Ecological Service Valuation of Tree Species in Forest Areas of Maejo University Farm, Chiang Mai
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/jare-mju.2026.30Keywords:
species diversity, timber volume, aboveground biomass, carbon storage , deciduous dipterocarp forestAbstract
This study quantified forest ecosystem services within the farm area of Maejo University, Chiang Mai with emphasis on supporting and regulating functions. The analysis estimated timber volume and the economic value of carbon storage in forest biomass. Species diversity was assessed, and tree species were determined based on the IUCN Red List. Timber volume and carbon storage in the forest biomass of large trees were quantified within permanent sample plots. Data were obtained from two permanent plots, each covering 4 hectares (25 rai), located within the study area. The forest was classified as a secondary dry dipterocarp forest, comprising 32 species, 28 genera, and 18 families. The dominant species, based on stand structure and the Importance Value Index (IVI), was Dipterocarpus obtusifolius Teijsm. ex Miq. The conservation status assessment identified Least Concern (LC) - 23 species; Near Threatened (NT) - 3 species; Critically Endangered (CR) - 1 species; and Endangered (EN) - 1 species; the other four species were not listed in the IUCN Red List. Regulating services were quantified through carbon storage and sequestration. Forest carbon stock averaged 37.89 t C ha-1, while carbon sequestration was estimated at 19.09 tCO₂eq rai-1. Over a two-year period (baseline year 2025), net carbon sequestration increased by 133.96 tCO₂eq, corresponding to an economic value of 19,476.39 Thai Baht. Provisioning services were represented by timber volume, with an average of 18.46 m³ ha-1 and a total stand volume of 960.09 m3, yielding an estimated economic value of 1,440,139 Thai Baht. The total economic value of ecosystem services (regulating and provisioning) within the University farm area in 2025 was estimated at 1,459,615.39 Thai Baht. These results demonstrate that the secondary forest system contributes to carbon storage and economic valuation within the university-managed landscapes. Management interventions, including forest patrol, stakeholder awareness, and wildfire prevention, are associated with the maintenance of regulating and supporting services, thereby sustaining ecosystem service flows and enhancing long-term natural capital value.
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