Internationally, a partnership between the Mae Fah Luang Foundation and the National University of Singapore (NUS) has become another major milestone. NUS—one of the world’s leading institutions in environmental and tropical ecosystem research—selected the Doi Tung project area as a research site, reflecting international recognition of Doi Tung as a standout example of forest restoration in Southeast Asia driven by sustained community collaboration over more than 36 years.
The partnership led to the first BioBlitz survey in Doi Tung in October 2025, using 24-hour bioacoustics recording and machine-learning analysis to identify more than 30 species of birds and bats. The team also used environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect genetic traces of rare animals that are difficult to observe directly.
The findings pointed to the richness of the restored landscape and provided evidence of community-led conservation, which remains relatively rare in the region. Researchers found multiple species of freshwater crabs, some of which may not yet have been scientifically recorded, with different species living in different streams—highlighting how each waterway supports its own distinctive ecosystem. They also detected signs of otters, an indicator of clean, healthy water, and observed a variety of birds living close to communities without fear.
Another encouraging sign was the discovery of a white-rumped shama chick, a songbird that is threatened in Southeast Asia—suggesting the area remains a safe and suitable breeding habitat.
Local communities were central to the survey. Drawing on place-based knowledge and wildlife behaviour, residents helped researchers access deeper insights, from identifying aquatic species and tracking animal signs to sharing traditional, low-impact methods of catching fish and crabs. The collaboration not only strengthened scientific understanding, but also reflected the mutual relationship between people and forests that underpins the Doi Tung approach.
While the first survey produced clear signs of ecological recovery, the foundation said it is only the beginning of a long-term collaboration. The Mae Fah Luang Foundation and NUS plan to build on the research, aiming to strengthen Thailand’s role on the global stage in studying tropical mountain ecosystems.
In 2025, the foundation said, it has moved beyond being a restorer of landscapes to becoming a national driver of biodiversity action, based on the belief that conservation can only be sustainable through cooperation across all sectors—with communities at the heart. Biodiversity, it stressed, is natural capital that supports human life every day, and safeguarding it is a shared responsibility in shaping the future for the next generation.