The Nan Project, directed by Assist. Prof. Dr. Dia Shannon comprises 3 research initiatives:
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From a Bare Mountain to a Regenerated Forest: compared landscape planting designs for forest restoration in Nan Province, sponsored by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 2017 to 2020.
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Forest Landscape Restoration and Community Well-being: supported by the Program Management Unit on Area Based Development (PMU A), 2020 to 2021.
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Evaluating Changes and Ecosystem Services of Nan Restored Forests: funded by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 2021 to 2022.
The research spans three districts of Nan Province—Pua, Phu Phiang and Wiang Sa—with three plots in each district. The project commenced with a survey of reference forest remnants, near the restoration sites, including i) the Nam Kaen - Nam Sa Watershed Forests (Phu Phiang District), supervised by the Royal Forest Department; ii) Mon Hin Kaew Community Forest (Pua District) and iii) Ban Muang Noeng Community Forest (Wiang Sa District). The survey involved documenting tree density, species diversity and phenology, as well as bird diversity, over three years. Such data were then compared with the same in restoration forests, established in the 3 districts.
Knowledge of the framework species method of forest ecosystem restoration was transferred to local communities and restoration plots of various sizes were planted with a range of indigenous framework tree species. Post-restoration activities include frequent weeding and fertilizer application, as well as the cutting of firebreaks in the dry season. Monitoring focused on survival and growth rates of each species, as well as the diversity of soil microbial communities. Ecosystem services, provided by the restored forests, including climate control, were evaluated, along with forest products used by local people. The effects of restoration on the quality of life of local people was also assessed. Currently, villagers who are project members continue to actively contribute to the care of the restored forest, to ensure its long-term health and growth.
In collaboration with:
Biodiversity
Biodiversity recovery is one of the main aims of forest restoration - but what to measure? Plants? Birds? Mammal? Learn simple monitoring techniques here.
51: Trees and Ground Flora Diversity of Framework Species Plantation Plots and Dong Seng Forest, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province
ABSTRACT: The framework species method (FSM), combined with assisted natural regeneration (ANR) aims to restore forest biomass, structure, biodiversity and ecological functioning to levels similar...
52: Bird communities and seedling recruitment in restoring seasonally dry forest using the framework species method in Northern Thailand
ABSTRACT: This study examined the effects of framework trees, planted in 1998, and bird community on the natural recruitment of tree seedling species in a forest restoration experiment designed to...
53: A Technical Strategy for Restoring Krabi’s Lowland Tropical Forest
This report is one of the outputs from the project “Gurney’s Pitta Research and Conservation in Thailand and Myanmar”, implemented by the U.K.’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)...
54: Research for Restoring Tropical Forest Ecosystems: A Practical Guide
Aimed at researchers and their supervisors, this technical manual describes how to establish a forest restoration research unit (FORRU) and implement a research program to determine how best to...
55: Natural Establishment of Tree Seedlings in Forest Restoration Trials at Ban Mae Sa Mai, Chiang Mai Province
ABSTRACT: The Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) has successfully adapted the framework species method of forest restoration to accelerate natural forest regeneration on deforested sites in...
56: Arbuscular mycorrhizal status of indigenous tree species used to restore seasonally dry tropical forest in northern Thailand
ABSTRACT - Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) status of native plants in the tropical forest of northern Thailand was surveyed. Twenty-four framework tree species, used to forest restoration were...
57: Vegetation of Doi Tung, Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand
The climate of Doi Tung, Chiang Rai Province, is monsoonal with three distinct seasons, viz. cool-dry, hot-dry, and rainy. The elevation ranges from c. 350-1525m and most of the bedrock is...
58: Using avian species richness and avian community composition as indicators of successful forest restoration
Tidarach Toktang was one of FORRU's Education Officers and our MSc student, who studied recolonization of FORRU's plot system above Ban Mae Sa by birds from surrounding forest. She presented some...
59: The Effects of Planted Trees and Bird Community on Natural-Seedling Recruitment in Forest Restoration Area Using Framework Tree Species Method
ABSTRACT: This study examined the effects of planted framework trees and bird communities on natural tree seedling recruitment in forest restoration trials (using the framework species method),...
60: The Effects of Forest Restoration on the Species Diversity and Composition of a Bird Community in Northern Thailand
ABSTRACT: As tropical forests continue to be destroyed, restoration of forest ecosystems is becoming a high priority for biodiversity conservation. However, few studies have been carried out to...