Biodiversity Conservation

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• Biodiversity Conservation
• Ecotourism
• in the
• Nam Ha National Protected Area,
• Lao PDR

By Phimkeo THAMLASINE Chief, Nam Ha
NPA Provincial Agriculture Forestry
Office Luang Namtha province
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Lao PDR

• Area 236,800 km2
• Population 5.2 million
• 21 people / km2
• 47 ethnic groups
• 85 rural
• US 236 (2001)
• Boundary with 5 countries

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Lao PDR

• Forest cover 47
• 3 biogeographic regions
• Northern highlands
• Sai Phou Luang
• Mekong lowlands

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Lao PDR

• 20 protected areas established in 1993
• 13 of country
• Nam Ha NPA representative of the northern
  highlands region

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Nam Ha National Protected Area

• 2,224 km2
• 3rd largest National Protected Area
• Hill evergreen and broadleaf forests

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Wildlife in the Nam Ha NPA

• 37 species of large mammals
• 288 species of birds
• Key species elephant, gibbon, gaur, big-headed
  turtle, silver pheasant, Blythes kingfisher

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Plants in the Nam Ha NPA

• High diversity of flora

• 200 species of NTFPs important for local use and
  trade
• Cardamom
• Jewel orchid
• Cinnamomum c.
• Bamboo
• Rattan
• Aquilaria c.

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Ethnic groups in the Nam Ha NPA
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Ecotourism in the Nam Ha NPA

• First NPA with ecotourism in Lao PDR (National
  Tourism Authority / UNESCO 1999-present)

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Nam Ha NPA Strengthening Project

• 1996-present
• Building capacity of provincial forestry
  department in
• protected area and wildlife management
• conservation outreach
• wildlife research, monitoring, sustainable use

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Objectives of National Protected Areas (Prime
Minister decree 164)

• To protect and conserve forest, wildlife, and
  water
• To maintain natural abundance and environmental
  stability
• To conserve nature for tourism, education, and
  research

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Threats to biodiversity in Nam Ha NPA
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Threats to biodiversity in Nam Ha NPA
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Threats to biodiversity in Nam Ha NPA
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Protected Area Management
1. Zoning, land allocation boundary demarcation
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Protected Area Management
2. Public awareness conservation extension
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Protected Area Management
3. Wildlife threat monitoring patrolling
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Protected Area Management
4. Collaborate with rural development agencies
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Ecotourism in Nam Ha NPA
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Tourism statistics (NTA / UNESCO)

• Average tourist stay 4 days
• Average tourist spending US 9 / day
• Most tourists from England, Holland, Canada,
  Israel, and USA

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Ecotourism development in Luang Namtha province

• Capacity building (NTA/UNESCO)
• Training managers and tourism guides
• Training for villagers (hospitality,
  accommodation, handicrafts)
• Study tours and workshops

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Ecotourism development

• Building linkages to biodiversity conservation in
  the NPA
• 2 village protected areas bird and NTFP
  sanctuaries (NTA/UNESCO)
• Training village guides in nature interpretation
  (WCS)

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Why do tourists go to Nam Ha NPA?(Schipani and
Marris, 2002)
68 - Ethnic minorities 66 - Nature 44 - New
destination 15 - Handicrafts 23 - Other
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Where does the tourism money go? -US 34,400
(October 2000-February 2002)-2,000 tourists from
38 countries
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Distribution of Income from NPA Trekking Permits
(US 3,920 October 2000-December 2002)
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Conservation benefits of ecotourism in Nam Ha NPA

• Villagers now believe that wildlife and the
  forest has economic value through ecotourism
• Villagers and government now more interested in
  conservation management of wildlife and the
  forest.
• Reduction of poverty in villages around the NPA
  from ecotourism income supports GoL priorities
  and makes enforcement of NPA rules more feasible
• Regular presence of tourists and guides in the
  NPA helps to deter the illegal activities of
  outsiders and offers an opportunity for regular
  monitoring of wildlife and threats.
• Provides additional money through trekking
  permits for NPA management

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Improving the NPA ecotourism model to strengthen
conservation benefits

• Clarifying institutional roles and allocate
  authority and responsibilities for ecotourism in
  NPA
• Preparation of tourism development and management
  plan for the NPA to...
• target limited resources for the development of
  ecotourism in villages that are strategically
  important for conservation in the NPA (via
  collaborative management arrangements)
• manage environmental threats in sensitive
  wildlife areas
• optimize revenues for NPA management from
  ecotourism development

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Improving the NPA ecotourism model to strengthen
conservation benefits

• Spread NPA income from ecotourism to other
  strategically important NPA villages to increase
  area of conservation impact
• Continue support for ecotourism activities in 5
  pilot villages in NPA but link tourism benefits
  to collaborative management arrangements that...
• support sustainable use of wildlife and NTFPs
• eliminate trade in wildlife
• 5. Direct incentives develop procedures for
  giving bonuses to village guides for showing
  tourists signs of live wildlife and threatened
  species
• gibbon songs
• bird calls or sightings
• large mammal signs
• rare plants

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Thank you!