Upcoming event: From the city to the forest

For the trees for elephant project in 2010, Recycle Paper for Trees project will cooperate with Bring the Elephant Home to restore the forest on our elephant island project in Buriram. In the year 2010 we aim to plant 15,000 native trees species together, in the area of 30 rai (12 acre) and some elephant food plants inside Lammat water park, Lam Plai Mat, Buriram. To start our joint project, we organize the volunteer program called “From the city to the forest, bring the elephant home and restore the community forest” during 23 - 24 January 2010.

During this weekend we need to plant 500 - 600 native tree species, take care of the planted trees (applying fertilizer and watering), plant banana trees, plant coconut trees and other elephant food plants and cut banana trees for Nok Noi and Sri Prae.  All volunteers will stay with the villagers (homestay) and will work together with the local people. The group of Recycle Paper for Trees project and Bring the Elephant Home will join this event (45 pax), as well as the local people from the villages. Other volunteers are very welcome to join, but need to pay for the costs themselves.

Time and Place
Trees for Elephants Volunteer Weekend “From the city to the forest, bring the elephant home and restore the community forest”
The local people of Baan Pai Noi and Baan Pai Yai
Recycle Paper for Trees project group
Bring the Elephant Home group
Time : 23 - 24 January 2010, Burirum
Location : Lammat water park (Elephant Island), Lamplaimat, Buriram

Program of the weekend

Saturday 23/1/2010
1.30 P.M - Arrival of the volunteers (45 people), welcome by director of BTEH, village leaders and elephant fund committees. Briefing about BTEH and the project in Buriram. Welcome drink and relax.
2.00 P.M - The director of Paper for Trees project briefs about the volunteer program objectives and introduce the trees planting volunteers to the local villagers.
3.00 P.M Planting of elephant food plants: briefing about planting method (200 banana trees, 50 coconut trees)
4.30 P.M Visit the elephants, feed them and relax at riverside
5.00 P.M Check in Homestay houses in Baan Pai Yai and Baan Pai Noi
6.30 P.M Welcome dinner
8.00 P.M Welcome and friendship ceremony

Sunday 24/1/2010
7:30 A.M Breakfast at homestay houses
8.00 A.M Meet at Baan Pai Yai village hall and divide into 2 groups
Group 1 – go to cut banana trees
Group 2 – help to prepare food for elephants and feed elephants
9.00 A.M Tree planting for elephants about 500 native tree species (5 - 10 species) along the Lammat river
12.00 A.M Lunch – picnic (Isarn food) near Lammas river ”
1.00 P.M Tree maintenance in the main planting sites (weeding, applying fertilizer and watering)
3.00 P.M Spare time , Check out homestay houses, goodbyes to elephants and the villagers, travel back to Bangkok
9.00 P.M Arrive in Bangkok

Cost for volunteer weekend program during 23 – 24 January 2010 (2 days - 1 night) is about 840 Baht/person (exclude transportation cost)
1. Homestay house 500 Baht/night/person
2. Food for 3 meals (@ 80 Baht/meal) 240 Baht/person
3. Food for 2 elephants 40 Baht/person
4. Welcome ceremony 80 Baht/person
A donation for the Elephant Fund is appreciated.

Accommodation & food
The volunteers will stay with their Isarn family during that weekend. This means we divide the volunteer group in group to stay in the same house. In the house you will have a room with your roommate, with fan and mosquito net. We provide all meals (Thai), water, coffee, tea. If you have special requests, such as vegetarian food, please let us know in advance. Snacks and other drinks can be bought in the village.

Transport
By own vehicle : From Bangkok drive up to Mittraphap road to Saraburi and then turn right to Nakon Ratchasima(highway no.226) – Chakkarat – Huai Thalaeng – Lam Plai Mat district. In front of the gate to Lammat water park you will see the big elephants friendly tourism sign. Driving directions from Bangkok to Lam Plai Mat, Buri Ram, Thailand; 336 km – about 5 hours 15 mins, click here

By public bus : Nakorn Chai Air bus (near Mor Chit bus station), there are many bus leaving from Bangkok to Buriram everyday since 8.00 A.M as you can search from the bus schedule and the ticket cost from their website >> www.nca.co.th The drive will take about 6 hours from Bangkok. BTEH staff will pick you up at Buriram bus station.

Note : For everyone who interested in our volunteer program but can’t come to join the tree planting volunteer event in Buriram, we very welcome all support to buy seedlings from us. The price is 12 Baht per seedling (native tree species, 40 – 60 cm. tall and healthy). We will plant your tree with our volunteers and the local villagers will take care of the trees until the forest recover. So, you can purchase the trees online by click here or transfer money to the bank account of Bring the Elephant Home. Account number: 505-2-36520-6 (Siam City Bank – Chang Klan road branch) of Bring the Elephant Home in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After transferring money, please inform us about how many trees you purchased and your detail to Khun Antoinette, a director of Bring the Elephant Home at antoinette.van.de.water@bring-the-elephant-home.nl

Thank you very much for all support.