Nursery technology and tree species selection for restoring forest biodiversity in northern Thailand

ABSTRACT: The Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) was established in 1994 to develop methods to restore forest ecosystems in degraded areas for the conservation of biodiversity in northern Thailand. A research programme was carried out to screen nearly 400 native forest tree species for their potential usefulness in forest restoration programmes. Studies on each species included observations of flowering and fruiting phenology and experiments on seed germination and seedling growth in the nursery. Nursery trials were essential, because very little data on seedling performance were available for most of the native species being screened. Ease of propagation was one of the key criteria used for subsequent selection of thirty “framework species” for planting trials. Larger numbers of seedlings of these framework species are now being produced for field trials. This requires more research on nursery production, planning and ultimately the drafting of “production schedules”.

This paper focuses on the application of nursery technology to native tree production for a forest restoration programme. It highlights key issues related to the technology and its management for further discussion, including scaling up production. It also emphasises the selection criteria for framework species, including the importance of propagation.