Victoria receives her certificate at the end of her Volunteership December 2023.
Welcome to a page of testimonials contributed by recent long-term volunteers at FORRU-CMU! Explore first-hand accounts their experiences and how their time with the unit impacted their personal and professional growth.
Tierney helped seedling care at Ban Mae Sa tree community nursery in 2025.
My internship in Chiang Mai was a great addition to my study abroad experience. I enjoyed getting involved in the community and trying new activities that I wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. It gave me a better sense of daily life in Thailand and added some meaningful variety to my semester. I think future students would appreciate the chance to learn and explore in a hands-on way.
Bruno prepared seedling for planting season in 2025. I volunteered for four months at the Forest Restoration Research Unit, from mid-April to early August 2025.
I joined FORRU as a recent master’s graduate, eager to explore every aspect of forest restoration and better understand the professional path I wished to pursue. This internship turned out to be one of the most enriching experiences of my life, both personally and professionally.
From a professional perspective, FORRU offered me a highly flexible programme that allowed me to deepen my knowledge across all areas of forest restoration, always taking into account my goals, skills, and interests. I had the opportunity to work on controlled laboratory experiments, pilot UAVs, support educational events, and take part in hands-on restoration activities. I am deeply grateful to Professor Stephen Elliott and the rest of the team for their continuous support and valuable guidance.
On a personal level, I immediately felt welcomed. The entire staff is inspiring, passionate, and they are genuinely wonderful people. I already miss those days and wish all the best to the amazing FORRU team. Sawadee krub!
Message from Susan Doust – AYAD Volunteer with FORRU 2004-5
Wishing FORRU a very happy 30th Anniversary!
Susan Doust - planting at Mae Hia August 2004. Congratulations to the FORRU team and everyone who has been a part of FORRU over the last 30 years. It is such an important and valuable program for tropical forest restoration in Thailand and the region. I first heard about FORRU and the work of Stephen Elliott and others at Chiang Mai University from my PhD supervisor David Lamb who often mentioned it when speaking of the framework species method for forest restoration. I was fortunate enough to be able to work with you all as part of the FORRU team in 2004/2005 and it would be one of the most exciting and memorable times in my life. I was really impressed with how well your program integrated the practical and scientific aspects of forest restoration and understood the important connections between forests and culture, which is probably one of the main reasons why it has been so successful. The results achieved by FORRU over the years are a testament to all your hard work and innovation and sets a standard for forest restoration education and research that should be applied globally. I'm sure FORRU's work will continue to grow and develop for many years into the future just like the forests you are helping to protect and restore. I really would love to return to Chiang Mai one day to see you all again.
Nant planted trees at Pong Yaeng Nork in 2024. As an Environmental Science student at Chiang Mai University, I had the privilege of interning with FORRU-CMU as part of my undergraduate program. During my internship, I gained hands-on experience in nursery work, seed collection, drone monitoring, tree and seedling surveys, seed morphology studies, and data management. I was also involved in updating species information and supporting educational activities. Working alongside the passionate and supportive FORRU team deepened my knowledge of forest restoration and forest ecology. I truly appreciated the chance to contribute to all aspects of the work like fieldwork, officework and scientific research. My time at FORRU-CMU has been truly inspiring and will remain a cherished part of my academic journey.
Pai was doing seedling care at the Hariphunchai Lamphun nursery in 2025. Hello, my name is Kunnutcha Chumphu. I am currently studying in the Department of Highland Agriculture and Natural Resources at Chiang Mai University. I had the opportunity to do an internship with FORRU for a period of two months, from April to May 2025. Working with FORRU was a truly valuable experience for me. My responsibilities were divided into two main areas. Firstly, nursery work such as seed germination and potting seedling. Secondly, educational outreach, where I joined activities to teach students in various schools about forest restoration. Throughout the internship, I was able to develop both hard skills, such as using tools and equipment, and soft skills, including communication and teamwork. Being part of FORRU was a meaningful opportunity, and I am truly grateful and deeply impressed to have been given the chance to work here.
Mena demonstrated how to do seedling plotting at Doi Suthep nursery in 2024.I feel very honored to have participated as an intern for one month during FORRU’s special 30th-anniversary period. Although it was a short time, I was able to experience many activities related to forest restoration and had a highly enriching and educational experience. Through various activities such as educational events, nursery care, fieldwork, data collection, and seed gathering, I learned the knowledge and practical skills necessary for forest restoration. My time at FORRU gave me the opportunity to deeply consider how nature and human society should coexist. I hope to apply this valuable experience to my studies at university and further explore how human culture impacts the environment.
Isabelle was an intern with FORRU-CMU from August 2023 until January 2024.Hi, I’m Isabelle and I was an intern with FORRU-CMU from August 2023 until January 2024. I am studying Environmental Sciences in my home country the Netherlands, and this internship was part of my undergraduate degree program. I helped the FORRU staff with their projects, which was a really nice way for me to learn a lot about forest ecosystem restoration and how important all the research is that FORRU does. It felt incredible to be a part of the staff for half a year and actually feeling like my work has a positive impact on the environment. Field trips can be hard work, the days can be long and are very hot. However, the work is very rewarding and the staff is so kind, which makes the field trips a lot of fun as well. I will always remember this formative experience and the opportunity I got to work with the FORRU-CMU team.
Victoria collects seedling-growth data with Jarik at the Ban Mae Sa tree nursery. Hi, I'm Victoria and I worked with FORRU-CMU for 4 months August to December 2023. I am studying Biology back home in Maryland and was looking for practical experience. Working with FORRU-CMU staff was a wonderful experience. I helped out with educational events, fieldwork in forest, seedling care, seed extraction and data collection. Before working with FORRU-CMU, I had very little experience with fieldwork and now I have developed strong skills and practical experience, all really rewarding. Volunteering at FORRU-CMU is arduous sometimes, long and hot days, but it was worth it, as I felt I made a lasting difference.
Elsa spent 9 months at FORRU-CMU as part of her undergraduate degree.I spent 9 months atElsa FORRU-CMU, as part of my undergraduate degree. During this time, I learnt about and was practically involved with all the steps of tropical forest restoration, using the framework tree species method. This included work in the nursery, in the field and educational events and working with drones. Through my time at FORRU-CMU, I was able to meet a range of people within the field and learn all things trees from the experts. I found a particular interest in seeds and nursery work, doing research on germination and keeping track of all the species. It was a privilege to work with an amazingly hardworking and friendly team, and what better place to do this than beautiful Chiang Mai.
Tending planted trees at Ban Pong Khrai.I spent five months (1/2/23-15/6/23) at FORRU-CMU, as part of my Master’s Degree in Ecology. It was a very enriching experience. I contributed to a wide variety of activities: education events, field trips in the native forest, seedling care, data collection and more. I designed and implemented a small research project that greatly improved my skills in experimental design and my capacity for independent work. I also participated in tree planting and maintenance, which was really rewarding. Volunteering at FORRU-CMU is hard work some days, but it is worth it, because it allows you to contribute to something bigger than yourself—something that will have long-lasting positive effects.
Collecting germination data at FORRU-CMU's small nursery facility behind the Biology Department.Volunteering at FORRU-CMU was one of my favorite experiences of living in Chiang Mai! It is such a wonderful way to connect with the community and help the beautiful, thriving environment there. I learned so much about environmental rehabilitation and conservation, and the importance of these practices for our forests. I also gained experience of seedling experiments and community outreach, and I developed a new appreciation for the environment around me. I absolutely loved every bit of my time working with CMU's Forest Restoration Research Unit and will forever cherish the knowledge I gained and the formative experiences I had with the team.
These testimonials show how hands-on learning, timely mentorship and rewarding work at FORRU-CMU can deliver formative experiences. If you're considering joining our volunteership program, please browse the volunteership page and then contact us.
