Project/activity information

This project builds on the completed ITTO project PD 2/99 Rev.2 (F), whose output was a set of procedures for forest resource monitoring (THAIFORM) that included techniques for establishing monitoring points, collecting and processing field data, and GIS analysis.

The project aims to generate monitoring information to support informed policy decision-making by the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department of Thailand (DNP) and other agencies involved in forest conservation and sustainable forest management (SFM). The specific project objective is to set up a national monitoring system to provide change and trend data on timber and non-timber forest resources. When linked with socio-economic information, this data will provide a basis for policy decisions and for measuring progress toward SFM by reporting on the national Criteria and Indicators (C&I).

Through the project, Thailand will be able to set up the baseline forest resources monitoring system within a relatively short time-frame (< 3years), to allow continuous monitoring. Without project intervention, this process would take longer (7-10 years) and it would be impossible to measure changes and trends over time at the national level. Once established, the monitoring system will be managed and financed by DNP since the costs of plot remeasurements will be spread over time.

The expected project outputs are a national baseline forest resources monitoring system, a campaign to promote the use of the monitoring information, and a baseline national C&I report.