Borikhamxay, conservation partner consult on ecosystem, wildlife management project

Participants joined a consultation and endorsement workshop for Phase IV of IEWMP (2021-2025) at the Borikhamxay provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department on Thursday.

Since 2005, WCS has joined hands with the government and local communities to conserve the ecosystem and biodiversity of protected forest areas in the province under three completed phases of the IEWMP, according to Media Laos. Activities accomplished under the IEWMP third phase from 2016-2020 include setting boundaries for the Phou Sithone National Protected Area and completing an impact reduction plan and biodiversity compensation plan for the Nam Theun 1 hydropower project, according to Media Laos

The project phase also assessed land use conditions of the Nam Kading National Protected Area for 11 villages from 13 target villages, created a conservation contract for the Protected Area with 11 villages, and conducted training on forest resources and lifestyle development in the target communities.
According to WCS, the province has been recognised as a biodiversity hotspot by many international conservation assessments, containing one of the largest blocks of dry evergreen (or semi-evergreen) forest in Indochina.

The Borikhamxay conservation landscape is of critical importance for the conservation of biodiversity due to the presence of a large number of endemic species and species of regional or global priority, such as Saola, large-antlered muntjac, Asian elephant, crested gibbon, Annamite striped-rabbit and three species of langur (red-shanked douc, Phayre’s langur and a subspecies of Francois’s langur).

Phou Sithone Endangered Species Conservation Area is located in a very remote part of Xaychamphone district in the mountains of eastern Borikhamxay Province and is designated as a provincial protected area. It was established by the government in 2010, principally with the support of WCS following the capture of Saola specimens. Eastern Borikhamxay is a part of the Northern Annamites landscape, a Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Key Biodiversity Area.
The joint IEWMP implemented by WCS and the provincial authorities facilitated the creation and delineation of the Protected Area, developed and implemented local regulations, initiated enforcement operations, and developed an overall and comprehensive community engagement approach that links conservation to livelihoods development.

Nam Kading National Protected Area (NPA) was created in 1993. With few villages located inside the NPA and given the difficult access to the core area, the forests remained in fairly good state of conservation. In 2005, WCS began support to the Nam Kading NPA Management Unit, providing technical assistance, intensive biodiversity monitoring, and outreach to communities, ecotourism training and law enforcement.

Nam Kading NPA is currently witnessing the development of the Nam Theun 1 hydropower project, increasing pressure over land for agriculture, and significant hunting-related threats.

Source Vientiane Time