Trialling forest sound monitoring: piloting bioacoustic technology to measure biodiversity at Ban Mae Sa
The research team tested AudioMoth natural sound recorders in the Ban Mae Sa community, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai, and analysed the sound data to identify bird species diversity using BirdNET Analyzer. The work is a prototype for biodiversity reports for project supporters.
Translated from Thai · reviewed by the CF team
In addition to the satellite imagery currently used as the main monitoring method, the Forest Guardians Project has begun testing natural sound recording technology (bioacoustics) to further measure forest biodiversity. The team used AudioMoth sound recorders to collect data in a sample forest area in the Ban Mae Sa community, Pong Yaeng Subdistrict, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, then analysed the sound files and identified bird species diversity using BirdNET Analyzer, which has a global database of bird sounds for comparison.
Bird species diversity is one indicator of forest biodiversity. This test is a first step towards developing a prototype biodiversity report for the project’s supporters, complementing the satellite data already used to monitor forest boundaries, the vegetation condition index (NDVI) and burn scars. If more equipment becomes available in the future, the same monitoring approach is planned for use in other PES areas across the country.