Suan Dusit University (SDU) has established a comprehensive institutional framework to promote the sustainable use, conservation, and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, grounded in the Plant Genetic Conservation Project under the Royal Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (RSPG–Suan Dusit University). This framework, which serves as the university’s overarching environmental and land management policy, reflects SDU’s commitment to protecting biodiversity, restoring degraded land, and ensuring that all uses of terrestrial resources are aligned with the principles of sustainability and ecological balance. The framework encapsulates three interrelated policy directions that address SDG 15.3.1, 15.3.2, and 15.3.3, focusing respectively on sustainable land use, monitoring of conservation species, and reduction of alien species impact.
At the foundation of this policy framework lies the royal philosophy of “Conserve – Restore – Utilize Sustainably,”which emphasizes a balance between conservation and the wise use of natural resources. Under this principle, SDU has implemented a systematic approach to ecosystem conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable land management across its campuses and associated areas. The framework calls for the protection of terrestrial ecosystems, including forests, green spaces, and agricultural landscapes, by integrating scientific research, local ecological knowledge, and community participation into land use planning. The university’s ongoing work in reforestation, soil and water conservation, and habitat restoration demonstrates its institutional commitment to sustainable land use policy and its contribution to ecosystem restoration in line with SDG 15.3.1.
In addition to sustainable land management, the RSPG–SDU framework outlines policies to identify, monitor, and protect conservation species in alignment with SDG 15.3.2. Through biodiversity surveys, genetic resource documentation, and the establishment of a Plant Genetic Database, SDU maintains records of rare, threatened, and endemic plant species within its operational areas. Many of these species—such as Elaeocarpus hygrophilus (Maput), Dillenia indica (Elephant Apple), and Melodorum fruticosum (Lamduan)—are recognized as significant in Thailand’s national conservation list and are consistent with categories of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The university actively conserves these species through cultivation in protected learning plots and botanical gardens at its Suphan Buri campus, ensuring that habitats are preserved and ecological interactions are maintained. This monitoring mechanism supports ongoing research, education, and awareness initiatives that strengthen SDU’s role as a guardian of biodiversity and a leader in ecosystem-based conservation education.
Furthermore, the RSPG–SDU policy framework incorporates proactive measures to reduce the impact of alien and invasive species within university-managed ecosystems, as reflected in SDG 15.3.3. The university promotes the planting of native and local plant species in reforestation and landscape development projects to prevent ecological imbalance caused by invasive alien species. Landscape management plans emphasize native biodiversity enhancement, habitat connectivity, and ecological resilience, ensuring that alien species do not disrupt local ecosystems or threaten endemic flora and fauna. Through these initiatives, SDU has created a model for sustainable campus ecology, where native plant diversity thrives and environmental stewardship is embedded in daily university operations.
Collectively, these policies represent a holistic approach to terrestrial ecosystem conservation and restoration, positioning Suan Dusit University as a leading institution in implementing sustainability principles at the policy level. The RSPG–SDU framework aligns education, research, and community engagement to advance biodiversity conservation, sustainable land use, and environmental awareness, while fostering a sense of shared responsibility among students, staff, and local communities. By embedding conservation ethics into institutional policy and practice, SDU not only protects its own ecological assets but also contributes to Thailand’s broader efforts toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.
Through the integration of policy and practice under the RSPG–SDU initiative, Suan Dusit University demonstrates that the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of land—along with the protection of species and the control of alien species impacts—can coexist harmoniously within the academic mission of a modern university. The framework thus serves as a living model of how higher education can drive environmental resilience, safeguard biodiversity, and cultivate sustainable land stewardship for future generations.