Phu Long Forest Reforestation Project

Over the years, Ch. Karnchang has been working with the local community around Phu Long Forest to restore and protect the area. Originally a logging concession, Phu Long Forest serves as the headwaters for key rivers in northeastern Thailand, including the Chi River, Lam Patao River, and several smaller tributaries. It is home to a rich diversity of tree species and native medicinal plants. When the logging concession expired, local villagers recognized the ecological importance of preserving large trees and took action to restore the forest using traditional knowledge. Over time, Phu Long Forest became a vital source of food and livelihood for the community. This led to increased involvement from private organizations, which encouraged reforestation efforts to rehabilitate deforested areas. Eventually, these efforts evolved into a collaborative project involving the forestry department, national parks, subdistrict and provincial administrative organizations, local temples, and the community forest committee. Despite its conservation efforts, Phu Long Forest remains highly fertile and rich in valuable hardwood species such as teak, Makha Tae, Siamese rosewood, and Yang Na. Unfortunately, this has also attracted illegal logging and poaching, with encroachers exploiting the forest for personal gain. These destructive activities have led to environmental crises, particularly forest fires.
In 2016, a severe wildfire broke out in the community forest, destroying more than 3,000 rai of land. The fire also caused widespread air pollution, filling the area with dust and smoke, and contaminated local water sources used for drinking and daily activities. Less than five years later, in 2020, another massive wildfire swept through Phu Long Forest, damaging over 1,800 rai and severely affecting the region's wildlife. During the incident, local villagers and several monks from Wat Pa Mahawan—one of the first groups involved in conserving the Phu Long Forest—worked together to put out the fire and later assessed the damage after the flames had died down.
CH. Karnchang, leveraging its expertise in construction and design, has actively contributed to the development of an efficient firebreak and wildfire suppression system to mitigate future risks. This initiative includes constructing roads along the Phu Luang ridgeline and the national park boundary to serve as firebreaks, building elevated water reservoirs as backup water sources for wildfire emergencies, installing water pipelines along firebreaks, and implementing sprinkler systems. Furthermore, the company collaborates with local communities, government agencies, and private organizations in reforestation efforts to restore lost forest areas, with a strong emphasis on post-planting maintenance. In 2024, CH. Karnchang conducted additional site surveys for the construction of the 6th and 7th water reservoirs, participated in collaborative network meetings to restore the Lam Pathao watershed forest, and developed an annual wildfire prevention plan for 2025.