Restoring Upland Evergreen Forest at Mon Cham with the Rajapruek Institute Foundation (RIF)

Planting day (21/7/22).This project, sponsored by Rajapruek Institute Foundation (RIF), carried out restoration of an evergreen forest ecosystem by the framework species method at Mon Cham. The project started operating in 2022 until 2024, covering 10 rai and involving the planting of 2,000 trees of 22 species, to complement pre-existing natural regeneration. The restored site was an evergreen forest near the Mon Cham viewpoint and tourist attraction on the edge of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. Although this site was previously restored in 2012 (sponsored by PATT), the restoration was unsuccessful due to lack of maintenance and financial barriers. After planting, site maintenance (Weeding and fertilizer application) was performed for the following 2 rainy seasons. Planted trees, biodiversity status and carbon content in the restored area were monitored to access the success of restoration and health of an ecosystem. These survey were taken place in a control plot (where no restoration interventions had been undertaken) (CON), the young restoration plot planted in 2022 (MC22), an adjacent older restoration plot planted in 2012 (MC12) and the reference forest, a small patch of disturbed primary forest adjacent to the planted areas.

Tree performance

Monitoring of the planted trees for baseline data (BL) was performed on the end of the first rainy season (R1) and the end of the second rainy season (R2). Root collar diameter (RCD) was measured by Vernier calipers and tree height by tape measure along with crown width at the widest point. A health score was assigned to each tree along with a descriptive note about any health problems observed. Overall survival of planted trees was 96% at the end of the first rainy season and 84% at the end of the second rainy season. 13 of the 22 species tested exceeded 50% of the maximum performance score.R1 monitoring at the end of the first rainy season (26/11/22).

Biodiversity Leopard Cat in the day time, close to a camera trap in the MC12 plot.

Regarding biodiversity monitoring, bird surveys were conducted by direct observation using binoculars and mammals were surveyed by camera trapping. The bird and mammal communities over the entire plot system exhibited high species richness. A total of 125 bird species, representing 40 families (not including 11 unidentified species), were observed over the whole area and all observation periods. Camera trapping showed higher mammal activity in forested plots than in the control. Despite being highly disturbed and fragmented, the area retained at least small to medium sized mammal species including Leopard Cat, Pangolin, Hog Badger, Common Palm Civet, Large Indian Civet and Asiatic Golden Jackal. Asiatic Golden Jackal

Carbon

Carbon monitoring at the Mon Cham plot system was performed using 8 circular sampling units in each of four areas: control plot, 2 restored plots and reference forest. Carbon was assessed in three pools: i) trees, by allometric equations, ii) ground vegetation, by weighing dry mass and iii) soil, by analysis of organic matter content. Surveys were performed twice during the project period, just over 14 months apart. Carbon accumulation during restoration was rapid, with levels in the young and old restoration sites attaining 22% and 54% that of reference forest within 2 and 12 years respectively following tree planting. The oldest restored forest (MC12) currently stores 4-5 times more carbon than the control plot.Measuring trees for carbon storage.