At a ceremony, 144,000 seedlings were given to 120 households in Baan Amphur, the second community in the project’s first phase. The initiative aims to help 1,000 families in 2 stages, each of 600,000 plants and 500 people, to grow 1.2 million saplings.
Families in Ban Amphur will tend the seedlings for about 90 days or 3 months, with a monthly grant of THB5,000 each for a total of THB15,000. The saplings will then be distributed to government agencies such as the Na Jomtien Public Health Division for enhancing green areas or helping reforest, including in the Siri Charoenwat royal projects. Some plants will also go to the general public or back to the communities that grew them to increase green space.
Mr. Kanin Kaewin, representing The Givers Network, said that the foundation is delighted to see an example of communal sharing and assistance. Participants are vetted by the Buddharaksa Foundation to meet the criteria of suffering hardship during the outbreak and having no family members receiving government assistance, in order to best reduce suffering. The community leader has also provided private land for public use so that people without land can take part. Above all, the community is also involving older adults and bedbound patients, whom volunteers in charge of the plots will care for.
Many officials and local people attended the ceremony, viewing the plants and attending a presentation of the action plan. The Royal Forest Department provided training on raisings seedlings. The presentation of funds to raise the seedlings was honored by the presence of Mr. Anucha Inthasorn, Sattahip District Sheriff, who presided over the ceremony with Mr. Somsak Thapklad, Representative from Chonburi House of Representatives Region 8; Mr. Oud Chaothawee, Head of Forest Resource Management Training Center 1 (Chon Buri); Mr. Surin Warachun, an ecologist and a member of the Forest for Life team; Mr. Kanin Kaewin, a representative of The Givers Network; and representatives of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization).
The FORESTIAS by MQDC has allocated THB25 million baht for this project, with THB15 million to support 1,000 families with THB15,000 each and THB10 million to buy seedlings and transport them from the plant nurseries of about 500 families.
In addition to the current two communities, the project is set to expand to other areas in Bangkok and its surroundings. The initiative is working with the Community Organizations Development Institute (CODI) to find communities and homeless groups to participate too.
Communities interested in taking part can request information at Facebook: MQDC - The Forestias
#ForestForLife #สร้างป่าสร้างชีวิต #THEFORESTIASByMQDC #MQDCForAllWellBeing