Term of Reference
Consultant for Seagrass Restoration at Koh Mook, Trang Province
Supervised by: Eknarin Ariyavongvivat
Duration: 1 December 2025 – 15 May 2026
Budget: 250,000 THB
1. Background of consultancy assignment
Seagrass meadows around Koh Mook have undergone significant degradation. The dominant species, Enhalus acoroides, shows severe leaf shortening—from the normal 80–100 cm to only 5–7 cm—while still retaining green coloration. The primary driver is overgrazed by green turtles (Chelonia mydas), which have drastically reduced Enhalus cover and cascaded into the loss of medium-sized (Thalassia hemprichii) and small-sized (Halophila ovalis) species.
Medium and small seagrasses have shallow root systems (2–5 cm) and depend on Enhalus for wave attenuation and sediment stabilization; without the Enhalus canopy, they are susceptible to physical disturbance and erosion. Evidence from restoration sites indicates that protecting Enhalus from turtle grazing using exclosure cages enables recovery to near-original condition within 5–6 months, after which meadows become more diverse and resilient.
To support national seagrass and dugong conservation efforts and community participation, WWF Thailand seeks a consultant to design and implement a bamboo exclosure–based restoration and monitoring program at Koh Mook, with robust field methods and evidencebased recommendations.
2. Objective of the consultancy
The consultant will:
- Compare the rate and pattern of seagrass recovery inside fishbone-layout and linear-
layout exclosures. - Evaluate the effects of exclosure layout on the biodiversity of organisms both inside
and outside the exclosures. - Analyze the environmental factors that influence seagrass recovery.
3. Scope of work/ Major responsibility
The consultant will:
3.1 Design & permitting
- Prepare an inception plan (design, methodology, risk management, work schedule, QA/QC, ethical and safety protocols).
- Coordinate permits/notifications with local authorities, DMCR offices, and communities.
3.2 Site preparation & materials
- Specify, procure, and transport bamboo posts and netting for exclosures; typical unit: 4 × 4 m cage, top-netted
3.3 Installation
- Establish 10 exclosure cages (4 × 4 m each): 5 “fishbone” layout and 5 “linear” layout, plus outside-cage control plots.
- Mark sites with buoys/signage to reduce boating impacts; record precise coordinates.
3.4 Monitoring (BACI design)
- Implement a Before–After–Control–Impact (BACI) framework with monthly monitoring for 6 months.
- Seagrass parameters (monthly, 5 months after baseline): species cover (%), density (shoots m⁻²), leaf length (cm), leaf width (cm), leaf number (no.), growth rate (mm day⁻¹).
- Seawater parameters (3 rounds—pre/mid/final): salinity (ppt), temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), turbidity (NTU), ammonia/nitrate/phosphate (µM).
- Sediment parameters (3 rounds): grain size, ammonia/nitrate/phosphate (µM), sulfide (µM).
- Photo-quadrats and georeferenced mapping of plots/cages.
3.5 Data management & analysis
- Maintain a relational database; apply Linear Mixed-Effects Models under the BACI framework using cage layout (fishbone/linear), cage vs. control, and time as fixed effects; include environmental covariates.
3.6 Reporting & knowledge products
- Produce bilingual (Thai/English) reports with methods, QA/QC, raw and processed datasets, GIS layers, and policy/practice recommendations for scaling to other sites.
4. Activities and deliverables
| No | Activity | Deliverable | Timeframe |
| 1 | Inception & consultations (WWF/DMCR/community); permits | Inception Report (design, methods, risk, schedule, tools) | Within 2 weeks after contract signing |
| 2 | Cage installation (10 cages; fishbone ×5, linear ×5) & control plots | Installation report, coordinates, photos | Month 1 |
| 3 | Baseline surveys (BACI “Before”) | Baseline dataset & brief | Month 1 |
| 4 | Monthly monitoring rounds (BACI “After”) | M1–M5 field notes, cleaned datasets | Month 2–6 |
| 5 | Water & sediment quality (3 rounds: pre/mid/final) | Lab reports & data tables | Month 1, 3, 6 |
| 6 | Final reporting | Draft & Final Technical Report (TH/EN) with recommendations | By 15 May 2026 |
5. Required Profile
The consultant/team must have:
- Demonstrated expertise in seagrass ecology/restoration and coastal habitat management.
- Proven experience with field experimentation (exclosures), BACI or comparable designs, and statistical modeling.
- Strong skills in data management, GIS mapping, and water/sediment quality assessments.
- Fluency in Thai (required) and working proficiency in English (preferred)
6. Budget
The total consultancy budget is 250,000 THB (two hundred fifty thousand baht), inclusive of professional fees, field travel, accommodation, and reporting. Payment will be disbursed in three tranches:
- 50% upon contract signing,
- 30% upon submission inception report,
- 20% upon approval of the final report and supporting documents.
7. Duration
The consultancy shall commence upon contract signing and must be completed by 15 May 2026.
Deadline for submission: 20 Dec 2025
Submission contract: Proposals should be submitted in Thai or English language by email to: procurement@wwf.or.th and eknarina@wwf.or.th
Questions regarding the assignment can be addressed to Mr. Eknarin Ariyavongvivat, WWF Thailand, under the same email.
