400,000฿

Target

1505

Donors

45% Funded

182,836฿

Level 8 target

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Basic Arboriculture training helps develop skilled manpower in urban tree care

Big Trees Foundation

Every 2,767 baht, you can support Arboriculture training for government staff as well as the public to help take care of public trees in Bangkok and other cities.

Description
Activity

Overview

While Bangkok sets to plant more new trees to compensate for 42 million tons of emitted carbon dioxide, existing big trees are left unattended due to lack of knowledge on proper care. Every 2,767 baht, you can support Arboriculture training for government staff as well as the public so that Thailand has more of the badly needed tree care professionals to help take care of public trees in Bangkok and other cities such as Nakorn Srithammarat, Phuket, Phang-Nga, Lopburi, Nakhon Pathom, Maha Sarakam and Chiangmai.

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Problem

In 1 year, Thailand emits 42 million tons of carbon dioxide with only 3 million trees in Bangkok. While Bangkok sets to plant more new trees to compensate for the emission level, existing big trees are left unattended due to lack of knowledge on nurturing and the significant atmospheric benefits they bring to the city.

Big Trees Mission

Basic Arboriculture training helps develop skilled manpower in urban tree care for government staff as well as the public so that Thailand has more of the badly needed tree care professionals to help take care of public trees in Bangkok and other cities such as Nakorn Srithammarat, Phuket, Phang-Nga, Lopburi, Nakhon Pathom, Maha Sarakam and Chiangmai.

Your Impact

Every Baht of your donation via purchasing GiveCards or direct transaction goes to fund arborist workshops and take care of big trees in Thailand. 1 arborist training session costs 76,000 THB, which takes 6 days and 10 arborist experts to facilitate the session. One certified arborist can take care of 20 trees/month in average. Based on the training expense, to take care of 1 big tree is 11.5 THB. Every 2,767 THB donated supports training programs for 1 arborist to preserve big trees in Thailand.

More Information

https://www.facebook.com/BIGTreesProject/

https://www.facebook.com/thailandurbantreenetwork/

Highlights of the project (2022-second half)

Throughout 2022, Big Trees Foundation has successfully organized arborist training for both government organizations and public. There were 360 people who participated in the training and activities regarding arboriculture in total.

Big Trees Foundation is working with BMA to plan workshop and training for their personnel who are in charge of public green space in Bangkok, to reinforce environmental and tree care knowledge in 2023.

As many public sectors have gained their interests in environmental issues, Big Tree has gathered a group of volunteer called “City Park Volunteer” who devote their time to take care of big trees.

Highlights of the project (2022-first half)

Big Trees Foundation conducts arborist training programs so more individuals know how to conserve existing big trees
There are 3 million trees in Bangkok but under 100 certified arborists in Thailand
We are currently responsible for 5 superlative, ancient trees in Bangkok and Nakhon Si Thammarat
Big Trees organizes volunteering events to raise the importance of conserving existing trees over planting new ones

Update: August 2022

Big Trees Foundation remains ambitious by our mission to produce more trained arborists despite the ongoing pandemic situation. Hence, we have adjusted our arborist training workshops to hybrid form during the first half of 2022.

Along with our partners, we are currently responsible for supervising five superlative trees in Bangkok (Rattanakosin Island and Khlong San) and Nakhon Si Thammarat. We also collaborate with BMA, Bangkok district offices, and district arborists to come up with techniques on tree maintenance for five pocket parks

For convenience in tree maintenance and supervision efficiency, Big Trees Foundation plans to utilize TreePlotter, a real-time, tree mapping software used for identifying, organizing, and managing trees in designated locations. With use of technology to aid in environmental supervision, we believe the possibility of combining both seemingly opposites to serve our ambitious goal of planting 1 million trees in Bangkok within this year.

Update : 2021

In June 2021 aspiring arborists from 9 provinces came to Bangkok for the 12th Arborist Training. Some of them got the chance to use their knowledge on ground to conserve big trees in their local communities. Some of them helped the conservation of big trees in public space of Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai – 1 big tree located in Wat Ton Peung Temple were taken care of by the help of trained arborist.

Bangkok – 5 Hopea odorata, or Ta-khian trees in old town area have been restored to their best condition.

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Update: 30 September 2019

Problem & Proposed Solution

Urban life in Thailand is admittedly crowded and faced with pollution, resulting in people’s health deterioration. Trees are essential for filtering air pollution particles; act as sound barrier to lessen noise pollution from automobiles; lessen the impact of an electromagnetic field, which could cause cancer; cool down high temperature; provide calming presence and reduce the stress level for people; can be a tourist attraction. Therefore, big trees in parks, streets, schools, institutions or homes, are then necessary to help provide people living in urban areas with better life quality. However, on the other hand, big trees in an urban area could also create trouble for people who live close to it, or people who commute past it. For example, a fallen branch can create damage on the property. This could happen if the tree has a dense bush or if the tree has a cavity. The right knowledge and good management of these big trees could prevent such events from happening.

Big Trees Project works with government, private sector, and public – specifically from the Faculty of Architecture and Planning of Thammasat University, and the Environmental Department of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration – organized training sessions for novice arborists so that there would be more human capital to help care the big trees in an urban area. Thus, people living in the city could have a better quality of living.

Arboriculture Training Report

In 2019, Big Trees Project, with the cooperation of the Faculty of Architecture of Chulalongkorn University and Faculty of Architecture of Thammasat University, organized a practical workshop focusing on the practicality of Urban Tree & Landscaping for a novice arborist.

There have been workshops for novice arborist for 3 groups, each group requires to attend a 6 days training workshop:

7th Arborist Training happened on May 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 / 2019
8th Arborist Training happened on June 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 / 2019
9th Arborist Training happened on September 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 / 2019

Topics of Discussion and Practice

Lecture

Basic knowledge about big trees in an urban area
The management and maintenance of big trees in urban areas
Causes of tree cavity and how to do a tree health check from looking at tree cavity

Practice

Initial risk assessment
Planning and maintaining trees and shrubs through correct trimming and pruning
How to use tools & machines. Climbing techniques and rope knots for big tree maintenance.
Techniques on how to use safety tools for big trees
Working on the tree on high altitude and teamwork
Climbing up-down and grafting
Application of equipment for tree pruning operations

Knowledge and Skill Assessment Exam

Knotting in arboriculture
Balancing on the branch and approaching the targeted branch
Evaluate and plan according to key arboriculture principles

Key Benefits from Training

Equip participants with more practical knowledge which can be applied to their own work/departments
Provide job opportunities for the participants
Promote better quality of urban living & pleasant environment for everyone

Results

The details of arboriculture training in 2019 as below:

7th Arborist Training on May 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 // Total participants: 31
8th Arborist Training on June 8-9,15-16, 22-23 // Total participants: 25
9th Arborist Training on September 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 // Total participants: 30

Participants are people from largely different backgrounds who were interested in arboriculture- ranging from civil servants, private employees, students, and business owners: totaled 86 people.

Past participants saw the importance of sharing learned & practical knowledge so a few of the old participants came to be speakers for the workshops.

More than just theory, this workshop provides a platform for enthusiasts to hone their knowledge and to develop themselves into experts who can share knowledge to others.

UPDATE: การอบรมครูฝึกรุกขกรรมขึ้นต้น กทม. รุ่นที่ 1

ในปี 2561 กลุ่มบิ๊กทรีได้ดำเนินการโครงการอบรมเชิงปฏิบัติการตัดแต่งต้นไม้ใหญ่ (พนักงานรุกขกรขั้นต้น) สำหรับเจ้าหน้าที่กรุงเทพมหานคร เพื่อผลิตรุกขกรที่มีคุณภาพให้กับหน่วยงานต่างๆที่มีภารกิจดูแลต้นไม้ใหญ่ โดยเฉพาะในพื้นที่สาธารณะและต้นไม้ริมถนนที่มีปัญหากับสายไฟ

การอบรมจัดขึ้นทั้งหมด 6 รุ่น รุ่นละ 6 วัน ระหว่างเดือนมกราคม ถึงเดือนพฤษภาคม 2561 สำหรับเจ้าหน้าที่กรุงเทพมหานครทั้งหมด 50 เขต เขตละ 30 คน แบ่งพื้นที่การอบรมเป็นดังนี้ 1. สำนักงานเขตกรุงเทพกลาง 2. สำนักงานเขตกรุงธนใต้ 3. สำนักงานเขตกรุงเทพใต้ 4. สำนักงานเขตกลุ่มกรุงเทพเหนือ 5. สำนักงานเขตกรุงเทพตะวันออก 6. สำนักงานเขตกรุงธนเหนือ โดยเจ้าหน้าที่ กทม. ที่มีหน้าที่ดูแลต้นไม้ทั้งในแนวสายไฟและต้นไม้ตามสวนสาธารณะทั่วไป และจะมีการอบรมตัดแต่งต่อไปอีกในอนาคต พร้อมทั้งยกระดับมาตรฐานขั้นสูงต่อไป

Aborists Session on 10 September 2017

Types

Locations