Mae Ping

The 17.6-hectare (440 x 400m) Mae Ping Forest Dynamics Plot was established in 2004 at Mae Ping National Park by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, Thailand (DNP) under the direction of Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin.

The forest within the Mae Ping FDP is classified as deciduous dipterocarp forest (DDF), a unique ecosystem found only in mainland Southeast Asia. It is characterized by an open canopy with ground cover consisting of grasses and seedlings of canopy trees. The forest is subject to annual ground fires. DDF is composed of a distinctive set of dominant canopy species. At least one or more of the five deciduous dipterocarp species — Shorea obtusa, S. siamensis, Dipterocarpus intricatus, D. obtusifolius, and D. tuberculatus — form the core of the DDF stands.  

The floristic composition of the Mae Ping FDP is dominated by two deciduous dipterocarp species, Dipterocarpus tuberculatus and Shorea obtusa, which account for 75% of total basal area and 42% of trees ≥1 cm dbh in the plot. As expected, the Mae Ping FDP exhibits lower diversity compared to other forest dynamics plots in Thailand, with approximately 120 species among 15,000 individual trees. The plot's altitude ranges from 676 to 725 meters above sea level.

Recensuses of the plot were conducted in 2009, 2019, and 2023. Funding has been provided by various sources: the DNP supported the initial census in 2004 and the 2009 census, Sarayudh Bunyavejchewin financed the 2019 census, and ForestGEO contributed to the 2023 census.