Chiang Mai University (CMU) offers free educational programmes on ecosystems, looking at wild flora and fauna,for local and national communities, in support of Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land). In 2025,two units of the CMU Faculty of Science ran these programmes on Doi Suthep, the forested mountain next to the main campus : the Doi Suthep Nature Center (DNSC) and the Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU-CMU).
Doi Suthep Nature Classroom (DNSC). Students and teachers learn in the forest itself. They walk nature trails, observe wild plants, insects and resident birds with expert guides, and survey stream animals such as aquatic insect larvae to judge water quality. They also visit the "Lanna Seed Heritage" exhibition and the native tree nursery. In 2025, DNSC ran 21 Nature Classroom sessions for schools and community groups. Examples :
Date (2025)
| Group
| Participants
|
6 January
| Bunyawat Witthayalai School, Lampang
| 37
|
27 January
| Maerim Witthayakhom, Chiang Mai
| 45
|
27 February
| Ban San Kamohaeng School, Chiang Mai
| 56
|
28 February
| San Pa Tong Withayakhom School,Chiang Mai
| 55
|
7 March
| Elderly school of Saraphi Subdistrict Municipality, Chaing Mai
| 35
|
2 October
| Phayao Phitthayakhom School,Phayao
| 35 |
All Nature Classroom sessions are free of charge.
Doi Suthep Walk (DSNC). Free guided hikes in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park that teach the public about forest types, plants and wildlife along the trail. In 2025 there were three walks: 17 May (mixed deciduous forest to Monthathan Waterfall), 29 June (Wat Pha Lat nature trail) and 25 October (Rusi Cave to the giant banyan tree trail).
One Day with a Scienctist: "Snake Talk", 24 July 2025 (DSNC). A free one-day workshop on snake ecology for the public. It covered why snakes matter in nature, a guided nature walk with close, expert-supervised contact with snakes, and first aid for venomous snakebite. Speakers came from the Lanna Wild Bird Restoration Fund and included a paediatrician.
Native tree nursery volunteer days (DSNC Seed Bank). Under the Seed Bank project for conserving the genetic resources of northern native trees, the public jointed four free volunteer days at the DSNC nursery in 2005, including 24 May, 23 August and 29 November. Volunteers learn to handle, sow and care for native tree seedlings.
FORRU-CMU volunteer days and courses (free). FORRU-CMU runs volunteer days for groups of about 10 people at its Doi Suthep and Ban Mae Sa Mai nurseries and at restoration plots in Mae Rim. Volunteers learn to clean, sow and raise native tree seeds and collect wild seedlings. FORRU provides transport, staff, food, equipment and printed materials free of charge. Its online course "Fundamental Ecosystem Restoration" (15 topics, with an e-certificate) was free on CMU MOOC until 1 April 2025.
Sources
- Doi Suthep Nature Center,Faculty of Science, CMU. News and activity reports, Januart-November 2025.
- Doi Suthep Nature Center. "Nature learning activities", service page.
- FORRU-CMU. "Volunteer events" and "Forest restoration cources" , outreach pages.
- CMU School of Lifelong Education. Announcement of free CMU MOOC courses, 7 May 2025.