Potential Native Plant Selection for Sustainable Landscape Architecture in Wangchan Forest, Rayong, Thailand

Information from the abstract

Landscape architecture in Thailand still relies heavily on commercially propagated species. While convenient,this dependence narrows the design palette and promotes inclusion of exotic species or ecologically unsuitableplants, undermining biodiversity, long-term sustainability, and ecological resilience. By contrast, sustainablelandscape architecture prioritizes indigenous and locally adapted species that are visually expressive yetecologically matched to local conditions, thereby reducing maintenance, supporting native biota, and articulatingregional identity. This research investigated the Wangchan Forest in Rayong Province to develop a systematicprocess for identifying and selecting native plants for landscape use. The study objectives were to: (1) developa framework for selecting native species; (2) compile a list of native plants in Wangchan Forest; and (3)recommend species suitable for sustainable landscape design. The study combined botanical database analysiswith ethnobotanical inquiry. Data were drawn from Thai Plant Names by Tem Smitinand for the SoutheasternFloristic Region and complemented by semi-structured interviews with herbal doctors, local pioneers, andformer loggers with experiential knowledge of the forest. Species were evaluated using criteria emphasizingecological adaptability, microclimatic and edaphic compatibility, water requirements, and functional roles inlandscape design. Of the 13,527 plant species listed in the national database, 1,724 occur in the SoutheasternFloristic Region. Cross-referencing with local knowledge confirmed 516 species as native to Wangchan Forestand identified 137 additional species recognized locally but absent from the database, highlighting the valueof traditional ecological knowledge. Applying the selection framework yielded 125 native species recommendedfor landscape application, categorized into drought-tolerant, moderately drought-tolerant, high-humidity, andriparian or aquatic groups. Integrating scientific data with Local Ecological Knowledge thus provides a practical,replicable framework for native plant selection that expands the ecological and cultural richness of sustainablelandscape architecture in Thailand.

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Related topics: Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies · Botany and Plant Ecology Studies · Urban Arborization and Environmental Studies