Extensive study has been made by FORRU, local forestry staff and students of Wailailak University of the trees of the lowland forest in the remaining range of Gurney’s Pitta in southern Thailand, including the identity of species and their flowering and fruiting phenologies. Over 180 species of tree have been identified and reference and voucher collections made of leaves and seeds. Phenology trails have been established and over 200 trees individually labelled.
Detailed measurements of sapling growth rates have been made in the tree nursery to identify potential framework species for forest restoration, and field visits have established the identity of trees capable of regenerating in deforested areas. Three different forest restoration methods have been trialled and closely monitored at experimental plots; accelerated natural regeneration, replanting with framework species and direct seeding. All three show potential for wider forest restoration. A technical guide to forest restoration methods in the area has been produced.
Moreover, a local school curriculum “Gurney’s Pitta and Nature” was developed mainly by BCST and its partners. The curriculum aims to i) establish systematically basic learning about Gurney’s Pitta, ii) promote this subject at higher levels of education, iii) promote Gurney’s Pitta as a flagship species for conservation and iv) raise awareness of local people on Gurney’s Pitta conservation.
41: Defining the role of botanic gardens in the science and practice of ecological restoration
Abstract : Many of the skills and resources associated with botanic gardens and arboreta, including planttaxonomy, horticulture, and seed bank management, are fundamental to ecological restoration...
42: The role of botanic gardens in the science and practice of ecological restoration
ABSTRACT: Many of the skills and resources, associated with botanic gardens and arboreta, including plant taxonomy, horticulture and seed bank management, are fundamental to ecological restoration...
43: Fallow to forest: Applying indigenous and scientific knowledge of swidden cultivation to tropical forest restoration
Rotational swidden cultivation systems, with fallow periods long enough for the regeneration of secondary forests are capable of maintaining forest cover and plant diversity in a dynamic balance...
44: 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)...
45: 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...
46: Testing the framework species method for forest restoration in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand
ABSTRACT: The framework species method of reforestation, developed by FORRU (Forest Restoration Research Unit) has been used successfully to restore evergreen forest on degraded former...
47: A Comparison of Growth of Naturally Established and Planted Trees in a Degraded Deciduous Dipterocarp Forest: Assessing the Potential for Forest Regeneration
Deforestation is widely acknowledged as a major environmental problem in the tropics, causing loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation (e.g. soil erosion) Therefore, this...
48: Managing forest succession for biodiversity recovery: balancing ecological and economic needs
An abstract of a presentation made at KMUTT's Field Ecology Symposium in 2007. It outlines restoration options for degraded landscapes and stresses the need to select appropriate techniques that...
49: Recovery of Lichen Diversity During Forest Restoration in Northern Thailand
ABSTRACT: This study investigated the recovery of lichen diversity during restoration of upland evergreen forest in northern Thailand. Lichen diversity and species frequencies were recorded within...
50: How to Plant a Forest: The Principles and Practice of Restoring Tropical Forests
FORRU-CMU's second practical training manual was published in 2005. It includes generic principles of restoration theory and practice, applicable throughout the tropics, as well as descriptions...