Since 1994 Chiang Mai University’s Forest Restoration Unit (FORRU) has been developing techniques to restore tropical forests to degraded areas in northern Thailand.

FORRU has tested more than 400 local candidate tree species in the nursery and the field to determine the ones most suitable for restoring evergreen forests. From 1998-2007 FORRU and villagers in the Hmong village of Ban Mae Sa Mai in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park have planted more than 77,000 trees on 154 rai.

The Framework Species Method
FORRU’s framework species method relies on planting a minimum number of indigenous forest tree species for maximum ecological benefit. Framework species are selected for their potential to accelerate biodiversity recovery and enhance natural regeneration, creating a self-sustaining forest ecosystem from a single planting event.
Characteristics of framework tree species:

• high survival when planted out in deforested sites;
• rapid growth;
• dense, spreading crowns that shade out herbaceous weeds and
• flowering or fruiting, or provision of other resources, at a young age, to attract seed dispersing wildlife.

The method is working. With appropriate site preparation, planting and maintenance techniques, a survival rate of well over 90% is being achieved in the FORRU plots. Tree growth is rapid, with some species reaching seven metres just 18 months after planting.
Research in the older field plots is yielding very promising results of forest recovery. Within ten years the variety of bird species has increased, from 30 to 87 species. Sites planted with 30 plant species are now recording 90 native species due to natural forest regeneration.
In comparison, the degraded control plots have a thick cover of tall grasses and weeds with negligible forest recovery, showing that tree planting intervention is necessary to assist forest recovery in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.

Environmental Benefits of Forest Restoration
Successfully restoring native forests to northern Thailand has many benefits, for example, restoring watersheds for maintaining water supplies in the dry season, stabilising eroding soil, providing rural communities with non-timber forest products, and protecting wildlife habitat to conserve biodiversity. The opportunity for these sites to also contribute to Thailand’s efforts in addressing climate change is significant.

FORRU Research Nursery
The main nursery at Doi Suthep-Pui National Park currently produces approximately 80,000 trees per year of around 200 species. As well as trees for experiments, the nursery provides trees to a host of other organizations in northern Thailand, and FORRU uses it to run training programs for other forestry practioners. This work is yielding results, with organisations in Thailand and other countries in the region improving their forest restoration techniques.
Currently research is focusing on rare tree species. The nursery and research staff initially spent a lot of time finding the rare trees within the National Park, and then conducted phenology studies to determine when seeds could be collected. The next step is to find treatments to germinate the seeds or find other ways to propagate these vulnerable species.

Other FORRU Research

• In recent years FORRU has extended its research to lowland deciduous forests, with research sites at Phrae Campus of Mae Jo University, Mae Ow Watershed Development Project in Lamphun Province and at Huay Tung Tao Reservoir near Chiang Mai.
• FORRU is also conducting research to restore lowland rainforest near Krabi in the south of Thailand, to restore the habitat of Gurneys’ Pitta, Thailand’s most endangered bird species.

           

Other FORRU Education activities

• Over the past three years FORRU has been supporting the development of other forest restoration research units in China, Laos and Cambodia.
• Over the past three years FORRU has been supporting twelve village communities spread across four provinces in northern Thailand, to provide resources and training to establish tree nurseries and commence their own forest restoration activities.
• In collaboration with the Prem Tinsulanonda Centre for International Education, FORRU has coordinated education activities at its tree nurseries since May 2005 for international school students. Over the past 18 months more than 600 students have visited, which in turn has financially supported 24 local school events.

FORRU Manual: How to Plant a Forest: The Principles and Practice of Restoring Tropical Forest (2006)

FORRU has compiled a practical manual of its work, available in English, Thai, Laotian, Khmer and Chinese. The manual is available free as downloadable PDF files at www.forru.org or hardcopies may be purchased for 500 baht each. Contact the Unit on ph: 053 943 346 ext. 1135 or email forru@science.cmu.ac.th for more information.

This book shows how the framework species method of forest restoration has been successfully adapted to reestablish forest ecosystems in northern Thailand. Richly illustrated with easy-to-follow diagrams, this book provides advice on how to select appropriate tree species, how to grow them in nurseries, and how to plant and take care of them in deforested areas. The logistics of implementing projects are explained and, most importantly, how to motivate and involve local people. These concepts and techniques could be applied to a wide range of different forest types in other areas.

Other Dot points

• Tropical and sub-tropical forests cover only 16.8 percent of Earth’s land area (FAO, 2001), yet they are home to more than half the planet’s plant and animal species (Wilson, 1988).
  
• The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations estimates that natural tropical forests declined at a rate of 14.2 million hectares (approximately 0.7 percent per year), during 1990-2000 about the same rate of decline as during the previous decade (FAO, 2001).
• Thailand has lost more than half of its natural forest cover since 1961, and is left with about 24% cover. Despite a ban on commercial logging since 1989, forest loss continues.

Snapshot of Ban Mae Sa Mai

Ban Mae Sa Mai is a Hmong village settled in 1967, and was included within the boundaries of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in 1981. Today, Ban Mae Sa Mai consists of 190 households with a population of 1,700 making it the largest Hmong community in northern Thailand.

Despite being within the boundaries of a national Park, Ban Mae Sa Mai is allowed to practice agriculture as they were settled before park establishment (a common occurrence throughout Thailand). Opium poppies were once grown there, but during the 1970’s the practice was phased out and the villagers now grow corn, carrots, cabbages and litchis. More land was needed to grow these crops compared with opium, so more land was cleared. After some time, it became clear that forest clearance was taking its toll on the water supply. Other effects were increased erosion, landslides, drought, and wildlife extirpation.

Not only were the people of the area suffering from the effects of deforestation, the Ban Mae Sa Mai villagers developed a bad reputation for land management. So, in the early 1990’s some village members established the Natural Resource and Environment Conservation Club of Ban Mae Sa Mai. This group encouraged other village members to use the forest resources sustainably. A set of penalties was established for hunting and tree felling, and there was increased protection of the forest around the village and higher up the catchment, to ensure a clean and abundant water supply.  Next to the village, a sacred forest was established, known as “Dong Seng” forest, where rituals are carried out for village and forest protection.
FORRU began working with the villagers in 1997 to construct a community nursery to produce local tree seedlings, train a nursery manager and provided funding for long-term tree planting and educational activities. FORRU supports tree planting, monitoring and maintenance of the planted seedlings. The villagers also make fire breaks and organise forest fire patrols.
A decade on, the planted plots provide the village with a cleaner catchment; wild animals with habitat, and FORRU with research sites to generate useful data. The results have given both the villagers and FORRU the encouragement to continue with forest restoration. The villagers of Ban Mae Sa Mai are also beginning to enjoy a positive reputation in their custodianship of the surrounding forests.

FORRU Citylife Article Photo Captions

1. 15 month old framework tree species exhibiting rapid growth in a plot near Ban Mae Sa Mai.
2. One of the 1998 field sites showing canopy closure and natural forest recovery.
3. The mountain landscape in Doi Suthep Pui National Park during the rainy season: forest has been cleared for crop production (credit: WWF-Canon Ramone Bisset)
4. BMSM Hmong ladies at a planting day
5. Seedlings growing at the research nursery in Doi Suthep Pui National Park
6. Filming for an overseas television programme taking place at the FORRU research nursery, with nursery staff and FORRU co-founder Dr Stephen Elliot.

Filming for an overseas television programme taking place at the FORRU research nursery, with nursery research assistants Khun Tonglao and Khun Somkit