WWF - Greater Annamites Ecoregion news

Green Corridor: as one door closes, two will open

2008-12-30

Building upon the great achievements of the Green Corridor, WWF is already planning on two new projects which will further conservation steps taken over the past few years. Wildlife Trade Bottleneck will continue building up enforcement in the area to protect species from the illicit trade. In addition, the SWITCH, Sustainable Development of Rattan, project funded by the European Commission, will look at the establishment of a sustainable production system for rattan products in Vietnam, and the neighbouring countries of Laos and Cambodia.

During the Green Corridor project's four and a half years a varied and impressive amount of activities were undertaken and begun to conserve this very special area. It was established as a high priority for conservation after extensive surveys, and reforestation schemes were put into place.

Other jewels in the crown were the establishment of the new Saola Nature Reserve and an extension to Bach Ma National Park. Capacity was built through the development of Provincial Action Plans for Forest Fire, Wildlife Trade and Biodiversity. Over 70 training courses for communities and government rangers, on topics from law enforcement to nursery gardening techniques, as well as conducting awareness events at school, provincial and national levels were carried out as well.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Chairman of Thua Thien Hue People's Committee, said "By its significant achievements, the project succeeded in strengthening management of the Green Corridor area". He added "It is my pleasure to see how the project contributed to upgrade the forests which play a vital role to protect upland watersheds, biodiversity and landscapes."

Dr Chris Dickinson, WWF Chief Technical Advisor, said "Being an ecological gradient across the Annamites, this landscape is unique for its rich biodiversity and requires mediate interventions. Expectedly, our new activities will be granted efficient cooperation and support from the People's Committee, the Forest Protection Department and the local communities as the Green Corridor was."

Wildlife Trade in South-East Asia

2006-05-02

South-east Asia, perhaps more than any other region on the planet, encapsulates the full range of challenges facing the management of wildlife trade. World-renowned not only for its diversity of animal and plant species, but also for cultural, linguistic, political and religious diversity, South-east Asia encompasses a range of lifestyles that all rely in some way upon wildlife resources for food, medicines, clothing and other products.

Economic growth, expansion of infrastructure, free trade agendas and a general push for development are contributing to a rapidly changing socio-economic dynamic. In a liberalised trade policy environment, it is all too easy to treat wildlife as just another commodity rather than paying heed to the management needs of natural production systems. However, now that Lao PDR has joined CITES, all 10 countries in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are Parties to the Convention – which creates a common basis upon which to conduct legal and sustainable wildlife trade But the challenges remain daunting. While more effective law enforcement and inter-agency co-operation is needed to control illegal trade, only by reversing trends of over-harvesting can trade in legally acquired wild species, their by-products and derivatives, continue to support the sustainable development of human societies.

Sectors of Trade

Traditional Medicine
Many traditional medicines use wildlife as ingredients, for example traditional East Asian medicines use parts and derivatives from more than 1000 plant and animal species including tiger bone, bear gall bladder, pangolin scales, rhinoceros horn and Dendrobium orchids. Maintaining medicinal plant harvest and trade within sustainable levels also presents a major challenge in the region. TRAFFIC's work has shown continued availability of rare species as ingredients without any systems in place to ensure their legality and sustainability – and medicinal vendors rarely have any knowledge on the status of the species in the wild.

The Pet Trade
Much of the pet trade is dominated by reptiles and birds, and an increasing trend exists to meet the demand of specialist collectors for some of the world's rarest species. These 'hobbyists' often specialise in particular groups of species such as types of parrots and songbirds (e.g. Straw-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus zeylanicus, Palm Cockatoo Probosciger atterrimus), tortoises and freshwater turtles (e.g. Indian Star Tortoise Geochelone elegans, and the Pignosed Turtle Carretochelys insculpta), snakes or lizards, with a view to collecting the broadest, and often the rarest, range of species.

It is this global demand for rare and exotic pets that fuels much of the illegal collection and smuggling from the renowned biodiversity hotspots in South-east Asia – as well as rising demand from countries within South-east Asia for endemic species from Africa, South America and Australasia.

Food
For many people, wildlife is an important source of protein. In some countries, food harvested from nature, whether wild meat, fisheries products or edible plants, contributes to national economies and the livelihoods of local communities.

However, in recent decades, growing human populations, unsustainable harvesting and illegal activities have put additional pressure on these resources. For example, studies by TRAFFIC and other scientific assessments have shown that trade in live reef fish for food is a serious threat to the survival of wild populations of groupers and wrasses in South-east Asia, with the declining aggregations of Humphead Wrasse Cheilinus undulatus illustrative of broader trends.

In many parts of the region, wild meat from species such as deer, pangolin and snakes is consumed as delicacies or 'tonic' food items, rather than for subsistence needs.

In East Asia, meat from freshwater turtles (such as the South-east Asian Box Turtle Cuora amboinensis) is consumed in huge volumes despite the fact that three-quarters of the 90 species found in Asia are considered threatened, and 18 are considered critically endangered, such as the River Terrapin Batagur baska. As turtles are long-lived animals, consumers hope to attain similar longevity, and many believe that the 'wildness' of the meat will benefit their health.

Curios and trophies
A wide range of animal products are found in Southeast Asia's ornamental trade, including elephant ivory carvings, products made from the shell of the Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata, seashells, coral souvenirs, mounted insects such as butterflies and beetles. Horns, antlers and heads are hunted and traded for their value as trophies, such as those from Sambar Cervus unicolor and Serow Naemorhedus sumatraensis.

International travellers frequently have the option to purchase goods made from endangered species, such as marine turtle products and elephant ivory while abroad. Often this illegal trade is unintentional, resulting from ignorance of the laws and of which species require permits for export and or import. In many cases, these products can be legally offered for sale in popular tourist locations, but transporting them across international borders requires special permits, such as those issued by CITES authorities.

In other cases, wildlife products are sold in open violation of national or local laws – and concerted investigations and law enforcement is needed to police any continuing availability. Little or no information is available to alert buyers to the illegal nature of some purchasing options, or regarding the effect the market for these products has on wild populations. Greater awareness of the legality of wildlife souvenir trade is needed to enable travellers to buy wisely.

Skins, furs and wools
Skin, furs, wool and hair from many species of mammals, reptiles and even fish are traded in the international market to make products ranging from clothing and accessories such as footwear, shawls and wallets, to ornaments, charms, and rugs.

In many cases, this trade is bringing some of the world's most endangered species closer to extinction, with the Tibetan Antelope or Chiru Pantholops hodgsonii and Asian wild cats such as Tiger Panthera tigris, Leopard Panthera pardus and Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa being prime examples. For example, a TRAFFIC report on trade in the Sumatran Tiger revealed that at least 50 Sumatran Tigers were poached per year between 1998 and 2002. This poaching is being driven by a substantial domestic Indonesian market for Tiger skins and other parts, especially claws and teeth for trophies, charms and souvenirs.

Reptile skins, particularly crocodile, snake (like Reticulated Python Python reticulatus and Rock Python P. molurus) and monitor lizards Varanus spp., dominate the exotic leather market, while some tanneries produce muntjac and pangolin leather products.

Forest products
South-east Asia's forests contain diverse resources that are used to generate income for many levels of society, as well as foreign currency and tax revenue when those resources are exported. Many rural communities depend on a variety of forest products for their food, medicines and livelihoods.

Unfortunately, in many cases the need to conserve forest ecosystems is being overlooked in the rush to supply global markets with timber and other forest products.

Illegal logging and timber smuggling is a growing problem, due to an inexhaustible demand, particularly for high-value species. The trade in Ramin Gonystylus spp. is a pertinent example of such a species from Southeast Asia that illustrates the full spectrum of challenges to regulate and enforce harvest, export and re-export controls.

Agarwood, the highly prized fragrant heartwood produced by several species in the Thymeleaceae family, is used primarily for medicinal, religious and aromatic purposes in Asian cultures ranging from the Middle East through to China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan) and Japan. Indonesia and Malaysia are the main producer countries and despite threats of over-harvesting and illegal trade, there are clear prospects for long-term sustainable management of this high-value forest product.

The great majority of ornamental plants in trade, including most orchids and pitcher plants, have been artificially cultivated in nurseries, but large numbers are still taken directly from the wild with specialist collectors actively seeking out rare, exotic and often endangered species to add to their collection.

The Big Issues - What is TRAFFIC doing to help?
TRAFFIC monitors wildlife trade at international, regional and national levels – researching both domestic and international chains of supply and demand to identify interventions to increase the efficiency of management.

TRAFFIC works closely with governments, providing critical information on the impacts of trade, motivating efforts to increase the ecological sustainability of trade in wild species, and helping to improve enforcement of international wildlife trade controls. The building of capacity to carry out this work, at regional and national levels, is an important step towards the goal of sustainably managed wildlife trade.

The TRAFFIC South-east Asia programme was established in 1991 and continues to work with partners to address key wildlife trade issues in the region. This work is carried out in close collaboration with TRAFFIC offices in consumer regions such as East Asia, Europe and North America. Specifically, the major objectives that require addressing in South-east Asia include:

Enhanced CITES implementation: More scientific foundations for CITES management decision making, including the establishment of robust legislative systems, regulatory guidelines and management frameworks for legal wildlife trade (e.g. setting and monitoring of quotas for harvest and trade);
Inter-agency co-operation: Both in-country and between countries, to implement and enforce regulatory systems and legislation – much of which can be accomplished by simple communication protocols and information sharing;
Information management: Database systems linked with on-ground monitoring systems to enable tracking of 'source to market' chains of custody and compliance, availability of resource materials for identification and procedures;
Working with the private sector and civil society: The active engagement of trade and consumer associations, the transport industry and general civil society will help raise awareness of laws and the upstream conservation effect of market drivers;
Wildlife trade and sustainable development: Well-managed wildlife trade can also be a component of sustainable development and 'poverty reduction', by promoting symbiotic links between human societies and their use of wild plants and animals;
Funding needs: To monitor and manage harvest and trade (export, import and re-export) more funds and more human resources need to be allocated to deal with increasingly complex wildlife trade dynamics.

Much work has been done but the challenge of effective implementation of regulations and law enforcement remains daunting. Enforcement of trade controls requires improved anti-poaching capacity, specialized units for undercover investigations and necessary deterrents and incentives to combat unsustainable harvest and trade of wildlife.

Only by countries working together, and by relevant government departments engaging with civil society can South-east Asia conserve its unique natural heritage for future generations.

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia is committed to being part of this process: by continuing efforts in research, capacity building and facilitation of dialogue between the multiple stakeholders involved in wildlife trade, TRAFFIC aims to create opportunities to develop practical solutions, and to integrate well-managed wildlife trade as a more prominent component of sustainable development planning.

Forests in Indochina receive FSC certification

2006-01-26

Vientiane, Lao PDR – Two natural forest areas in central Laos have been certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification scheme, the leading international standard of good forest management.

Covering approximately 50,000ha in the provinces of Khammouane and Savannakhet, these community-based operations are the first natural forests in Indochina to achieve FSC certification by SmartWood, an accredited certifier and programme of the Rainforest Alliance. Tropical Forest Trust (TFT) and WWF supported the forests to achieve FSC standards, resulting in increased access by the communities to the growing global market for sustainably managed wood products.

"Certification of the Lao forests is good news for the increasing number of wood processors and furniture makers in Indochina who are committed to sourcing raw materials from well-managed forests," said Jeff Hayward, regional manager of SmartWood Asia Pacific.

The goal of FSC certification is to reward exemplary forest managers by certifying that their products come from forests that are managed according to a broad set of environmental, economic, and social criteria. Independent, third-party audits by FSC-accredited bodies like SmartWood judge forestry operations against these criteria, and if an operation passes the test its forest products can be certified. A central and unifying idea of FSC is to reward sustainable forest management with access to premium markets where there is a demand for wood from well managed forests.

"FSC certification of these forests is a giant step forward for sustainable forestry and conservation in the region," said Roland Eve, Country Director for WWF Greater Mekong's Lao Programme. "A major constraint to sustainable forestry practice on the ground is the lack of financial incentives to do all the hard work involved in good forestry, and certification helps to solve this problem."

In total, eleven villages partnered with provincial and district level forestry offices to carry out forestry planning and operations and to share the profits from timber sales. This collaboration exemplifies a model of forest management called "participatory sustainable forest management" . This model has been under development by the government of Laos for over a decade, with support from the World Bank and the government of Finland.

In 1999, TFT carried out an initial assessment in the two provinces in order to determine whether this model could achieve FSC certification. In 2003, SmartWood carried out a full FSC assessment, which identified five conditions that needed to be addressed before FSC certification could be granted. Since then, TFT and WWF have worked with the Lao government and the communities in the area to address these conditions. Results have now been achieved with the announcement of the landmark FSC certification.

Through the certification process, these communities have developed their capacity to manage their forests as long-term sustainable resources, while also protecting and enhancing conservation values, and ensuring the continued availability of forest foods and non timber forest products (NTFPs) for livelihood security. The management systems employed in the newly-certified forests are designed to minimise impacts on the forest while contributing to rural development. The low-impact harvesting applied in the forest imitates the natural forest cycle to ensure healthy regeneration. Villagers are integral to all parts of forestry planning and management, ensuring that operations respect and enhance community livelihoods, and in recognition of their role, a substantial portion of the profits from timber sales goes to a village development fund.

"The successful involvement of villagers in the management of their local resources is a new solution to solving problems in places where management practices are often unsustainable," stated Hugh Blackett, TFT's Southeast Asia Director.

"Villagers bring local control and vitality to the process of ensuring the long-term sustainable management and conservation of forest resources. This achievement in Khammouane and Savannakhet establishes a model for other communities to follow."

As more and more companies across the globe commit to supporting responsible forestry through their purchasing policies, a major challenge has emerged: a lack of certified forests. FSC certification of these two community forests in Laos will help to meet this growing demand for certified wood, while benefiting the forests and improving the livelihoods of the people who manage them.

END NOTES:

• Tropical Forest Trust is a not-for-profit company established in 1999 to expand the area of FSC certified forest in the tropics, and is funded by its membership of major wood products manufacturers and retailers.

• Established in 1989, US-based SmartWood is a programme of the Rainforest Alliance and is the world's leading non-profit forestry certifier. Rainforest Alliance works to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices, and consumer behavior.

• WWF, TFT and Rainforest Alliance would like to thank the WWF/World Bank Alliance for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Use, the MacArthur Foundation and the Methodist Relief and Development Fund for their generous financial support to this project.

For more information:
Roland Even, Country Director
WWF Lao Programme
Tel: +865 21 216-080
Email: roland.eve@wwflaos.org

Vietnamese forest rich in biodiversity despite years of logging

2004-07-08

Hanoi, Vietnam - A WWF-led survey of five forest concessions stretching to the north, south, and west of Vietnam's Cat Tien National Park found that despite being extensively logged, these areas still support a rich array of wildlife.

Vietnamese and international scientists spent two weeks in the forests, all of which were found to contain a significant number of threatened species, including high numbers of endemic mammal species, such as the black-shanked douc langur and gaur, as well as important species of birds. Moreover, at least one and possibly three previously unknown species of rare butterflies were recorded, along with a species of lizard that may also be new to science. The findings illustrate the importance of these forests and the need for them to be conserved.

As people also depend on the forest, the social and economic conditions of those living in the area were also surveyed to better understand the importance of the forests for those who use and manage them. Logging has been an important part of the local economy, but most of the best wood has already been harvested. Three of the forest enterprises continue harvesting, but it is illegal logging that poses a greater threat.

The survey team, which recently presented its findings to provincial authorities, therefore did not call for a halt to commercial logging, except of threatened species. However, the team strongly urged the enforcement of laws prohibiting illegal logging and hunting. The final report also recommends greater involvement of local people in protecting the forests.

The survey was part of WWF-Indochina's Cat Tien National Park Conservation Project, which is looking for ways to ensure that plants and animals living in the park have a large enough range. Many species, including elephants as well as small animals, depend on an extensive ecosystem to survive. Located within the Greater Annamites Ecoregion, Cat Tien National Park is one of Vietnam's larger parks at 74,000 hectares. However, it is pinched in the middle by a population of people that divides the park into two sections, so is still not big enough.

One of the options presented to authorities by the survey team was to extend the protection of the forest concessions. Specifically, it was suggested that 10,000ha of La Nga Forestry Company bordering Cat Tien in the south be included in the park in order to better protect the herd of elephants, the second largest in Vietnam, which lives between La Nga and the park.

It was also proposed that parts of the forest concessions be designated as "very critical watershed protection forest". Four of the five forest enterprises border the Dong Nai River, a major source of water for Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding economic zone, the biggest in the country. The degradation of these forests could result in the build up of silt in the river, increased flooding and consequent soil erosion, and shortages of water for irrigation, all of which could jeopardize the health and livelihoods of millions of people. The designation would also extend the protection of the forests by restricting the harvesting of such resources as honey, bamboo, and orchids.

Recognizing that its forests are degraded and over-logged, the Dong Nai provincial authorities have already converted three of the province's state forest enterprises into a protected area - the Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, which was officially gazetted by the Provincial People's Committee early this year. Covering more territory than all of the southern section of Cat Tien National Park, the new nature reserve enlarges the landscape for many species, enhancing their chances of survival in an ever-diminishing world.

For more information:
Hoang Thi Minh Hong
Communications Manager, WWF-Indochina
Tel: +84 4 7338387 ext.126
E-mail: hong@wwfvn.org.vn

Biodiversity conservation initiative launches in Vietnam

2004-05-14

Hanoi, Vietnam - A new conservation initiative for Vietnam's Central Truong Son, or Annamite, region was lauched today by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and WWF Indochina.

The Central Truong Son Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (period 2004–2020) is the result of a long term successful cooperation between MARD and WWF, working with a broad group of stakeholders in this rich natural landscape in central Vietnam. The collaborative process of conservation planning formed part of WWF Indochina's Annamites Ecoregion Action Programme, which is part funded by USAID.

The Central Truong Son 'landscape' area was prioritized for critical conservation actions in the Greater Annamites Ecoregion. The landscape covers seven provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Binh Dinh and Da Nang City, and is of very high national and global significance for its biodiversity and cultural heritage. It supports a large number of both unique and endangered species — from the world's most endangered species like the tiger, to endemic species such as the large-antlered muntjac, the grey-shanked douc langur, and the recently discovered saola.

The Central Truong Son Biodiversity Conservation Initiative is based on the recognition that sporadic efforts at individual sites can be neither efficient nor effective at conserving functioning ecological systems or in halting the loss of natural resources. It aims to ensure that natural ecosystem functions are maintained to: secure the global biodiversity value of the landscape for future generations;guarantee vital environmental services;and, through sustainable management support stable, improved livelihoods for rural communities.

The initiative will engage stakeholders at all levels, across a multitude of administrative and institutional boundaries, in conservation action to create a constituency acting towards the long-term integrity of the landscape. Rural communities must be recognised as the key custodians of their local natural resources. It is based on long-term, ambitious goals designed and achieved by key stakeholders.

The launch comes after three years of biological assessment, research, and situation analysis studies, and planning and consultation with stakeholders. The initiative was endorsed by the Vietnamese overnment on 9 January 2004, and officially issued by MARD on 22 March 2004.

The long-term objective of the Central Truong Son Biodiversity Conservation Initiative is to establish an integrated mosaic of complementary land-use and development practice to protect, manage, and restore natural resources and biodiversity in the Truong Son region. It will harmonize the Vietnam's industrialization and modernization process, while contributing to institutional development, good governance, and raised standards of living for local communities.

MARD and WWF are working with various partners to implement this initiative and gain a broader cooperation towards conservation of the Greater Annamites.

Contact:
Nguyen Thi Dao
Truong Son Programme Manager, WWF Indochina
E-mail: dao@wwfvn.org.vn

Green Corridor project launched in Vietnam

2004-05-07

Hue City, Vietnam - As part of Vietnam's nation-wide effort to conserve remaining natural forests for future generations, representatives of Thua Thien Hue People's Committee, WWF Indochina, and the Netherlands Development Organization, SNV, today launched in a four-year project to protect and maintain the high global conservation value of central Vietnam, in an area referred to as the 'Green Corridor'.

The Green Corridor is situated between Phong Dien Nature Reserve and Bach Ma National Park in Thua Thien Hue province in Vietnam. It covers an area of 134,000 ha, comprising the three districts of A Luoi, Nam Dong, and Huong Thuy. The area's forests are of the highest global conservation importance and are critical to the integrity of the wider landscape and the Annamites ecoregion.

Vietnam's rich evergreen forests are a valuable asset, providing timber and other products for local communities, protecting watersheds, and ensuring farmers have supplies of water for farming. They are also resource for ecotourism and other income-generating activities. The forests support unique and rare species, many of which are threatened and found nowhere else in the world. However, much of this forest is lost or degraded by illegal logging, encroachment and fire; in addition the wildlife is threatened by illegal hunting and an unsustainable wildlife trade.

The global conservation significance of the Green Corridor has been demonstrated through a systematic assessment of conservation priorities in Indochina. The assessment demonstrated that the area is vital for the long-term conservation of many unique species including saola, Edwards pheasant, Annamite striped rabbit, and Annam partridge. The area is also of high importance for innumerable other species including the Asian elephant and tiger.

However, the area's biodiversity is under a number of major threats: unsustainable extraction of plants and animals for local consumption and the wildlife trade, forest fires, and loss of forest habitat from forest clearance and encroachment by agriculture.

The new project, called "Green Corridor — meeting global conservation targets in a productive landscape", aims to protect and maintain the conservation value of the landscape in the Green Corridor, and to establish a model for protection, management, and maintenance of high biodiversity of global importance in forested areas managed for multiple uses, including sustainable forest management.

The project aims to reduce the levels of exploitation and halt the loss of critical species and forest habitat through effective control mechanisms and strengthened capacity for conservation management. It will establish and maintain the productive landscape of the Green Corridor through locally initiated protection, management and restoration initiatives. Another outcome of the project is that the biodiversity value of the Green Corridor will be secured through development of informed policies and responsible planning measures which can be replicated at other sites.

The project is funded by the Global Environmental Facilities (GEF) through the World Bank, with co-financing from the Vietnamese Government, WWF Indochina, and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV). Altogether, funds total over US$2 million.

The Green Corridor project will work in a partnership with relevant programmes of the Vietnamese government such as the Five Million Hectare Reforestation Programme, the Central Annamites Conservation Action Plan, and other projects and programmes of international organizations to effectively conserve the Green Corridor area. The project will use existing institutions and mechanisms in the project area for implementation to ensure that institutional sustainability will be secured. The project will also work with forest managers, local communities and provincial government, including sectoral development planners.

Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thien, vice-chairman of the Thua Thien Hue provincial People's Committee, Mr Eric Coull, representative of WWF Indochina, and Mr Harm Duiker, representative of the SNV, signed the final project agreement today at the Huong Giang Hotel in Hue.

In his opening speech at the ceremony, Mr Thien emphasised the importance of biodiversity of the Green Corridor area and expressed his high appreciation of the project, first jointly initiated by WWF Indochina and the Thua Thien Hue Forest Protection Department. Mr Thien also expressed the strong commitment of the Provincial People's Committee towards working closely with and supporting the project management board to achieve the project goal and objectives.

Biodiversity conservation across larger scales such as ecoregions and landscapes is a new approach in Vietnam that was introduced by WWF in the late 1990s. The Annamites ecoregion is one of WWF's Global 200 ecoregions — a science-based global ranking of the world's most biologically outstanding habitats and the regions on which WWF concentrates its effort.

WWF is now testing and applying a number of approaches and tools for implementing landscape-based conservation in Quang Nam province, in forest areas contiguous with the Green Corridor. The lessons learned from this project and other similar projects in Vietnam and the region have been used in the design of the Green Corridor project.

"Without doubt, the project will be a bold and significant step in providing additional resources to demonstrate that by improving the management of productive landscape, global targets can be met while sustaining benefits to local communities," said Eric Coull from WWF Indochina. "WWF is committed to be a learning organization by sharing knowledge and responsibility to preserve, protect and indeed increase Vietnam's forest cover for the best overall benefit."

For further information:
Mr Cao Chi Hung
Programme Officer, WWF Indochina
Tel: +84 4 7338387
E-mail: chung@wwfvn.org.vn

WWF-Indochina's A'Vuong watershed project wins US$75,000 award

2004-04-06

Rüschlikon, Switzerland – An innovative project in which indigenous mountain people of Vietnam protect and manage their watershed has won the US$75,000 ReSource award from one of the world's leading reinsurers, Swiss RE (Swiss Reinsurance Company). The ceremony took place on 5 April 2004 in Rüschlikon, Switzerland.

The A'Vuong Watershed Project is a partnership between WWF-Indochina and the Quang Nam Forest Protection Department (FPD). Its main aim is to ensure the sustainable management of the region's forests and rivers by the indigenous population. In doing so, equal consideration will be given to economic, social, and ecological factors.

Working together, the two parties want to curtail the overexploitation of forests and rivers in this central Vietnamese province. The allocation of land rights by the state to the local population is at the centre of the project, which was launched in February 2004. This allocation of land thus delegates responsibility for the conservation of this vital natural resource to those directly affected. The land reform is accompanied by training, awareness-building, and performance-related incentives to ensure that the local communities actually acquire the skills they need to manage their forest, land, and water resources with due care.

The wide-ranging measures, which can now be implemented with the support of the ReSource Award, are urgently needed. Frequent natural catastrophes threaten to destroy the livelihood of the people who live on the banks of the Thu Bon River in Central Vietnam. Around one million people are affected by the consequences of overexploited forest areas. The deforestation leads to devastating floods, such as the ones which hit the region in December 2003, as well as to seasonal droughts.

In her speech during the award ceremony, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey praised the A'Vuong project's integral approach: "The land reform supported by Swiss Re encourages people to make their own contribution to improving their livelihood, while delegating more responsibility for the environment to those directly affected. This serves the interests both of the people concerned and the environment."

"It is a great honour for us to receive the ReSource Award," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Dao, Greater Truong Son Programme Manager of WWF-Indochina. "In collaboration with WWF and other agencies, we will ensure the benefits of sustainable watershed management are increased and local livelihoods improved."

The A'Vuong Watershed Project — part of WWF's Annamites Ecoregion Programme — involves the indigenous Ka Tu community and was awarded the prize for:
• its innovative and comprehensive methodology
• allocation of land rights to the local communities
• delegating responsibility for conserving the natural resources to those directly affected
• implementing training measures to foster awareness at all levels
• creating incentive-based mechanisms for conservation.

For further information:
Ms Nguyen Thi Dao
Truong Son Programme Manager, WWF-Indochina
Tel: +84 4 7338387, ext.154
E-mail: dao@wwfvn.org.vn

Elusive saola on the verge of extinction

2004-03-01

Nghe An, Vietnam – The saola, a relative of the cow first discovered by scientists in 1992 in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Lao PDR, is now on the verge of extinction. Research is required immediately throughout the regional countries to understand the species, protect it, and to ensure its future. This was the conclusion reached at a workshop, Rediscovering the saola, at which the status of this enigmatic creature was reviewed and plans were discussed for its conservation.

The saola was the first large mammal to be scientifically discovered in more than half a century. Ten years later, the saola remains elusive and its very existence is severely threatened. Scientific research on the saola has been limited to date, due in part to the difficulty in accessing its habitat, scant knowledge of its distribution and status, and the low profile that the saola has been given until recently.

Some scientists believe that the saola, which may have been the branch animal from which all antelopes and bovids (gazelles, buffalo, mountain goats, and domesticated species such as cattle, sheep, and goats) evolved, has existed for more than eight million years. It is known that the saola, which may have had a much more widespread habitat during various ice ages, now inhabits six provinces in Vietnam and three in Lao PDR. Additional areas may exist, but a lack of funding has limited the comprehensive surveying ability throughout the region.

Participants at the workshop — held from 27–28 February in Pu Mat National Park, Vietnam, with the support of WWF-Indochina and the Social Forestry and Nature Conservation Project (SFNC) — agreed that it is vital that both the avaiable scientific information and indigenous knowledge about the saola be pooled, reviewed, and used to define a broad range of specific conservation actions that should be taken.

"The saola population is decreasing because of hunting, habitat loss, and disturbance," said Tony Whitten, senior biodiversity specialist with the World Bank, and a workshop participant. "But, there are all sorts of interactions and different things going on with the saola that we are unaware of. At this point, there is no substitute for one or more long-term field studies aided by local hunters."

The two-day workshop was attended by Vietnamese and Lao scientists, international specialists, conservation and protection agencies, and representatives of upland communities in areas where action is already underway to save the saola. Participants pooled their knowledge on its population and status to improve their understanding of the habits and habitat of saola to help them in their conservation efforts.

The workshop concluded with all participants agreeing that a more comprehensive survey of saola in Vietnam and Lao PDR needed to be conducted, that Vietnam needed to develop a saola conservation action plan, and that the saola, a flagship species of the region, needs an all-out effort to be saved. This eight-million-year-old animal may very well be facing the most difficult and dangerous ten-year period in its existence.

For more information:
Nguyen Thi Dao
Annamites Programme Manager, WWF-Indochina, based in Vietnam
Tel: +84 4 733 8387, ext. 154
E-mail: dao@wwfvn.org.vn

Pauline Gerrand
WWF-Indochina, Lao Office
Tel: +856 21 216 080

Conservation goes 3D

2004-01-16

The girls, dressed in intricately embroidered blouses and indigo blue hemp skirts, are on their knees, carefully tracing thin wavy lines onto sheets of paper.

The boys are in their own huddle across the room, strewn with pots of paste and pieces of torn rice paper. With fingers deft at whittling crossbows and arrows from forest trees, they are skilfully cutting cardboard, following the fine lines traced by the girls.

Despite appearances, these Vietnamese school kids are not in art class. Instead, they at the headquarters of the Song Thanh Nature Reserve, helping to construct a 3D model of their commune — a unique exercise to bring ethnic minorities and local authorities together in order to protect and manage the area's forests.

"We'd tried to engage local communities in forest management using village sketch maps, 2D scale maps, satellite images, and various other maps, but their interest was limited," says James Hardcastle, a conservationist working for the international conservation organization WWF in Vietnam. "With the 3D model, it's like opening up the floodgates."

Diverse animals and people
Located in the heart of the Central Annamite mountains on the border of Vietnam and Laos, the forests in which the students live are a biological and cultural wonder. Local climate conditions created by the marble and limestone mountains have sustained a wet tropical rainforest for millennia.

This rainforest not only houses a diverse group of ethnic people, each with their own language, dress, and customs, but also the greatest concentration of endemic species on any continental setting. These include the douc, possibly prettiest monkey of them all, as well as four large mammal species that were unknown to science until very recently. The saola, a relative of the cow that looks like a deer, was discovered in 1992, while the dark annamites muntjac, the latest to be discovered in 1997 and known by locals as the "deer that lives in the deep, thick forest", has never been seen alive by scientists. More familiar animals also roam here, such as tigers, Asian elephants, and gibbons.

Bitter legacy
But human activities are taking their toll. These same forests took a direct hit during the Vietnam war. Site of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, large areas of the Central Annamites were wiped out when the Americans dropped millions of litres of Agent Orange and other toxic defoliants.

Decades later, the effects are still being felt — not only by the children born each year with deformities, but also by the forests, which still have not recovered, and the freshwater ecosystems, into which the toxins have seeped. The animals and people living in the area also face the ever-present danger of unexploded ordinances that litter these mountains.

Ongoing threats
Along with the lingering legacy from the war are new threats. Many people in the area, particularly ethnic minorities, still suffer from poverty, so there's an understandable push for development. But the construction of roads has fragmented the forests and cornered wildlife in pockets too small to sustain them, and given easy access for hunters and poachers who profit from the domestic and international wildlife trade. The need for power to fuel economic development is threatening the mountain rivers and streams, many of which are slated for hydroelectric development.

Local farmers who still practise slash and burn agriculture are clearing the foothills, where most of the larger mammals reside, to give agricultural land. As a result, the annual floods and subsequent soil erosion have increased, leaving not only the people but the landscape even more impoverished and in greater peril.

The ethnic people in the higher mountains are facing the most hardships. Many are hungry for nearly half the year. And the forest that for centuries has provided wood, food, and medicine can no longer sustain them.

Working in 3D
The 3D model being built by the school children aims to counter this — to help both conserve the forest and at the same time, ensure that people receive social and economic benefits from it. The model is one part of a project led by WWF's Indochina Programme, which is working with ethnic communities and forestry officials in and around the Song Thanh Nature Reserve, located in the middle of the Central Annnamites in Quang Nam province.

"Models are an amazing tool for extracting information from local people," says Le Van Lanh, secretary general of the Vietnam National Parks and Protected Areas Association. "They know everything. We don't know what's in the forest, what's under its canopy. But the local people do."

This is evident a few days later, when 70 people from nine villages belonging to Tabhing commune, located within the 300km2 depicted by the model, arrive to finish the work of the students.

The villagers, mostly Ka Tu people, have no problem conceptualizing their land. Using pins and pieces of yarn, they mark the areas covered by natural forest, as well as rice fields, pastures, grasslands, barren land, household gardens, cinnamon plantations, and hillsides that have been slashed and burned.

Lengths of coloured yarn are next used to lay down the roads, streams, and dirt paths that run through their territory in the buffer zone just outside Song Thanh Nature Reserve. Finally, an array of bright beads and pins are added to represent the local school, post office, graveyards, traditional long houses, uranium and gold mines, and even the old helicopter pad, another remnant of the war.

There is much discussion among the villagers but little disagreement. Only when it comes to the boundary of the nature reserve is there some contention.

Laid down on the model by reserve staff the previous day, the boundary line, represented by coloured string, is resolutely moved by the villagers. They want an area of rich flat soil — which has long been cultivated on a rotational basis by farmers — to be excluded from the reserve.

Their wishes are not ignored. The reserve's vice director agrees to the change, to the villagers' great satisfaction.

The 3D model also provokes discussions between villagers and authorities about other touchy issues, such as illegal gold mining, the zoning of forests for use by the villagers, and access routes used by hunters and loggers from outside the commune. Plans are made to follow up on these issues.

A stimulating, constructive tool
This is only the second time in Vietnam that such a tool has been used in conservation. But it's been so successful that forest officials have asked to do the same in other villages and communes.

"The policy of Quang Nam province is to dismantle state forest enterprises and reallocate forest land to the ethnic minorities," says James Hardcastle. "Forest officials recognize that the 3D model can be an effective — not to mention easy and cheap — way to work with local people as they implement this."

"This is an extremely important opportunity for conservation because it involves communities in managing their own forests," he adds. "Strictly protected areas that prohibit people from using forests don't work in Vietnam."

Thai Truyen, Vice Director of the Provincial Forest Protection Department of Quang Nam, echoes the importance of local people in protecting the forests.

"Without their participation, we cannot carry out our activities effectively," he says. "Quang Nam has 795,000ha of forest — and with only 296 staff, each has a large area to look after, about 2,700ha. Also, we cannot protect the forest without being concerned about the livelihoods of local people, who are poor and depend on the forest. The main thing, therefore, is the involvement of these people."

While the idea of involving local people in the protection of natural resources has only recently become a mainstream part of conservation work, the villagers have long recognized the connection between themselves and the forest.

"The value of forest resources represents the value of our life," goes an old Ka Tu saying.

And they value the new collaboration between themselves and forest officials. Says A'Viet Bu, a local villager who took part in developing the 3D model: "It is good that the government and the people are able to work together to protect the forest. Everyone is happy about this."

* Jane Story is Communications Officer at WWF Indochina, based in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Further information

Central Annamites
The Central Annamites are part of the Greater Annamites, a chain of mountains that stretch like a spine from the north to south of Vietnam. The moist forests of these mountains are one of WWF's Global 200 Ecoregions — a science-based global ranking of the world's most biologically outstanding habitats and the regions on which WWF concentrates its effort.

These forests are some of the last relatively intact moist forests in Indochina and still harbour large mammals, including several newly discovered species. Many endemic mammals and birds live in the forests, as well as a number of endangered and threatened species.

A total of 8 million people belonging to 37 ethnic minority groups live in the Central Annamites, with 1.2 million in the province of Quang Nam alone. Population densities are highest in the narrow coastal belt of the South China Sea, decreasing as the land rises to the Annamites Mountains.

WWF's work in the Central Annamites
WWF-Indochina's MOSAIC project (Management of Strategic Areas for Integrated Conservation) works with local villagers and forest officials in the Central Annamites to design and implement sustainable management practices. The goal is for the forests and rivers of global conservation significance in Quang Nam province to be managed in a way that sustains the social, economic, and environmental values of the region's biodiversity for future generations.

The project team for the 3D model work is made up of WWF staff, experts from Vietnam's Centre for Environment and Tourism Development, Hanoi Geographic and the Institute, the Association of Vietnam's Parks and Protected Areas, and a prominent Vietnamese artist. Other work with local communities includes the establishment of village anti-poaching patrols. WWF is also carrying out research to assess the status of and threats to the wildlife in Quang Nam province.