1 - Overview
2 - Introduction to the area
3 - Geology & Climate
Granite
Climate
4 - Vegetation
5 - Forest Types
Vegetation
Tea/Miang Plantations
Forrest Conservation
6 - The Pang Soong Treewalk
7 - Treespecies
Fig Trees
Epiphytes
Saprophytes
Bamboo
Click here for full tree list
8 - Forest Fires

9 - Birds
Observing Birds
10 - Bird Trail Walk
11 - Mammals
Mammals of Northern Thailand
Mammals of Pang Soong
12 - Insects
Introduction
13 - Projects
Observing Birds & Mammals
Watching Birds, makung use of Observations
Identification
Behaviour
Mammals
14 - Biographies of contributing experts

The present vegetation of Thailand consists of two basic categories: deciduous and evergreen.
Due to seasonality, there is a distinct dry period ranging from a few weeks in the peninsula to several months in most other parts of the country. Seasonality and elevation are the most important factors influencing the vegetation in the Kingdom.
The vegetation of the Mae Lai Valley is typical for northern Thailand. Prior to human disturbance of the region, i.e. more than 700 years ago, there was forest cover everywhere. Lowland forest cover was destroyed long ago to create agricultural land and also to produce wood for construction and fuel. Commercial logging began in the late 19th century and resulted in the destruction of all remnant lowland forests and severe degredation of many forested areas below 1000 m. Upland areas (above 1000 m) have been subsequently destroyed by primitive and pervasive hill-tribe agriculture.

Below 850 m, the west side of Doi Lohn has been logged, repeatedly burned, and grazed and “developed”. The forest cover above this is basically intact since there has never been exploitative logging, hill-tribe villages or widespread fire. There has been some changes on several ridges adjacent to Mae Lai Valley where the original forest was cleared and planted with a native species of pine Pinus kesiya Roy. ex Gord., (Pinaceae, 3-needled pine). This programme was initiated by the Royal Forest Department in the 1960’s in an innapropriate and futile attempt at “watershed management”. Although the “reforestation” has been politically sucessful, all other aspects of this environmentally incorect policy have been disastrous since biodiversity has been destroyed, water availability reduced, and disastrous fires increased.

Fortunately the forest above Mae Lai Village has not been officially regulated. Although hardly pristine in many areas due to tea/miang plantations, there is still much original forest cover away from these places. The northeast ridge above the village has a large gap which was originally cultivated (most likely for opium) by hill-tribe people from the east side of the mountain. Aside from this the valley has intact forest cover.