Description
The Ban Don Koi Forest Project (โครงการป่าชุมชนบ้านดอนกอย) is located in the woods opposite Wat Pa Thammawimok in Phanna Nikhom. Sakon Nakhon is of course known for its rich forests, which once were the wandering grounds of the monks who founded and developed the Forest Tradition of Thai Buddhism.
It is not only Isan monks who have a close connection with the forests of Northeastern Thailand. Many of the villagers have an intimate knowledge as well, the forests being a source of food and natural resources. Forests in other parts of Thailand often have been over-harvested for wood, but many of the forests of Sakon Nakhon are thriving and the authorities continue to do what they can to preserve them.
The Ban Don Koi Forest Project is an example of these preservation activities. The project covers 670 rai (264 acres) of forests and reservoirs. Researchers have begun cataloguing the species of plants, animals, and insects that live in the forests, looking for new ways that the local villagers can economically benefit from them (which will reduce the risk of illegal logging). They also have begun labeling trees and creating rest pavilions, so that nature lovers can better enjoy the forests.
While walking the forests of Ban Don Koi, I saw many Diptercocarpaceae trees, which go by various names like "deng" and "gung" among the locals. Researchers at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok recently spent 5 years proving something that old Isan mushroom hunters long knew. That mushrooms grow under Diptercocarpaceae trees, and that there is a symbiotic relationship between the two. One wonders if Chula researchers consulted with Thai mushroom hunters, who have deep knowledge of Thai forests, prior to conducting their research.
