The Royal Forest Department (RFD) began the second phase of its plan to transform a decommissioned zinc mine in Tak province into a learning centre for forest ecology on Monday.
Amnuayporn Chondamrongkul, the department's deputy director-general said a reforestation method commonly known as the "Miyawaki" method was to be used to turn the wasteland into a forest park.
The 2,077-rai site, located in tambon Phra That Phadaeng, is actually a forest reserve that was used for zinc mining for several years by a private company before it was returned to the state after its concession expired.
The plan to reforest the area is a part of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's royal initiative project. The project is advised by Rachel Warmington, an expert horticulturalist who was involved in the Eden Project, which saw an abandoned clay pit in Cornwall in the UK, transformed into a renowned ecological park.
Ms Amnuayporn said the RFD has been tasked to replant trees in the area using the Miyawaki method, which is different to the department's approach to reforestation.
Named after the respected Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, the method is aimed at promoting ecological diversity.
The Miyawaki method calls for the planting of between three to five native tree species in the space of one square metre, which means some 20,000 to 60,000 seedlings will be planted for every rai.
"Usually, we only plant between 200-400 seedlings per rai," said Ms Amnuayporn, before adding that the higher density of vegetation helps improve the seedlings' chances of survival.
"The teak trees we planted last year are growing at a rather fast rate, and the number of dead trees is minimal," she said.
"We hope to see the same result in the second phase."
Ms Amnuayporn also said that the department is planning to choose trees and other plants whose foliage and flowers have yellow and purple hues in order to honour His Majesty the King and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's birthday.
"The forest's yellow and purple flowers will become a tourist magnet in future," she said.
Last week, the department started the second phase of reforestation with the Miyawaki method at the Padaeng site, which saw about 15 out of the of 2,077-rai mining site planted with around 25,000 seedlings and sprouts.
