Evaluation of Mangrove Restoration Program in Bangkaew Sub-district, Samutsongkram, Thailand Monthon Ganmanee*, Chayanid Meepoka and Wanlada Klangnurak Department of Animal Production Technology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, King Mongkut Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520 Thailand Mangrove ecosystem in Thailand has been declined since the past century mainly due to mangrove land conversion to aquaculture, agriculture, and urbanized area. Recently, many of mangrove restoration projects have been carried out with aim to increase extent of mangrove forests and return these areas into functioning ecosystems again. In September 2013, mangrove restoration project was implemented in Bangkaew sub-district, Samut Sakorn Province, Thailand. Ten thousand of Rhizophora mucronata propagules and saplings were hand planted by volunteers and local community people in 10 rai (5 acre) mudflat in September 28, 2013. One year monitoring program on the restoration project was done. Results showed that the survivorship of the seeding is approximately 9.8%, with the average height and width of 78.35 ± 2.33 cm and14.40 ± 1.24 cm, respectively. A total of 33 species of macrobenthos, dominated by mollusk in genus Tellina, Cerithedea and polychaetes with the average abundance of 407 individual/m2. This finding suggested that the restoration area was able to generate an ecological food web by increasing abundance, species richness and diversity of macrobenthos which was higher than the adjacent mudflat. However, diversity of the macrobenthos was not difference when compared with the other restoration area that planted mangrove seed 1 year prior to this project. The quality of seed and propagule of Rhizophora as well as damages caused by litters and water hyacinth, propagule predation by crabs, infestations of barnacles settling on the seedlings were the main contributors to the high mortality rate of mangrove trees. Keywords: mangrove, restoration program, Monitor *Presenter: E-mail: [email protected] 112 .