FORRU, in association with the U.K. ’s East Malling Research (EMR) and Wildlife Landscape, received further support from the Darwin Initiative to expand our extension services over 3 years (2005-2008) to three regional countries. This initiative was to facilitate restoration of forest ecosystems for biodiversity recovery in Indochina, by transferring skills and proven technologies to key stakeholders in China , Laos and Cambodia . FORRU assisted them to develop local versions of the framework species technique and design Forest Restoration Research and Training Units in their own countries, based on the existing model that FORRU developed in northern Thailand, suited to their own local ecological and socio-economic conditions. In addition, a new manual, Research for Restoring Tropical Forests was produced, and concise versions of How to Plant A Forest were adapted and translated into the language of each country.

Project Schedule

In the first year of the project (2005 - 2006), Workshops on the Principals & Practice of Forest Restoration were held for each country group at FORRU’s research nursery, community nursery and demonstration plots in Chiang Mai. Training covered both the principles and practices of the framework species method to accelerate biodiversity recovery in planted forests. These workshops were 7-10 days in duration and were attended by up to 15 key personnel from forestry organizations in each country.

Second year (2006 - 2007), these organizations held workshops in their own countries. These in-country workshops were be attended by a wider range of stake-holders identified by each participating organization, and were designed to assist each country to plan their own versions of FORRU.

In the final year (2007- 2008) of the project, a final workshop was held in Chiang Mai for everyone involved in the project to discuss and improve the country FORRU plans. Funding agencies were also be invited to this workshop with a view to generating financial support for each country to establish its own FORRUs.

First Year Outputs (2005 - 2006)

In the first year, we hosted 3 workshops in Chiang Mai for Chinese, Laotian, and Cambodian participants.

The first workshop in 16-25 June 2005 welcomed participants from both Yunan and Sichuan Provinces of southern China . In addition, Dr. David Blakesley and Dr. Neil Hips represented East Malling Research, the project’s implementing organization. Chinese participants joined in the tree planting event at Ban Mae Sa Mai and showed a great deal of enthusiasm throughout the workshop. (Workshop Report - View Gallery)

The second workshop, for Laotians was held from August 23rd to September 2nd, with similarly successful outputs. A mix of forestry personnel and university academics provided a variety of ideas and inputs. In addition, this workshop also welcomed 2 forest officers from Krabi, in southern Thailand , where FORRU is collaborating with the U.K. ’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on a project to restore habitat for Thailand ’s rarest bird species, Gurney’s Pitta. (Workshop Report - View Gallery)

The last workshop, for Cambodians, was completed with 15 key personnel from Cambodia in 1-11 November 2005. In addition, Ms. Dina Gallick and Mr. Tim Grigg from the Humid Tropical Biome from the EDEN UK., joined this workshop as welcomed guests. The enthusiasm of the participants was overwhelming, with a lot of fruitful discussions between participants and villagers in Ban Mae Sa Mai, our demonstration site and model village.(Workshop Report - View Gallery)

Second Year Outputs (2006 - 2007)

For the 2 nd year of Darwin outreach, the in-country workshops in Laos , Cambodia , and China were held in July, October 2006 and March 2007 respectively. The workshop was attended by a wider range of stake-holders identified by each country. Please find out more details below;

The first workshop, “Forest Restoration Research in Lao PDR” was held in 3 – 7 July 2006, Vientiane , Lao PDR. The participants drafted a comprehensive integrated FORRU plan and visited Sangthong district to assess existing herbarium and nursery facilities. They looked at potential sites for field trials and phenology trail. A tree planting ceremony marked the occasion.(Workshop Report - View Gallery)

The second workshop, “Principle and Practice for Forest Restoration: Establishment and Management of a Forest Restoration Research Unit in Cambodia ” was held in 13 – 15 October 2006, Phnom Penh , Cambodia . The participants assessed prospective sites for FORRU during field trips to Khampong Thom and Phanom Kulen in the world heritage site “ Angkor Park ”. In addition, a draft of the Khmer language version of “How to Plant a Forest ” was reviewed. (Workshop Report - View Gallery)

The last workshop, “International Workshop on Forest Restoration ” was held in 1 3 – 15 March 2007, Tengchong , Yunnan , China . The participants were treated to field trips to magnificent Goaligongshan National Nature Reserve where a phenology trials winds through a beautiful rhododendron forest. At nursery, germination trials and seed storage experiments are already underway and a herbarium has been initiated. Participants discussed proposals for extending the work. The work here has been a spectacular success so far. (Workshop Report - View Gallery)