Forest Restoration for Wildlife Conservation

In 2000, there was little interest in restoring tropical forest ecosystems as wildlife habitat. The need was to consolidate the concept and to identify how scientific research might contribute towards its advancement. Therefore, FORRU-CMU invited key researchers in the field to join a workshop in Chiang Mai in February 2000, to develop a research agenda for the subsequent decade. The event helped to establish forest ecosystem restoration as a respectable field of study and spawned many research projects, which have now overcome most of the technical barriers to its realization. It helped to transform forest ecosystem restoration from the unattainable ideal of a few ecologists in the 90's into a practical achievable activity, which is now being implemented on a global scale. 

SUMMARY: This book presents the proceedings of "A Scientific and Technical Workshop on Forest Restoration for Wildlife Conservation", held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 30th January- 4th February 2000, organised by the Forest Restoration Research Unit of Chiang Mai University and sponsored by the International Tropical Timber Organisation.  It comprises 28 peer-reviewed papers, summarising the status of forest restoration in the region and covering a wide range of technical subjects, from seed collection to silviculture, as well as social issues.  A fascinating array of projects is presented, from restoring forests for Asiatic Lions in India to planting wildlife corridors in Australia. A wide range of examples of innovative techniques and best practice are included, of interest to both scientists and practitioners of forest restoration. The workshop culminated in the production of the Chiang Mai Research Agenda to Restore Degraded Forestland for Wildlife Conservation in Southeast Asia, which will help forest researchers, policymakers and funding agencies focus on the most important areas requiring further study.Workshop participants on the steps of the Tarrin Hotel Chiang Mai February 2000