WWF - Living Mekong Programme news

"Marine turtle bycatch and longline Observer Programme" project: Towards more sustainable tuna fisheries in Vietnam

2008-12-30

Observing tuna longline fishing for the bycatch of marine turtles, sharks and other fish species, while testing the application of new hook technology (circle hooks) in order to reduce bycatch will be the focus of the "Marine turtle bycatch and longline observer program" project – Phase II. The project is implemented by WWF with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Dutch company IbroMar B.V which, as one of the leading buyers of long line caught yellow fin tuna in Vietnam, is co-funding the circle hook program as part of their sustainable tuna fisheries program.

According to Mr. Keith Symington, WWF Bycatch Strategy Leader for the Coral Triangle and Western Pacific, "these activities will help not only reduce marine turtle bycatch mortality – a key conservation objective - but will also help bridge improvements in overall tuna fisheries management, a key fisheries reform strategy ofWWF's Smart Fishing Network Initiative (SFNI)".

Started in November 2006, Phase I of the project targeted fishing communities in three provinces: Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa. It aimed to raise awareness of the role of marine turtles in ocean ecosystems, the impact of fishing activities on these endangered species, and to identify "hot spots" where marine turtles interact with fishing gear within Vietnam's territorial. Marine turtle rescue and handling techniques were also introduced to fishermen.

"We thought that turtles managed to cheat us: they pretend to be dead when taken on board and then awake and swim very fast once released back to the sea. Now I know that they are just like humans, having lungs and susceptible to drowning too. We also know how important sea turtles are to the marine ecosystem. We need to protect them!" expressed a fisherman from Phu Yen after the training course recently organized in Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa province). A similar course was held in Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh province).

Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy, WWF's Fisheries Officer said "The project is beneficial for not only fishing communities but also professionals. After receiving training on observer program protocols, bycatch species identification and data recording, three scientists from the Research Institute of Marine Fisheries (RIMF) boarded three longline fishing boats from Binh Dinh to test their training and begin recording data."

"The result of their trips will serve to enlarge the observer program and commence circle hook trials in early 2009 with new support from NOAA. This will be a key activity of phase II scheduled to last through to January of 2010", Thuy added.

Commenting on their new working partnership with WWF, IbroMar B.V Director Martin Brugman said "There are still big tasks ahead but, as the message we tried to bring towards fishermen, observers and other participants: 'together we can'". IbroMar's sustainable fisheries program "aims to facilitate more sustainable long line fishing in Vietnam whilst improving its' quality to the highest possible level", added Mr. Brugman.

For further information please contact Ms Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy (thuy.nguyendieu@wwfgreatermekong.org)

or Dr. Flavio Corsin (flavio.corsin@wwfgreatermekong.org).

For more information about IbroMar B.V visit: www.ibromar.com

Greater Mekong a biological treasure trove: more than 1000 new species discovered in a decade

2008-12-15

Over a thousand new species have been discovered in the Greater Mekong Region of Southeast Asia in just the last decade, according to a new report launched by WWF.

First Contact in the Greater Mekong reports that among the 1068 species newly identified by science, between 1997 and 2007, were the world's largest huntsman spider, with a leg span of 30 centimetres, and the startlingly hot pink coloured cyanide-producing "dragon millipede".

While most species were discovered in the largely unexplored jungles and wetlands, some were first found in the most surprising places. The Laotian rock rat, for example, thought to be extinct 11 million years ago, was first encountered by scientists in a local food market, while the Siamese Peninsula pitviper was found slithering through the rafters of a restaurant in Khao Yai National Park in Thailand.

"This region is like what I read about as a child in the stories of Charles Darwin," said Dr Thomas Ziegler, Curator at the Cologne Zoo. "It is a great feeling being in an unexplored area and to document its biodiversity for the first time... both enigmatic and beautiful," he said.

The findings, highlighted in this report, include 519 plants, 279 fish, 88 frogs, 88 spiders, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 15 mammals, 4 birds, 4 turtles, 2 salamanders and a toad. The region comprises the six countries through which the Mekong River flows including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. It is estimated thousands of new invertebrate species were also discovered during this period, further highlighting the region's immense biodiversity.

"It doesn't get any better than this," said Stuart Chapman, Director of WWF's Greater Mekong Programme. "We thought discoveries of this scale were confined to the history books. This reaffirms the Greater Mekong's place on the world map of conservation priorities."

The report stresses economic development and environmental protection must go hand-in-hand to provide for livelihoods and alleviate poverty, and ensure the survival of the Greater Mekong's astonishing array of species and natural habitats.

"This poorly understood biodiversity is facing unprecedented pressure... for scientists, this means that almost every field survey yields new diversity, but documenting it is a race against time," said Raoul Bain, Biodiversity Specialist from the American Museum of Natural History.

The report recommends what is urgently needed to protect the biodiversity of the region is a formal, cross-border agreement by the governments of the Greater Mekong.

"Who knows what else is out there waiting to be discovered, but what is clear is that there is plenty more where this came from," said Chapman. "The scientific world is only just realizing what people here have known for centuries."

Vietnam province redefines hydropower development

2008-03-29

On the eve of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Vientiane, Mr Nguyen Duc Hai, the Chairman of Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee, has taken a bold and visionary stance for sustainable dam development in this Vietnam province.

WWF, the global conservation organization, says this sends a timely and powerful signal to regional leaders as they seek to manage the pressing challenges of rapid infrastructure development and economic growth in a sustainable way.

"Many hydropower plans and strategies are made without looking at the 'big picture', and as a result these projects can have negative impacts on the environment. The recommendations from the hydropower assessment for the Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin will help us achieve sustainable hydropower development goals in particular, and economic development goals in general," said Mr Hai.

An exceptional new direction
Quang Nam Province's new direction is exceptional, as most plans for dams rarely take environmental aspects into consideration. With 82 existing large hydropower dams in the Greater Mekong Subregion and 179 more at different stages of planning, Mr Hai's comments reflect the pressing challenges that regional leaders face in balancing economic development, people's livelihoods and safeguarding the region's prized natural resources and environment.

A World Bank review of 66 hydropower projects found that on average, actual costs exceeded project budgets by more than one fourth, often due to unresolved social and environmental issues. Considering that the construction of a large dam usually exceeds USD 500 million, the budget over-run for just one project represents an additional USD 135 million.

Sustainable hydropower: major savings, reduced risks
"Applying environmental considerations in hydropower projects can lead to major savings for governments and developers in the long run," says WWF's Marc Goichot. "This approach decreases risk and uncertainty. Moreover, it helps to meet the growing energy needs of the region while reducing impacts for nature and people. Governments can lead the way towards responsible hydropower development by considering the cumulative impacts and benefits of these projects in river basins."

Quang Nam Province is an area of rich biodiversity that boasts species such as the critically endangered saola. Mr Cong, Director of the Quang Nam Department of Natural Resources and Environment recognizes that conservation is a key component of regional growth.

"The People's Committee of Quang Nam Province fully supports the issue of biodiversity conservation and the recommendation to maintain some rivers intact from headwaters to sea. This will help develop nature tourism and promote economic growth in the long-term," he stresses.

The climate change connection
With the impacts of climate change increasing across the region, the natural functions of rivers are essential to reduce the severity of natural disasters on people and ecosystems. Already, rising sea levels are impacting coastal areas, but rivers are necessary to protect coastal communities by replenishing sediment along coasts.

Developers have a key role in shaping responsible hydropower projects in Quang Nam. "It is our responsibility to conform to the recommendations of the hydropower assessment now that it is endorsed by the provincial government. In principle, we will always take the provincial government's regulations and policies into serious consideration," says Mr Truong Thiet Hung, Director of Song Bung 4 Hydropower Project Management Board.

"By inviting WWF and partners to help implement the recommendations of the hydropower environmental assessment, the Chairman of Quang Nam is demonstrating to the countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion that sustainable growth builds on environmental considerations," highlights Tran Minh Hien, Director of WWF Vietnam. "We will work with partners of the GMS, including governments, developers and communities towards ensuring sustainability within the region."

The connectivity between GMS countries relies on the integration of economic development and social and environmental concerns. As heads of state gather for the GMS Summit in Vientiane this week, WWF asks that the governments of the GMS recommit to a vision of growth where environmental sustainability is the foundation for development.

For further information:

•    Marc Goichot
WWF Greater Mekong Programme
   Tel: +856 21 21608
marc.goichot@wwfgreatermekong.org

•    Dekila Chungyalpa
   WWF Greater Mekong Programme
   Tel: +856 207 529301
     Dekila.Chungyalpa@wwfus.org

Notes to editors:

Information related to this press release, including high resolution photographs and maps, can be downloaded from http://www.panda.org/greatermekong/press/.
WWF has been active for more than 30 years in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). In this part of the world, the organization's work focuses on freshwater, forests, species, oceans & coasts, and making sure that infrastructure development does not compromise the area's environmental integrity. In this region, WWF focuses its work on priority Global 200 ecoregions—the richest, rarest, and most diverse natural habitats in the world—which include the Mekong River Basin, the Lower Mekong Dry Forests, and the Greater Annamites. WWF has worked in Quang Nam Province since 1995, and has supported the province in highly valued conservation programmes.
The province of Quang Nam lies at the heart of the Central Annamites landscape, which covers part of Vietnam and Laos. This forms part of the Greater Annamites, one of WWF's Global 200 ecoregions—the richest, rarest, and most diverse natural habitats in the world. One of the greatest concentrations of endemics (species found nowhere else in the world) are found here in these wet tropical rainforests, also considered one of the last living refugia for climate change. Species include the critically endangered saola, a deer-like mammal, discovered as recently as 1992 by a team of scientists from the Ministry of Forestry of Vietnam and WWF.
Quang Nam Province has two river basins; the Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin occupying 90% and other river basins occupying about 10% of the province. Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin is ranked fourth in Vietnam for potential hydropower generation capacity. The Vu Gia system flows through the City Province of Danang, the fourth largest city in Vietnam. The Thu Bon systems flows through Hoi An, a prime tourist destination and World Heritage Site. During the past decade, energy demand in Vietnam has grown at a rate of 13-15% annually, and demand is projected to continue growing at a similar high pace over the next 10 years.
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) comprises Cambodia, two provinces of the People's Republic of China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. In 1992, with ADB's assistance, the six countries entered into a programme of subregional economic cooperation, designed to enhance economic relations among the countries. The programme has contributed to the development of infrastructure to enable the development and sharing of resources, and promote the freer flow of goods and services in the subregion.
Biodiversity Conservation Landscapes are large nature expanses of forests and freshwater areas—approximately 60,000 km2—that were identified as vital for ecological functions and ecotourism. The Biodiversity Conservation Landscapes represent ecological networks, with natural and/or semi-natural landscape elements. These landscapes require management and maintenance of ecosystem functions in order to conserve biodiversity and provide opportunities for the sustainable use of natural resources.
The Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Quang Nam Province Hydropower Plan for the Vu Gia-Thu Bon River Basin was carried out by the International Centre for Environmental Management (ICEM) and commissioned by the Vietnam Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (DONRE), Vietnam Ministry of Industry, Electricité du Vietnam, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Saving the last rhinos in Vietnam

2007-11-22

In order to protect wildlife within Cat Tien National Park, WWF Vietnam has undertaken a pilot project to help the people living in the core zone of the national park to move to improved settlements. The project was done by WWF Vietnam in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and support from the Dutch government.

The Javan rhino or the lesser one-horned rhino is probably the rarest large mammal species in the world. Today, just over 60 are estimated to still be in existence globally, no more than eight in Cat Tien National Park, the remaining amount in Ujung Kulon National Park, Java.

Starting in 2003, the project has succeeded in emigrating 79 households from the core zone and securing two new settlements for 29 ethnic minority households at Village 6, Tien Hoang Commune (12 households) and Van Minh Village, Gia Vien Commune (17 households), Cat Tien District, Lam Dong Province.

Speaking at the project closing ceremony on 16 October 2007, Tran Minh Hien, WWF Vietnam's director, acknowledged the strong commitment of MARD as well as the active support from Dong Nai and Lam Dong Provinces.

"Participation of the community in every process of the whole project is a key to our success. In addition, our project could not run so smoothly without the cooperation and efforts of the managing board of the Cat Tien National Park, especially Mr. Vu Ngoc Lan, vice-director of the park," she said.

"This pilot sub-project is not only a critical step in saving (the Javan Rhino) but also provides people with new opportunities. The new settlements provide people access to just next door, and the commune health service is not far from here," reported with a smile 39-year-old K'rai, owner of a new spacious and comfortable home.

As part of the project "Adequate Emigration for the People in Cat Tien National Park," the sub-project will serve as a lesson from which the national park, as well as the authorities of the three provinces of Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai, can gather understanding through experience.

La Van Ly, director of the Department of Agricultural Cooperative, MARD stressed, "Initial results from the pilot sub-project are remarkable but we should think of sustainability after the project's end. Giving farming land to the people is only a temporary solution due to reduction of this resource. It is vital to orient the children and youth to school, or training school, so that they can secure a job after graduation. Evidently, this makes their lives much brighter than their parents'."

Rare soft-shell turtle found in Cambodia

2007-05-16

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – One of the world's largest and least studied freshwater turtles has been found in Cambodia's Mekong River, raising hopes that the threatened species can be saved from extinction.

Scientists from WWF, Conservation International, the Cambodian Fisheries Administration and the Cambodian Turtle Conservation Team captured an 11-kilogramme (24.2-pound) female Cantor's giant soft-shell turtle during a recent river survey.

"This incredible discovery means that a unique turtle can be saved from disappearing from our planet," said David Emmett, a wildlife biologist at Conservation International.

"We thought it might be almost gone, but found a number of them on this one pristine stretch of the Mekong, making the area the world's most important site for saving this particular species."

Stuck in the mud
Instead of an exterior shell commonly associated with turtles, the Cantor's giant soft-shell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) has a rubbery skin with ribs fused together to form a protective layer over the internal organs. To protect itself from predators, it spends 95 per cent of its life hidden in sand or mud with only its eyes and nose showing.

The turtle can grow up to 2 metres (6 feet) in length and weigh more than 50 kilogrammes (110 pounds). It also possesses long claws and can extend its neck with lightning speed to bite with jaws powerful enough to crush bone.

"It has the fastest strike of any animal I've ever seen, including cobras," Emmett added.

The researchers also found a nesting ground for the species and brought back eggs that have since hatched. The hatchlings were released into the wild on 8 May, together with another adult turtle and additional hatchlings captured by fishermen.

Last observed by scientists in the wild in Cambodia in 2003, only a few records of the species exist for Laos, and it appears to have disappeared across much of its former range in Vietnam and Thailand.

It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the same status as tigers and pandas. Threats to its existence include over-harvesting by hunters for its meat and eggs, as well as habitat destruction from dams, irrigation and dredging.

River survey
The stretch of Mekong River where the turtles were found is an area that had been closed for many years to scientific exploration because it was one the last strongholds of Cambodia's former Khmer Rouge regime. The river survey was the first detailed study of the area since security restrictions were relaxed in the late 1990s.

"Our survey work to date has documented some of the highest freshwater biodiversity values in the entire Lower Mekong Basin," said Mark Bezuijen of WWF's Mekong Programme, who led the team.

"During our survey we also discovered an entirely new plant species, Amorphophallus Sp., along with populations of such threatened species as terns, fish eagles, green peafowl, otters and silvered leaf-monkeys. More than 180 fish species were recorded, including one identified as a new species of spiny eel.

Bezuijen described the area where the turtle was discovered as "a near pristine region of tall riverine forest, waterways and island archipelagos where further exciting biological discoveries will almost certainly be made."

A further survey of the area by an international team of flora and fauna experts is planned for July 2007.

END NOTES:

• For the future protection of the species, Conservation International, WWF and the Cambodian Turtle Conservation Team plan to employ local community members to protect nesting beaches for the turtles and to conduct patrols during the dry season to prevent illegal fishing of the species prized as an expensive delicacy in neighboring Vietnam. The organizations will also provide the communities with financial incentives to offset the potential loss of revenue from illegal trade in the turtles.

• The turtle survey team consisted of Cambodian Fisheries Administration staff and the Cambodian Turtle Conservation Team, a group of early career conservationists who have received long-term mentoring from Conservation International (with funding from the British energy company BP). During the survey, they worked also worked closely with WWF staff and local fishing communities.

For further information:
Chris Greenwood, Communications Advisor
WWF Cambodia
Tel: + 855 092 916 454
E-mail: chris.greenwood@wwfgreatermekong.org

Eco-certification of fisheries in Vietnam: Making progress and building partnerships

2007-03-10

From 5 to 9 March 2007, WWF Greater Mekong's Vietnam Country Programme, in cooperation with the Vietnam Institute of Fisheries Investment and Planning (VIFEP) and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), organized two workshops on "Developing Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in Vietnam", in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

These workshops aimed to raise awareness about MSC certification to Vietnam's fisheries sector, and to identify potential community-based fisheries in Vietnam that may be suitable for entering the MSC certification process.

MSC is a certificate issued by the Marine Stewardship Council to wild capture fisheries that meet three main criteria: stock sustainability, negligible ecosystem impact, and a good management system. Previously, two fisheries – Ben Tre clams and Phu Quoc anchovies – were identified as potential MSC candidates in Vietnam.

In Ben Tre, WWF Vietnam is working closely with the MSC, the Department of Fisheries, and local fishermen in a planned, formal MSC assessment under the certification body Moody Marine. The Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City workshops were intended to build on this momentum and work closely with relevant authorities to identify additional candidates and to preliminarily assess the potential of these fisheries for MSC certification, using the WWF "Community Based Certification Pre-analysis Model".

The workshops were successful in attracting the attention of officials from the Ministry of Fisheries, Provincial Departments of Fisheries, sub-Departments of Aquatic Resources Exploitation and Protection, VASEP, and major fisheries companies. The discussion focused on small-scale fisheries, characteristic of many Vietnam fisheries. Nine fisheries were nominated for discussion in the Hanoi workshop and thirteen short-listed in Ho Chi Minh City. Theses nominated fisheries will be explored further, utilizing the community-based certification model, for the possibility of applying for MSC certification.

Meanwhile, the certification process for the Ben Tre clam fishery is underway. If successful, the fishery will become the first in Southeast Asia to receive MCS certification.

For further information:
Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy, Marine Programme Officer
WWF Vietnam
E-mail: thuy.nguyendieu@wwfgreatermekong.org

WWF working towards "Fish for Tomorrow"

2007-02-02

February 2nd is World Wetlands Day, and this year's theme, titled "Fish for Tomorrow", is focusing on one of the most important values of wetlands - providing fish for both the subsistence needs and economic benefit of local people.

The Mekong River, its tributaries and other associated wetlands, provide some of the most productive fisheries in the world, producing 2% of the world's annual total catch of marine and freshwater fish. 80% of the Mekong's human population get the majority of their protein from fish.

In order to ensure we have enough fish to eat tomorrow, we need to properly manage the streams, rivers, deep pools, marshes, lakes, and seasonally flooded forests where they are found, today! WWF is working throughout the Mekong Basin, from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea coast, to support effective management of wetlands that support local livelihoods and provide a number of environmental and economic goods and services.

China
In the thin air of the Tibetan Plateau, 4,000 metres above sea level, WWF is identifying important high altitude wetland areas to develop new conservation initiatives. Further south in China, in the steeply sloping valleys of the Mekong and its tributaries in Yunnan, WWF, with support from the Swedish government, is designing interventions for improved slope management, to reduce erosion and sedimentation caused by poorly constructed roads, as well as inappropriate forms of agriculture and irrigation management.

Thailand
Downstream, in Thailand and Lao PDR, WWF is about to start working with government partners and local communities in Chiang Rai and Bokeo Provinces, for improved management of an important stretch of the river, including conservation of the endangered Mekong giant catfish – the world's largest freshwater fish. This new project will be launched in April with support from the Aage Jensen Charity Foundation from Denmark.

Lao PDR
Also in Lao PDR, WWF will launch a new EU-funded project in July, for sustainable use of the That Luang Marshes, just outside Vientiane, which are currently threatened by population growth and economic development. The project will raise awareness of the important water purification functions of the marshes, protect them against further encroachment, and find ways to increase their water cleaning capacity, while also meeting the needs of the poor rural communities living around their edge.

Across the river in Thailand, similar work is being conducted by WWF at Beung Kong Long Ramsar Site and Kut Ting Marshes in Nong Khai Province, in a project funded by the Danish government.

In addition to marshlands connected to the Mekong River, WWF is also working on strengthening community fisheries management in most of the major rivers of southern Lao PDR through two other important projects – the ComFish project, and the Xekong River project (supported by the governments of New Zealand and the Netherlands respectively).

Cambodia
In Cambodia, with much support from Germany, WWF is focusing on a "Freshwater Focal Area" of the Mekong between Kratie and Stung Treng Provinces, extending up to and across the Lao border. This includes all the remaining areas of the river where the rare Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin is found, as well as proposed and established Ramsar sites. In the future, work in this area will include management of transboundary dolphin and fisheries issues between the two countries.

Vietnam
In the Mekong Delta's "Plain of Reeds" in Vietnam, WWF will soon start work in Tram Chim National Park – home of the incredible sarus crane. This is also the most important remaining area of the natural flooded grassland and Melaleuca Forest landscapes, once found throughout the area and now almost all converted to rice paddies in what is know as the "rice-bowl" of Vietnam. Tens of thousands of the poorest, landless people in this area remain dependent upon the still bountiful fisheries supported by the annual Mekong floods. This work will be funded by Coke, as part of a global partnership with WWF US

The benefits of floods
While floods are often thought of as bringing disaster, they are also great providers - almost 80% of Mekong fish species only breed in seasonally flooded areas. Roads act as barriers to flood waters – altering the natural flood pattern and therefore reducing the productivity of fisheries that depend on the floods. WWF, with the Vietnamese and Cambodian governments and other partners, are developing recommendations for new standards for road construction which will ensure that the benefits of natural floods are not lost, while also preventing expensive flood damage to the roads themselves.

Partnering with the "Wetlands Alliance"
WWF is not alone in our efforts, and one of our major new partnerships is the "Wetlands Alliance". Supported by the Swedish government and working together with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), the World Fish Centre, and the Coastal Resource Institute (CORIN) of the Prince of Songkhla University, the Alliance will help build capacity at local levels for improved management of wetlands and aquatic resources in nine areas of Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

On World Wetlands Day, celebratory events will be held by WWF and partners near to the Mekong in Vientiane (Lao PDR), Nong Khai (Thailand), and Kratie (Cambodia). We all benefit from sharing the great natural wealth the Mekong provides in many different ways, but this wealth depends on the continued health of the whole system, across international borders – the interconnection of tributary rivers and streams, marshlands, the river itself and the seasonally flooded grasslands and forests it inundates. We all share in the responsibility for taking care of the magical Mekong.

Fore more information, please contact

Robert Mather
Senior Programme Manager
Living Mekong Programme
Email: robert.mather@wwfgreatermekong.org

Environmental education can be entertaining

2007-01-30

Who keeps 80 school children enthralled and produces 80 drawings of dolphins of various shapes and sizes? WWF's dolphin team of course!

In January this year, members of WWF Greater Mekong's Cambodia Country Programme visited a school north of Kratie, in Cambodia's north-east, to talk to students, aged 12 -13 years old, about dolphin conservation and environmental issues that affect the Mekong River. It was just one of the schools visited over the course of the year as part of the public awareness and education programme of the Cambodian Mekong Dolphin Conservation Project (CMDCP).

Through WWF's dolphin team, the CMDCP is delivering some important messages to the next generation of Cambodians living along the Mekong River.

On the trip, Vinn Bunna, WWF Cambodia's Community Awareness Officer, used a newly developed Environmental Awareness Flipchart to stimulate discussion with the students on environmental topics such as water pollution, illegal fishing, and the importance of wetlands.

"The flipchart's colourful pictures attracted a lot of attention and the students could easily identify villages that had a good and bad environment," he said.

"However, the dolphin drawing competition generated the most excitement and demonstrated that some of the students were very capable illustrators."

The community environmental awareness flipchart along with other educational material developed by the WWF Cambodia Country Programme are being used along the Mekong River by the CMDCP to raise awareness and lead to positive changes in the local communities.

For further information:
Merril Halley
WWF Cambodia
E-mail: merril.halley@wwfgreatermekong.org

WWF working towards sustainable hydropower

2006-12-18

The population of the Mekong Region is growing, income and expectations of the urban middle class in cities like Kunming, Hanoi, and Bangkok are increasing, rapid economic expansion and industrial development are moving ahead in many parts of the region – and all of this translates into a rapidly escalating demand for electricity.

Globally, WWF has an overriding goal to ensure that mean world temperatures do not rise by more than two degrees Celsius – implying a need to greatly limit the use of fossil fuels in meeting the world's growing energy demands. In the Mekong region, WWF will support efforts in Demand Side Management and push for an enhanced rate of development of alternative energy including biomass, wind, and solar power.

At the same time it is clear that over the next 20 years, a certain amount of the electricity demand in the Mekong region will be met from further development of hydropower on the Mekong main stem and major tributaries. Unfortunately hydropower is known for many negative environmental impacts.

In a new initiative, WWF's Living Mekong Programme (LMP) is working together with the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) towards Environmental Criteria for Hydropower Development (ECHD) for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to find the best ways to develop any necessary hydropower with the least environmental and social impact.

For more information, please contact: Marc Goichot

Conserving critically endangered Siamese crocodile in Lao PDR

2006-12-18

Lao PDR is home to a unique species of freshwater crocodile, the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), but urgent action is necessary to prevent the loss of this species from its natural range in Southeast Asia. Historically, Siamese crocodile lived in the rivers and wetlands throughout the Lower Mekong Basin of Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, but wild crocodile populations in these countries have been declining due to loss of habitat, hunting pressure, and collection of individuals for crocodile farms.

Unfortunately there is little information available on the current status of wild crocodile populations and critical habitats. A recent survey in 2005 by the Wildlife Conservation Society provided important information on the state of freshwater crocodiles in the provinces of Savannakhet, Salavan, and Attapeu. The survey indicates that wetland habitat in Savannakhet represents some of the most important nesting sites for Siamese crocodile in Lao PDR.

On 19 September 2006, a crocodile conservation workshop was organized by the WWF Community Fisheries Project (ComFish) and hosted by the District Agriculture and Forestry Extension Office (DAFO) of Champhon District. Participants included representatives from provincial and district government agencies, as well as representatives from 14 villages in Savannakhet.

The objective of the workshop was to follow up on the recommendations from the 2005 crocodile survey, in order to facilitate group discussion on the current state of wetland habitat and threats to crocodile populations in Savannakhet province. The workshop included two days of field surveys to observe wetland habitat with existing crocodile populations.

At one of the wetland sites visited the survey team discovered crocodile dung, adding another location in Lao PDR confirmed to have adult crocodiles.

In November 2006, further surveys by the ComFish Project in Xaibouli District provided information on community management of wetland habitats that support crocodile populations. The crocodile photograph accompanying this article is from a sacred wetland where community management is based upon merit making and animist belief systems.

Continued activities are being planned for Savannakhet to strengthen wetland management capacity and crocodile conservation efforts while taking into consideration the livelihoods of local people around these wetlands.

For more information, please contact: Roger Mollot

The Wetlands Alliance Programme

2006-12-17

Over 100 million people in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR are heavily dependent upon coastal and inland fisheries for both subsistence and income. Effective management of coastal and inland wetlands and aquatic resources is vital for the future well-being of these people, and for biodiversity conservation.

WWF is a key implementing partner for the Wetland Alliance Programme (WAP), which is jointly managed by four organizations: WWF, WorldFish Center, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Coastal Resources Institute of the Prince of Songkla University (CORIN). Funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation (SIDA), WAP operates in four lower Mekong countries, and aims to build capacity of local change agents to improve management of wetlands, and to improve livelihoods of the poor living around wetlands.

WAP operates in nine areas, mostly building onto existing WWF projects on the ground. In Lao PDR, WAP works in Vientiane, where WWF will soon start the That Luang Marsh management project, as well as seven provinces of southern Lao PDR, building onto the WWF Community Fishery Programme and the Xekong River Management Project.

The Lao-Cambodia border area of the Mekong main stem is another ecologically critical area that includes a diversity of riverine habitats, important for many migratory fish species and the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin. Here, provincial governments on both sides of the border have recently reached an agreement to work together, after two years of facilitation through the Mekong River Commission (MRC).

WAP will support implementation of this key agreement, where WWF will also start a transboundary wetland management project. Moving further downriver on the Cambodian part of the Mekong, WAP works in the Stung Treng - Kratie Mekong stretch, where the Cambodia Mekong Dolphin Conservation Project (CMDCP) operates. Coastal Cambodia is another WAP area, which borders with southern Vietnam, where the WWF Vietnam Marine Programme has been working on dugong and sea grass conservation.

In Vietnam, WAP also works in Quang Nam Province, where the WWF MOSAIC Project works within the Annamite mountain range and a marine project works on Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area. In Thailand, WAP will build onto the WWF Marine Programme in Krabi, as well as the WWF Community Wetland Management Project in Nong Khai Province.

Since the launch of WAP in April 2006, WAP partners have been conducting a series of consultations in each area, to prioritize local needs for specific WAP interventions. As a result, WAP currently has a range of interventions varying from site to site including: strengthening capacity for managing fisheries and riparian vegetation; developing capacity to support alternative income generation and tourism management; strengthening inter-sectoral coordination bodies for wetland and aquatic resources management; and strengthening capacity of educational institutions to support wetland and aquatic resources management through research, in-service training, and degree courses.

For more information, please contact: Yumiko Yasuda, Livelihoods and Sustainable Resource Use Coordinator, Living Mekong Programme

Planning and designing roads in the Mekong Floodplains of Cambodia and Vietnam

2006-12-17

The floodplains in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) are among the few remaining global examples of a relatively intact and functioning floodplain in a large river basin. It is widely accepted that this feature is one of the main reasons behind the incredibly productive fisheries of the Mekong, as well as its tremendous biological diversity.

These productive fisheries, and fertile agricultural land, support the livelihoods of the basin's population and are replenished by nutrients provided by annual flooding.

Many of the people living in these areas are among the poorest in Asia, living at agricultural and fisheries subsistence levels. While the annual flood cycle of the Mekong provides resources for these people, it is a fragile balance that can easily be tipped the other way.

In recent years, flooding has caused extensive loss of life, property, and livelihood, while also severely damaging local infrastructure, particularly roads. At the same time, roads and their development have a considerable impact on the floods, by fragmenting wetlands and interrupting the natural flow of water, sediments, nutrients, and aquatic life, thereby negating the beneficial effects normally brought by the natural flood cycle.

The population in the Lower Mekong Basin is expected to rise from about 60 million to 100 million by 2025, and higher quality roads will be needed. The challenge is to make future road structures more flood-resistant and provide greater through-flow capacity, while reducing their negative environmental impacts. This would reduce flood damage and associated costs, and would also benefit biodiversity conservation.

The Roads and Floods Project, a joint initiative of WWF, the Mekong River Commission (MRC), and the Delft Cluster, is developing guidelines for better planning of road design and construction of roads, as well as helping to develop appropriate environmental impact assessment methodologies. The results will be integrated into the work of the Mekong River Commission Flood Management and Mitigation Programme Centre (FMMP) in Phnom Penh.

The main expected beneficiaries of the project will be relevant Cambodian and Vietnamese line agencies, particularly the national ministries and provincial authorities responsible for planning, construction, and maintenance of roads, as well as the development banks that fund infrastructure projects. The results of the Roads and Floods Project will also be shared with agencies in Lao PDR and Thailand to identify their applicability in the rest of the Lower Mekong Basin.

In a broader perspective, this project will demonstrate the importance of adopting an international river basin management framework that, if successful, will contribute to biodiversity conservation in the Mekong Delta and increase the efficiency of infrastructural investment in the region.

For more information, please contact:
Mr Marc Goichot, WWF
Dr Wim Douven, UNESCO-IHE
Dr Ngoc Huynh Minh, MRC-FMMP

WWF team joins the 8th Technical Symposium on Mekong Fisheries in Ho Chi Minh City

2006-12-17

The Mekong River Commission (MRC) Fisheries Programme recently organized the 8th Technical Symposium on Mekong Fisheries in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on 2-3 November 2006.

This annual event is an opportunity for fisheries staff to present and discuss research and management issues for aquatic biodiversity with other professionals working in the Mekong Basin.

This year WWF was represented at the symposium by a team of staff and government counterparts who presented the collaborative results from two WWF projects implemented in southern Lao PDR.

The projects, Community Fisheries – supporting food security and aquatic biodiversity (ComFish); and Aquatic Resources Management to Improve Rural Livelihoods of the Xe Kong Basin (ARL Xe Kong Basin), are being implemented in partnership with the Department of Livestock and Fisheries (DLF).

Poster presentations were made by the WWF-DLF team on a survey of deep pool habitats on Mekong tributaries in southern Lao PDR; fisheries co-management scenarios on Mekong tributaries in southern Lao PDR; and using a conceptual model exercise to define community objectives for fisheries co-management.

For more information, please contact: Roger Mollot or Eric Meusch

WWF honours Thai king with forest restoration project

2006-07-06

Bangkok, Thailand – Honouring the 60th anniversary of the King of Thailand's accession to the throne, WWF and the largest duty free store in Thailand announced plans to collborate on a forest restoration project.

WWF and the King Power Duty Free Company Ltd have signed a memorandum of understanding to restore degraded forests in Thailand's Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in the country's north. In particular, the three-year project aims to reforest at least 10 hectares of key tree species in the park.

Covering an area of 262km², deciduous and evergreen forests make up Doi Suthep-Pui, which is home to 300 species of birds, as well as wild boars, macaque monkeys and the crocodile salamander, a rare amphibian species that is found in only four sites in Thailand.

"We realize that natural and environmental resource capital is the foundation of life," said Chulchit Bunyaketu, King Power Group Deputy Chairman.

"While our natural capital has been degrading, it means that our economic capital is also decreasing. That is why supporting natural resource conservation and rehabilitation is important to our mission."

With support from King Power, WWF will work on the project with Thailand's Department of Nature Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) of Chiang Mai University, and local communities. The project also includes expanding a community tree nursery and experimental forest restoration plots at the Hmong village of Ban Mae Sa Mai located in near the park. The tree nursery will serve as a demonstration and teaching site for Thai forestry specialists, as well as those from neighbouring countries.

"We hope such activities will encourage and guide forest landscape restoration in other areas," said Dr Sitanon Jesdapipat, WWF Thailand's Country Programme Director.

"Our main mission is to stop forest degradation in the park. The restoration project represents a new collaboration in conservation management among local communities, government agencies and other institutions to protect part of the country's watershed and precious natural resources."

For further information:
Radda Larpnun, Communications Manager
WWF Thailand
Tel: +66 2524 61289
E-mail: raddal@wwfgreatermekong.org

High school students win WWF writing contest in Vietnam

2006-05-18

Hanoi, Vietnam – Three local high school students here have won WWF's Public Service Announcement (PSA) writing contest on combating illegal wildlife consumption in Vietnam.

The rampant trade of wildlife in Vietnam has pushed many animal and plant species dangerously close to extinction, threatening not only the country's species and natural resources, but livelihoods as well.

All high school students in Hanoi were eligible to enter the competition, which asked students to write a proposal for a 30-second PSA revolving around WWF's anti-wildlife consumption slogan: Don't trade the natural world for human demands.

"This is the first time a contest such as this has been organized in Vietnam, and it's a wonderful opportunity for the country's youth to voice their concerns over the massive decline in Vietnam's biodiversity due to unsustainable wildlife trade and consumption," said Eric Coull, WWF's Greater Mekong Representative.

"WWF is proud to give them a loud, clear voice to speak out on behalf of conserving the natural resources of their country."

The three winning students are: Nguyen Thi Phuong Nhi (1st prize), Ha Trung Hieu (2nd prize) and Duong Dieu Linh (3rd prize). As part of their prize, all three have received a camcorder from Canon and will attend a week-long video production training course to produce their PSAs for Vietnam television. HSBC, one of WWF's global partners, also helped fund the writing contest and the student's video training

"We are thrilled to be able to support these students and offer prizes to them for their fine work in developing a programme to make the public more aware of the plight of wildlife in Vietnam," said Lawrence Ang from Canon Singapore.

The writing contest is one component of a larger anti-illegal wildlife campaign — A Matter of Attitude: Reducing the Consumption of Wildlife Products in Hanoi, Vietnam — being organized by WWF and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, with support from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

For further information:
Hoang Thi Minh Hong, Communications Manager
WWF Greater Mekong Programme
Tel: +84 4736 6375 ext. 126
Email: hong.hoangminh@wwfgreatermekong.org

Combatting illegal wildlife consumption in Vietnam

2006-04-07

Hanoi, Vietnam – The rampant trade of wildlife in Vietnam has pushed many animal and plant species dangerously close to extinction, threatening not only the species and natural resources of the country and its neighbours, but Vietnamese livelihoods as well.

To combat the wildlife trade, WWF and TRAFFIC are organizing a variety of campaign activities aimed at increasing consumer awareness on the issue, including a writing contest for high school students.

All high school students in Hanoi, the capital, are eligible to enter the contest, which asks students to write a two-paragraph proposal for a 30-second public service announcement revolving around WWF's anti-illegal wildlife consumption slogan: Don't trade the natural world for human demands.

"The current levels of overexploitation for both legal and illegal wildlife trade are widely considered to be the single greatest threat to many species, over and above habitat loss and degradation," said Eric Coull of WWF's Great Mekong Programme.

"Nowhere is this more evident than in Vietnam, where wildlife populations are dwindling at an alarming rate due to illegal trade and consumption. With this writing contest and other initiatives, we have accepted the responsibility of increasing awareness and education."

Within Southeast Asia, Vietnam plays an important role in the illegal wildlife trade. With its abundant of natural wealth, it supplies international markets, particularly China, with a variety of plants and animals. Through an increasingly wealthy urban population, it consumes both locally and internationally sourced wild animals and plants. And, with its well-established trading ties with China, it acts as an integral trade conduit of its neighbours' wildlife.

With nearly half of all Hanoi residents surveyed having personally used wildlife products, the need for an increased local awareness is both immense and extremely urgent.

"In order to protect Vietnam's incredible biodiversity and natural heritage, we must involve people of all age groups, particularly the youth of Vietnam," said Hoang Thi Minh Hong, WWF's Greater Mekong Programme's communications manager.

"Young people deserve to have a loud voice on this issue, and we want to ensure that they are heard."

The three most original ideas for the high school writing contest will be chosen by a panel of judges on 5 June 2006. The winners will each attend a film production training course and receive a camcorder from Canon, one of WWF's global partners. Another WWF global partner, HSBC, is also supporting the writing contest as well as other environmental projects in Vietnam.

The writing contest, however, is only one component of WWF's larger anti-illegal wildlife campaign — A Matter of Attitude: Reducing the Consumption of Wildlife Products in Hanoi, Vietnam. Other activities include providing the Hanoi Forest Protection Department with equipment for establishing a wildlife hotline, planning a print advertising campaign designed by Saatchi & Saatchi, and appointing renowned Vietnamese scientist, Dr Nguyen Lan Dung, as the celebrity spokesperson for the campaign.

END NOTES:

• Support for the anti-illegal wildlife consumption campaign is being provided by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

• HE Peter Lysholt Hansen, Danish Ambassador to Vietnam; Eric Coull, WWF Greater Mekong Representative; and Sulma Warne, TRAFFIC Indochina's Programme Coordinator, presided over the event which was held at the Hanoi Press Club. Nguyen Van Cuong, Vice Director of Vietnam's National Forest Protection Department, and representatives from the Vietnam National Union of Students also attended the event.

• TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, is a joint programme of WWF, the global conservation organization and IUCN – The World Conservation Union.

For further information:
Hoang Thi Minh Hong, Communications Manager
WWF Greater Mekong Programme
Tel: +84 4736 6375
Email: hong.hoangminh@wwfgreatermekong.org

::: Asia Update :::
Endangered Javan rhinoceros photographed in Vietnam

2006-01-19

A camera trap recently captured photos of a critically endangered Javan rhinoceros in Vietnam's Cat Tien National Park. The animal, which was wallowing in a muddy pool when the photo was taken, appears to be an individual which has been photographed before.

The Javan rhinoceros is perhaps the most threatened large mammal in the world, with only two populations known to exist in the wild. In the Ujong Kulon National Park in Java (Indonesia) there are about 50 to 60 animals, and the second population is in Cat Tien National Park where only three to seven rhino remain.

Throughout Asia, rhino horn is highly valued as a powerful traditional medicine. Despite the fact that medical claims have never been scientifically proven, and hunting and trading in parts of any rhino is forbidden under Vietnamese and international laws through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the illicit trade continues, and these incredible creatures have been pushed to the very brink of extinction.

WWF's Cat Tien National Park Conservation Project (CTNPCP), funded by the government of the Netherlands in order to protect the park's special lowland forest and critically endangered Javan rhino, ended in 2004. However, WWF, the Dutch government and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are committed to continue assisting the protection of the rhinos and their habitat.

In July 2005, a monitoring programme for the rhinos was reinstated in the field. Although footprints and other physical evidence of rhinos are routinely observed and collated by Cat Tien National Park's forest guards, it was not until December that any photographs were taken of the Javan rhino under this programme.

Cambodia inaugurates two protected areas

2005-12-14

Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia – The Cambodian government has inaugurated two protected areas, highlighting the global significance of the country's unique dry forest habitats.

The two protected areas — Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary and Mondulkiri Protected Forest — form part of one of the largest complexes of connected protected areas in Southeast Asia, covering more than one million hectares in a region referred to as the Eastern Plains.

"Despite the massive toll that Cambodia's recent history has taken on the dry forests, there is still hope for the incredible and globally significant biodiversity found here," said Dr Chris Hails, WWF International's Conservation Programme Director. "Taking action to protect this area now, will allow wildlife populations to recover and return the Eastern Plains Landscape to its former glory."

The Eastern Plains Landscape of Cambodia is home to many rare and endangered animal species, and is considered one of the last refuges for populations of several large mammal species in the Dry Forests of Southeast Asia, such as tiger, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo, banteng, gaur, Eld's deer, and endangered large birds including the sarus crane, and white-shouldered and giant ibises. All these species require large amounts of space and migrate freely throughout the landscape, and often cross into Vietnam, where hunting and trade threats are considered to be more serious.

The Eastern Plains has high potential for sustainable wildlife tourism. Due to the intact nature of the Dry Forest habitat, WWF, in partnership with Cambodia's Forestry Administration, has recently initiated a pilot project that aims to develop wildlife tourism similar to the safari-style tourism in parts of Africa. Income generated from the project will pay for ongoing conservation initiatives, as well as provide income for local communities and the government.

"Effective protection and conservation of wildlife species will help to make this area become a major tourist destination, second only to Angkor," said Cambodian Environment Minister Dr Mok Moreth. "Such ecotourism can help to reduce poverty within local communities."

WWF believes that sustainable tourism development, as one component of effective management of the protected area complex in the Dry Forests, is one of the most viable options for the Eastern Plains, as there is limited potential for other development activities such as agricultural development, for example, because of poor soil fertility and limited water resources.

WWF hopes that the declaration of the two protected areas will help usher in even greater commitment from the government in addressing key threats to the country's biodiversity and greater cooperation between key environmental ministries.

END NOTES:

• The term Dry Forests refers to a habitat characterized by open deciduous forest, and the associated mosaic of mixed, denser deciduous forest, and semi-evergreen forest.

• WWF has worked in Cambodia since the mid 1990s and is part of the WWF Greater Mekong Programme. The WWF Cambodia programme runs projects mainly in Mondulkiri province through the Srepok Wilderness Area Project (SWAP), Species project in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, and MOSAIC (Management of Strategic Areas for Integrated Conservation), and has a staff of more than 75 including field rangers.

• WWF is calling for concerted efforts in raising funds and developing partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders in order to secure biodiversity conservation on a large scale and over the long term. In the short-term, a key goal of WWF is to achieve protection and effective management of an entire landscape within the Lower Mekong Dry Forests Ecoregion; the Eastern Plains. This will contribute considerably to conserving globally significant biodiversity and essential natural resources that support the livelihoods of local communities.

For further information:
Nick Cox, Coordinator
WWF Dry Forests Ecoregion Programme
Tel : +855 23 218 034
E-mail: nick-wwf@everyday.com.kh

International runners "run wild" across Vietnam to curb wildlife trade

2005-12-13

Hanoi, Vietnam – An international team of cross-country runners have embarked upon a relay along the length of Vietnam in the 2005 Trans-Vietnam Run 2005. Throughout the race runners will help WWF raise awareness about the illegal trade and consumption of wildlife in Vietnam by carrying a banner that reads: "Run wild, run free."

The six-member relay team — consisting of runners from England, France, Iraq, Poland, and South Africa — will run day and night, without interruption, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, a distance of approximately 1,750km. The objective of the Trans-Vietnam race is to promote a healthy lifestyle through sport and general physical exercise, as well as to promote the beauty of Vietnam.

"It's obviously a great sporting challenge for us, but at the same time we would like to promote a good cause," said Rene Croisier, the Trans-Vietnam Run 2005 organizer and one of the runners. "We decided to choose WWF as a partner as we know that they are doing a great job building environmental awareness in Vietnam."

Each year, hundreds of millions of plants and animals are caught or harvested from the wild in order to be sold as food, pets, ornamental plants, leather, tourist curios, or medicine. Throughout the Greater Mekong subregion — composed of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southern China — overexploitation of wildlife is widely considered one of the greatest threats to many species.

"Many Vietnamese people believe that consuming wildlife products promotes good physical health, often paying exorbitant prices for products and meats derived from endangered species," said Hong Hoang Minh, Communications Manager with the WWF Greater Mekong Programme Office. "The illegal trade of endangered species has proven to be one of the most urgent and devastating environmental issues facing the country's biodiversity."

It is estimated that 3,700–4,500 tonnes of wildlife products (excluding birds and insects) are traded and consumed every year in Vietnam.

Earlier this year, TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, and WWF, jointly launched a two-year project to battle illegal wildlife trade and consumption in Hanoi through media and education awareness-raising activities to change consumer attitudes towards wildlife.

"The help that the runners offer, in making an appeal against illegal wildlife trade and consumption in Vietnam, will contribute to the success of the project," Hong added.

The Trans-Vietnam Run is scheduled to finish in Ho Chi Minh City, on 22 December.

For further information:
Hoang Thi Minh Hong, Communications Manager
WWF Greater Mekong Programme
Tel: +84 4736 6375 ext. 126
Email: hong@wwfvn.org.vn

Investing in the Mekong region

2005-07-14

Tokyo, Japan – WWF is urging the private sector to take a greater responsibility to ensure that economic development in the Greater Mekong subregion is environmentally and socially sustainable.

"The private sector is playing an increasingly important role in development of the region," said Dr Isabelle Louis, Director of WWF International's Asia-Pacific Programme.

"It is crucial that businesses and corporations demonstrate how they can contribute positively to balancing economic, social, and environmental development priorities in one of the poorest sub regions in the Asia-Pacific."

The call comes as participants gather in Tokyo, Japan, at the Mekong Development Forum, which aims to deepen the private sector's awareness of the common challenges facing countries within the Greater Mekong subregion, while at the same time drawing attention to potential projects and investments across a broad range of sectors, including including forestry, transport, energy, and waste management.

Although institutions such as the Asian Development Bank have developed comprehensive safeguard policies to help address social and environmental concerns in the implementation of large infrastructure projects, WWF contends that in the Mekong region, individual projects in different sectors can no longer be considered and approved independently, but should be considered in the larger context of cumulative impact assessments at the scale of large landscapes and entire river basins.

"An increasing number of businesses and corporations are developing and adopting innovative approaches," Dr Louis said.

"Embarking on new partnerships will be important to ensure that development both reduces poverty and conserves nature over the long term."

NOTES:
• The six countries of the Greater Mekong subregion include Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China (Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces).

For more information:
Dr Robert Mather, Country Representative
WWF Thailand
Tel: +66 1826 2657
E-mail: mather@wwfthai.org

Dermot O'Gorman, Deputy Director
WWF International Asia-Pacific Programme
Tel: +41-22 364 9262
E-mail: dogorman@wwfint.org

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WWF team joins the 8th Technical Symposium on Mekong Fisheries in Ho Chi Minh City

WWF honours Thai king with forest restoration project

High school students win WWF writing contest in Vietnam

Combatting illegal wildlife consumption in Vietnam

::: Asia Update :::Endangered Javan rhinoceros photographed in Vietnam

Cambodia inaugurates two protected areas

International runners "run wild" across Vietnam to curb wildlife trade

Investing in the Mekong region

::: Asia Update :::
Endangered Javan rhinoceros photographed in Vietnam