Group 2: Siphandone Location: Main Room

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Group 2 SiphandoneLocation Main Room

• Facilitators
• 1. Mr. Martin Hollands
• 2. Dr. Robert Mather

• 1.Mr. Chanyuth Tepa
• 2.Mr. Khamphay Luangath
• 3. Mr. Lonkham Atsanavong
• 4. Mr. Mark Dubois
• 5. Mr. Phaivanh Phiapalath
• 6. Mr. Prachith Noraseng
• 7. Dr. Robyn Johnston
• 8. Mr. Somany Phay

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Siphandone

• Mekong River 50 kms either side of Lao /
  Cambodian border

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Siphandone

• Braided river channel, islands, rapids,
  waterfalls and wetlands (gallery and flooded
  forest)

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Intrinsic values

• Species
• Biodiversity of aquatic and animal species
• Endangered fish species giant catfish, giant
  rays, Probarbis
• Dolphins
• Habitats
• Wetlands flooded forest, gallery forest
• Sand banks, sandy islands
• Fish habitats rapids, deep pools, feeding
  habitats, breeding habitats
• Dolphin habitat
• Waterbird habitat Mekong wagtail and others
• Migration paths
• Variety of ethnic groups with - social and
  cultural values

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Use values

• Fish for food
• Role in mitigating natural disaster
• Livelihood and economic values
• Tourism / ecotourism dolphins, landscapes,
  waterfalls
• Agricultural values
• Ecosystem services
• Provisioning flood protection / water
  management
• Nutrient recycling
•  Spiritual cultural values.
• NTFPs traditional medicines

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Development pressures and trend (non CC)

• Population increase, urbanisation, migration
• Tourism development
• Hydropower
• Rural electrification
• Infrastructure (roads etc)
• Economic development integrated markets, higher
  demand for resources
• Impacts on equality?
• Decentralised governance increased
  participation, changes in legal framework eg
  fisheries law bans certain gear including li
  traps
• Technological change new ways of doing things
• Agricultural change (irrigation, plantations,
  chemical use, livestock replacing fish)
• Land use change (conversion of natural systems
  forest cover change)
• Mining
• Copper / gold upstream Savannakhet
• Bauxite on Bolavens Plateau (which catchments?)
• Increase in conservation zones Ramsar sites,
  World heritage sites, national parks

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Values under threat

• Dolphins
• Fish and fish migration
• Waterbirds
• Deep pools
• Medicinal plants
• Flooded forests / gallery forest
• Hydrological change

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Values under threat - example

• Dolphins
• tourism (positive through awareness negative
  through stress)
• hydrodam division of population into two
  sub-groups decline of fish population
• flow changes deep pools
• water pollution - bioaccumulation of toxic
  chemicals pesticides / mining wastes
• inbreeding depression
• conservation policy and institutions

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Impacts of CC on values

• Wetlands and water birds
• Fish and fish migration
• Forests and wildlife

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Impacts of CC exampleFish and fish migration

• Change in magnitude, pattern, variability
• To increase affect breeding, reproduction,
  feeding magnitude of impacts not well known
• Fluctuation / variability may affect more
  sensitive species
• Change in species distribution new species
  viable in the area

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Integrated planning

• Should be led by provincial government
• Work through existing national climate change
  office link to provincial level is through
  provincial environment office encourage use of
  Siphandone as pilot area
• MRC Climate Change initiative and BDP sub-area
  studies
• Direct engagement with provincial / district
  governments
• Existing programs
• ADB NRMPE (production efficiency)
• agrobiodiversity initiatives (TABI, UNDP/FAO)

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Priority actions

• Payment for environmental services
• Infrastructure and development projects need to
  pay for loss of food and biodiversity
  (appropriate substitution and offsets)
• Agricultural production central to adaptation
  increase agricultural productivity to reduce
  pressure on natural systems

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Priority actions

• Knowledge and information
• Information centre for Siphandone
• Studies on fish migration, interaction between CC
  and other values
• Knowledge network (linking local and scientific
  info)
• Capacity building
• Traditional spiritual and cultural values and
  knowledge

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Priority actions

• Monitoring and evaluation
• Participatory identification of monitoring
  indicators eg Tai Bann / Salaphoum
• Participatory learning and action
• LEADS TO
• Knowledge based local economy
• LEADS TO
• Community adaptation to local climate impacts

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Priority actions

• Legislation and regulation
• Designate for World Heritage and/or Ramsar
• Fisheries law
• Strengthen EIA and SEA capacity and
  implementation
• Clear demarkation of dolphin conservation zone
  and fish protected areas
• Fisheries co-management regulations