Mr. Kheirin Chuthammasathit, President of the Real Estate and Services Business Group at Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited (MQDC), stated that the project The Forestias by MQDC recognizes the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made life more difficult for low-income individuals, leading to job losses and economic hardships for many. This situation presents an opportunity for The Forestias by MQDC, a real estate project designed to create a city alongside nature, to emphasize the importance of increasing green spaces. Thus, the idea to assist the community by creating forests as a core element of support emerged.

The Forest for Life project aims to create forests for life by providing saplings to families participating in a designated network from the community, who will nurture them for approximately 90 days or 3 months. Each family will receive financial assistance of 5,000 baht, paid in three installments totaling 15,000 baht.

Afterward, the saplings will be distributed to government agencies, such as the Public Health Department of Bangkok, to enhance green spaces or to participate in the urban sapling distribution project. Some will be used in The Forestias project, distributed to the general public or communities that wish to care for saplings to increase green areas.

"Currently, we see the results of the problems caused by the reduction of forests and trees, which negatively impacts everyone's quality of life, such as rising temperatures and increased pollution, leading to health issues. This forest creation project effectively addresses environmental problems. Additionally, during this crisis, where many in the community are unemployed due to COVID-19, the project aims to provide funding to support families' living expenses through community members caring for saplings," Mr. Kheirin said.

The project aims to assist 1,000 families within the participating communities, divided into two phases: the first phase will provide 600,000 saplings to 500 families, and the second phase will provide another 600,000 saplings to another 500 families, with a total budget of 25 million baht allocated for this initiative.

"We are confident that we are part of igniting the idea of creating green spaces and strengthening the bond between people and trees, thereby enhancing community resilience," Mr. Kheirin added.

This support will reach all community members, as the 1.2 million saplings used in this project are purchased from community networks that cultivate saplings for sale, providing income to those communities.

Families in the community caring for the saplings will receive 15,000 baht over 90 days, divided into three payments.

At the end of the designated period, the total of 1.2 million trees cared for by the community will be partially donated to the Public Health Department of Bangkok to enhance green spaces or to participate in the urban sapling distribution project, benefiting areas that care for saplings and the general public.

Mr. Kittiphan Uiyamapan, Senior Director of The Forestias by MQDC, stated that The Forestias by MQDC is the world's first real estate project where people can truly live in a natural environment, where trees and animals coexist in a quality environment conducive to life, allowing people of all ages and generations to live and engage in activities happily and sustainably.

A key feature of the project is the provision of a large green space of approximately 30 rai, a true forest at the heart of the project, to restore a balanced ecosystem.

The launch of the Forest For Life project is a great opportunity to expand the concept of creating green spaces to the public. Some of the trees from this project will be planted in the forest of The Forestias by MQDC, located in Bangna, 7 kilometers away, which is considered a true forest in the city.

"We hope this project will receive continuous support and encourage everyone in the community to work together to expand its impact as widely as possible. If the community sees opportunities from creating forests for life, the benefits will undoubtedly return to the community. If the community can support itself and has sufficient income, society will be happier, ultimately benefiting the nation," Mr. Kittiphan said.

Dr. Wit Sunthoranant, Vice President of the Phuttharaksa Foundation, stated that The Forestias project has collaborated with the Phuttharaksa Foundation and The Givers Network to identify and select communities to participate in the project.

Due to transportation limitations for saplings, the project will focus on communities in Bangkok and surrounding areas. The criteria for receiving assistance are:

  1. Communities must apply from areas in Bangkok and surrounding areas.
  2. Communities must have at least 20 households meeting the criteria, prioritizing those in the most distress. Each household applying must be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and must not have received assistance from government projects to ensure equitable relief.
  3. Each household must have at least 20 square meters of space to plant saplings, or if the community can provide a central location such as a temple or school, that is acceptable. The project will assist with reasonable water costs for public areas providing space for this project.
  4. Each household will receive 1,200 saplings, with 1,000 being forest and shrub saplings, including valuable trees, and 200 being easy-to-care kitchen garden plants.

The project aims to assist 1,000 households in caring for 1.2 million saplings, divided into two phases: the first phase will involve 500 households caring for 600,000 saplings, with the pilot community being Wat Thung Hiang, consisting of 26 households.

Information from the Wat Thung Hiang community indicates that some families are facing income shortages as all members of the household, numbering 4-5 people, have lost their jobs, making it difficult to make ends meet. Participation in this project will help the community generate sufficient income for living during the three-month period. The Wat Thung Hiang community in the Morn Nang sub-district, Phanat Nikhom district, Chonburi province, has a close relationship with the temple and is willing to provide space for the temple and surrounding community to participate in the project.

In addition to the 26 households from Wat Thung Hiang participating in the initial phase, there are communities expressing interest, such as the Ban Ampher community, which is expected to have an additional 120 households participating. Furthermore, plans are underway to expand to other communities in Bangkok and surrounding areas. Currently, coordination with the Community Organization Development Institute (CODI) is ongoing to identify communities and homeless groups to participate in the project.

The various sapling species provided to the community include forest trees and shrubs, including valuable species such as teak, mahogany, and other easy-to-care kitchen garden plants that are nutritious, require minimal pest control, can be consumed at home to save costs, and if there are any leftovers, the community can sell them to generate additional income. The selection of these trees will provide sustainable benefits to society, developing vocational skills both in the short and long term, as valuable economic trees will increase in value and demand in the future. Those skilled in sapling cultivation can sustain themselves, while also benefiting the environment by increasing green spaces.

Communities interested in participating in the project can inquire for more information at Facebook: MQDC – The Forestias.

Mr. Atthapol Jaroenchansa, Director-General of the Department of Forestry, stated that the Department of Forestry supports this project because its objectives align with the department's goals, particularly regarding increasing green spaces and forest areas. In this collaboration, the Department of Forestry has recommended communities engaged in sapling cultivation for sale, as the Forest for Life project will purchase saplings directly from these communities. Additionally, the Department of Forestry will provide experts to assist with sapling care.

Currently, sapling cultivation has become a profession that allows sapling growers to generate income, as those who plant valuable trees on their land can cultivate and sell them under the Forest Act of 2019, leading to increased popularity for valuable saplings such as teak, rubber, and rosewood.

The Department of Forestry sees that encouraging families in the community to care for saplings for a period will foster a bond between people and trees, potentially leading to these communities developing sapling cultivation as a profession, thereby increasing green spaces in our country, in line with the department's mission and vision.
Phra Khru Sorawichai Mahaviro, Deputy Abbot of Wat Thung Hiang, representing the Wat Thung Hiang community, expressed gratitude to all agencies for providing the community with the opportunity to participate in this project, as it helps alleviate immediate food security issues. The community will also learn how to care for saplings from the Department of Forestry, and once the COVID-19 situation improves, they will have the skills to potentially turn this into a supplementary income source in the long term, preventing future income shortages. It is hoped that members of the Wat Thung Hiang community will eventually have enough income to support themselves and their families.

"Additionally, the temple is pleased to see the collaboration between the community and the temple, as the temple has opened its space for the community to care for saplings, creating income opportunities for those in need," Phra Khru Sorawichai said.

Overall, Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited (MQDC) has provided approximately 50 million baht in assistance to those affected by COVID-19 through various projects.