tranks for multi-purpose uses with shoots serving as food.	One kind of mushroom that villagers collected tobe used as food

community. They can be collected to be used for consumption as well as for medicinal purposes. In addition, the area serves as a center for the study of forest ecological system for both youth and general public. However, since forests are the kind of natural resources that can be used up, they can be exploited at a fast rate if proper reforestation and preservation measures are not taken into action. Therefore, it is considerably necessary to grow suitable plants that fit to the area conditions. The methods should also be easily understood and can be easily applied by villagers. His Majesty granted suggestions on natural reforestation as follows:

"First conduct a study of the indigenous plants and then grow according to the kinds of plants already studied. Don't grow plants of different species and origins before a thorough study is conducted."
	Rattan, the leaves of which can be used for making a roof, provide seeds for food and stems for basketry as well as multi-purpose use

In his speech given in 1976, His Majesty explained about this to officials at the Tung Jor Watershed Development Unit, Chiang Mai Province, as quoted below:

"Officials from the Royal Forest Department should first grow trees in the people's minds. These people will then grow trees on the land and preserve the trees by themselves."

At present, the work under the Royally-initiated Community Forest Development Project at Tokprom Sub-district (Baan Ang Ed) was successfully proceeded. Plant species in the project area were explored. Community representatives as well as villager were informed of the background, meaning and principles of the project. Training in various aspects was organized for the villagers to gain know-how, understand and take part in the care-taking of the forests which is the community's treasure. The villagers paid great attention and cooperation in the project implementation as can be seen from the voluntary donation of their own plant seedlings for the reforestation activity.

In the future, when the project is accomplished, plants that the villagers grew will prosper and give yields which in turns generate profits from selling. This extra income is an indirect benefit that the community forest gives back to the villagers.