January 14: National Forest Conservation Day – The Buddharaksa Community Forest and the Moral Power of Baworn

This article, prepared for Thailand’s National Forest Conservation Day on January 14, presents the case study of the Buddharaksa Community Forest in Sikhio District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The forest represents an integrated model of collaboration among government agencies, the Buddhist Sangha, and local communities. Established under the Treasury Department’s Green Area Conservation initiative and the Royal Forest Department’s Community Forest program, it addresses challenges of deforestation and illegal logging. The article examines how local committees, comprising both laypeople and monastic leaders, co-manage the forest in alignment with the Ministry of Culture’s Department of Religious Affairs through the Moral Community powered by Baworn (home–temple–school) initiative. Findings highlight that the Buddharaksa Community Forest plays a significant role in conserving natural resources, protecting biodiversity, strengthening moral values and sustaining cultural heritage. It stands as a model of sustainable development rooted in Buddhist ethics and the sufficiency economy philosophy, contributing to both national conservation policy and local well-being.