On Thursday January 26th, 2023, the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry represented by Deputy Director General, PhD. Somvang Phimmavong, Deputy Director General and the Wildlife Conservation Society represented by Country Director, PhD. Santi Saypanya signed their sixth Memorandum of Understanding for Nam Et – Phou Louey National Park Management at the Provincial Finance Office in Luang Prabang in front of government officials from Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry, Provincial offices and WCS staff.
With an area of 401,720 hectares, Nam Et - Phou Louey National Park is the largest of Laos’ protected areas, covering 10 districts and three provinces. Nam Et - Phou Louey National Park is home to many critical species and diverse carnivore species with at least four felid species (Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa, Asian Golden Cat Catopuma temminckii, Marbled Cat Pardofelis marmorata, and Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis), an Endangered wild dog species (Dhole Cuon alpinus), and highest density of two bear species (Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus and Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus). Nam Et Phou Louey National Park is home to more than 300 bird species, and one of the largest populations of a Critically Endangered species of gibbons (Northern White- cheeked Gibbon Nomascus leucogeny) , which can only be found in Vietnam and Lao PDR.
The MoU signing is key to the continued collaboration and protection of Nam Et – Phou Louey National Park to jointly implement the approved 10-year Management Plan and 5-year Action Plan. Nam Et Phou Louey National Park was established in 1993. Its protection started in 2003 with the Wildlife Conservation Society began collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and by 2006 the first Totally Protected Zone was established. In 2007, the first ranger substation was built, and outreach and livelihood support programs started; in 2010, the first tourism product, the Nam Nern Night Safari, was launched; and in 2019 Nam Et Phou Louey National Park was declared the first National Park of Lao PDR by the Prime Minister.
The Nam Et Phou Louey National Park was created to manage and protect the environment, forest, forest resources, watershed, aquatic and wildlife species; to conserve the natural beauty, historical artifacts, culture for recreational use, and scientific research to contributing to the improvement of livelihoods of the peoples and the socio-economic development through green and sustainable growth.
Nam Et - Phou Louey National Park is sustainably administered and collaborates with the guardian villages of the landscape, a supportive guardian villages population aware and convinced of the interest of the park which receive equitable benefits from sustainable tourism and other income streams generated by the park. Nam Et - Phou Louey National Park continues to provide a growing contribution to the country's socio economic, cultural development and to global biodiversity.
WCS would like to thank all our donors who helped to make this possible; the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Union, IUCN SOS, US Bureau of International Narcotics & Law Enforcement, US Fish and Wildlife, World Bank, and the Darwin Initiative.