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, National Parks and Protected Area Management Offices, and the ecotourism private sector.
Lao PDR is covered by 26 National Protected Areas (NPAs), among these NPAs, seven of them were declared were declared ‘National Parks’, a category of higher protection such as the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park. These NPAs are home to a rich biodiversity and several endemic and threatened species.
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.
Adopted in June 2023, the new PA decree raises the standard, priority, and profile of Protected Areas to align with national goals and meet international standards. Communities living in surrounding villages will be engaged in the co-management of the PAs through the ‘Forest Development Village’ approach with the aim to balance benefits between people and nature.
“This workshop is an important milestone for the implementation of these key legislations. The PA legal framework and policies to regulate and protect the forestry sector are set to fulfil Lao PDR’s international commitments under Multilateral Environmental Agreements.”, said Mr. Somboune Vongphachan, Deputy Director General of Department of Legislation, Ministry of Justice.
Bringing together over 90 practitioners from 6 provinces in the Central region, 80 stakeholders from 4 provinces in the South region, and 100 practitioners from 8 provinces in the North region. The Protected Areas Policy Dissemination Workshops aimed to present the new PA policies and the Roadmap for National Protected Areas Management and Sustainable Financing and the NPA’s access to state funds to ensure a clear understanding and successful implementation.
Speaking at the dissemination workshop for the central region, Mrs. Cécile Leroy, Programme Manager of the European Union Delegation to Lao PDR outlined “Lao is home to the world’s most charming rainforests and counts many unique landscapes including national parks and protected areas, recognized as such for their unique ecosystems and biodiversity. The national treasure must be protected, and the protection starts with awareness, and dissemination of policy to ensure appropriate implementation and law enforcement.”.
The PA Roadmap will facilitate collaborative partnerships to sustainably finance the management of protected areas across Lao PDR. It will be a tool to help align the partners and stakeholders’ activities for consistency and synergy with policy goals.
“WCS worked hand in hand with the Lao government, protected area practitioners, and key stakeholders to develop and disseminate this important national legislation. This decree is a big bold step for biodiversity protection in Lao PDR ensuring better management and governance of the biodiversity-rich zones in Laos. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Lao government and all PA stakeholders to ensure its successful implementation following the rule of law for the benefits of nature and people of Lao PDR”, said Mrs. Manoly Sisavanh, Deputy Country Director of WCS Lao PDR.
The three PA policies dissemination workshops were attended by more than 270 people from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, National Parks and Protected Area Management Offices, relevant sectoral provincial and district offices, forest development village representatives, development partners, and the private sector.
The PA Decree and NPA Roadmap were developed with the technical support of the Wildlife Conservation Society within the framework of the ‘Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape management in Lao PDR (ECILL) project’, financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the European Union (EU).