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(March 20, 2026) Manoly at NPA Roadmap Kick-Off. Photo credit: Phetpakay Bounhaxay ©️WCS Lao PDR When people imagine conservation work, they often picture scientists tracking wildlife through dense forests or rangers protecting wild places on the front lines. My journey into conservation began in a different place: policy meetings, diplomatic receptions, and development discussions about how countries grow. I was born and raised in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and originally trained to become a dip...

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(March 20, 2026) According to a survey data and report from Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG IUCN) with fewer than 1,000 Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) remaining in the wild, the species is listed as Critically Endangered by the the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Xe Champhone Wetland located in Champhone District, Savannakhet Province represents the largest of Lao PDR’s two Ramsar sites (Wetland of International Importance) and is home to an abundance of a...

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(January 23, 2026) Dr. Somvang Phimmavong, Director General of Department of Forestry, opened with thanks “on behalf of the Government, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the European Union for its continuous assistance and support. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR for being a reliable and committed development partner. I look forward to our continued cooperation and shared success in the f...

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(January 20, 2026) The Department of Forestry (DOF), in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Lao PDR, convened a national protected area managers’ consultative meeting in Luang Prabang to strengthen the implementation of recently adopted legal measures related to protected area management and responsible development. The meeting, held under the theme “Responsible Investment and Development for Positive Impacts on Nature,” was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somvang ...

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(October 20, 2025) Under the Cooperation Between the Faculty of Law and Political Science, National University of Laos and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Lao PDR. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Lao PDR believes that capacity and education are key to protecting wildlife. By supporting teachers and students to better understand natural resource and environmental laws, WCS aims to build greater awareness of wildlife crime and inspire future leaders to help stop it. This effort supports the Part...

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(July 16, 2025) The Cooperative Action (Co-ACTION) against wildlife crime project between the Office of the Supreme People’s Prosecutor (OSPP) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has achieved results. The OSPP, convening local prosecutors across the country, has recognized and reached a shared understanding that: “Wildlife crime is a serious crime connected to transnational organized crime networks and large-scale businesses and is also linked to other serious crimes such as crimes relate...

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(May 19, 2025) The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, together with the European Union (EU), the Embassy of France to Lao PDR, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) celebrated the success of the Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management (ECILL) Project. The project closing ceremony, held in Vientiane, was chaired by Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, H.E. Mr Kikeo Singnavong, EU Ambassador to Lao PDR, H.E. Mr Mark Gallagher, Deputy Head of the Embassy of France to Lao P...

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(May 12, 2025) Government stakeholders and the Wildlife Conservation Society officially opened the Xe Champhone Wetland and Savannakhet Crocodile Information Center and released back 10 crocodiles into the Xe Champhone wetlands to restore this critically endangered species The opening ceremony for the Xe Champhone Wetland and Crocodile Information Center took place in Tansoum village, Champhone District, Savannakhet Province in presence of the Mr. Khammone Thilavong the Deputy Director of Provincial Forestr...

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(April 09, 2025) WCS Lao PDR applauds the Lao Government for taking bold and timely action to safeguard the country's rivers, forests, and irreplaceable biodiversity. The issuance of Prime Minister's Order No. 06/PM, dated 7 March 2025, marks a major turning point in Laos' efforts to strengthen environmental governance and ensure that natural resource use benefits both people and nature. This landmark policy introduces transformative reforms to curb unsustainable mining practices, enforce environm...

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(March 14, 2025) National and World Wildlife Day was celebrated in Vientiane and presented the outcomes of the 78th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, last February. The event brought together the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Lao PDR, the Wildlife Conservation Society and conservation partners, the Working Group 15.7 on Combating...

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(February 20, 2025) First meeting of the Implementation Committee on the National Protected Areas Roadmap (NPA Roadmap) to outline the implementation process and establish a shared understanding. Following the endorsement of the Roadmap for National Protected Areas Management and Sustainable Financing (NPA Roadmap) on August 8, 2024, the NPA Roadmap Implementation Committee held its kick-off meeting on February 18–19 in Luang Namtha province, home to the ASEAN Heritage’s Nam Ha NPA. Chaired by Mr. Ki...

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(November 22, 2024) The Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR hosted the ‘Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management in Lao PDR’ (ECILL) project Steering Committee meeting co-chaired by Dr. Thoumthone Vongvisouk, Deputy Director General of the Department of Forestry, Ms. Veerle Smet, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Lao PDR, Mr. François-Xavier Duporge, Country Director of the Agence Française de Développement in Lao PDR and Dr. Santi Xaypanya, WCS Laos Country...

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(November 13, 2024) The Kick-Off Leadership Workshop of the Pandemic Prevention Leadership Initiative (PPLI) Fellowship program took place in Bangkok, Thailand to introduce an immersive learning experience focused on key topics relevant to One Health and the prevention and mitigation of high consequence pathogen spillover in live animal markets.  The six-day workshop focusing on providing scenario-driven and hands-on learning, gathered for the first time the 19 Fellows from the ASEAN countries, PPLI teams i...

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(November 01, 2024) The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in cooperation with the Wildlife Conservation Society, presented the biodiversity conservation status and mitigation policies for Lao PDR’s forests and wildlife, as well as Multilateral Environmental Agreements, to National Assembly Members. This high-level meeting was chaired by H.E. Mme. Pingkham Lasasimma, President of the Economic, Technology, and Environment Committee of the National Ass...

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(October 14, 2024) The Government of Lao PDR disseminated the new policies related to the Protected Areas (PA) Decree in the central, northern, and southern regions to ensure its successful implementation across the country. The dissemination workshops took place in Bolikhamxay, Oudomxay and Champassak provinces in presence of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Justice, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Wildlife Conservation Society...

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(September 17, 2024) The Government of Lao PDR adopted the new Decree on Protected Areas (PAs) on June 20th 2023, marking a major milestone for biodiversity protection in Lao PDR. Turning Protected Area Policies into reality requires dissemination and clear understanding by practitioners. Lao PDR’s biodiversity is currently under threat due to climate change, illegal wildlife trade, hunting and poaching coupled with high rates of deforestation causing fragmentation and loss of habitats. The legal framework ...

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(August 16, 2024) Following the adoption of the new Decree on Protected Areas (PA) in June 2023 by the Government of Lao PDR, the Roadmap for National Protected Areas Management and Sustainable Financing has been endorsed by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Assoc. Prof. Linkham Douangsavanh on August 8th 2024. The Roadmap serves as the reference guide for all PA stakeholders including the Lao Government, development partners, private sector, NGOs/CSOs, academia and local communities who will pla...

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(July 23, 2024) The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry disseminated the Standard Operating Procedure for Wildlife Health Surveillance in Lao PDR to prevent and reduce disease risks to human, animal and environmental health Relevant government sectors from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Wildlife Conservation Society launched the Wildlife Health Surveillance Standard Operating Procedure during a dissemination meeting in Vien...

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(June 06, 2024)     WCS is supporting the Protected Area Management Section of Bolikhamxay Province, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in the creation of a new National Park, by combining two protected areas and two protection forests: Phou Sithone Endangered Species Conservation Area and Phou Chomvoy Provincial Protected Area and the Nam Chat Nam Pan Protection Forest which connects the two protected areas as well as the Nam Chouane Nam Xang Protection Forest, which is also the Biodiversity...

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(April 29, 2024) Researchers and conservationists from Thailand visit the Xe Champhone Wetlands in Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR, as part of a conservation study tour to restore the critically endangered Siamese crocodile A delegation from Thailand consisting of researchers and staff affiliated with the Department of National Parks (DNP), Wildlife and Plant Conservation and faculty members from Kasetsart University, as well as staff from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Thailand, visited Savannakhet pr...

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