From 1970 to 1974, the Pasoh FRIM Research Station (Pasoh FRS) has been a site for intensive research of lowland rain forest ecology and dynamics under a joint research project between University of Malaya and the International Biological Programme (IBM). Pasoh forest was also the main study site for the Reproductive Biology of Forest Trees Project, a joint research project between University of Aberdeen and University of Malaya from 1974 to 1978. Since then, various research projects on biodiversity, forest productivity, flora, fauna, micrometeorology, soils, hydrology and nutrient cycling were conducted in collaboration with local universities..
In December 1977, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) took over the management of the research station from University of Malaya. This was made possible through the collaboration with the Negeri Sembilan State Forestry Department. The Pasoh forest station has since become a leading tropical forest field research station. This could not have been possible without the commitment from the state forestry department to gazette 1,840 ha of the Pasoh reserve as a Research Forest. All research activities are monitored by the Pasoh Research Committee (PRC) in FRIM since 1999. The Director of the Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department is also a Committee member.
The main attraction of the Pasoh Reserve is its floristically rich forest. A total of 335,256 stems 1 cm dbh (diameter at breast height) and above belonging to 814 species, 294 genera and 78 families has been recorded within an area of 50 ha. The most common plant families are the Euphorbiaceae and Annonaceae among the smaller trees, and the Dipterocarpaceae, Leguminosae and Burseraceae. The most common species is Xerospermum noronhianum (Sapindaceae) locally known as ‘rambutan pacat,/em>’, which accounts for 2.5% of the total number of plants. For trees above 30 cm dbh, the most abundant species is Shorea leprosula (meranti tembaga), a member of the Diptrerocarpaceae family. Being an isolated forest surrounded by oil palm estates and other land uses, forest gaps, formed by windthrow of a large tree or a group of trees, are a fairly common feature at Pasoh. Within these gaps, one can find many regenerating seedlings and saplings.
Although Pasoh lacks charismatic animals such as tigers and elephants, it still harbours a good composition of small mammals, primates and birds Today Pasoh is not only the site of many research studies by both local scientists and scientists from abroad but is also an educational centre for school children, college and university students as well as the general public.
