(June 21, 2023) After three years in the making, the Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Sonexay Siphandone adopted the new decree on protected areas in Laos on 20 June 2023, marking a major milestone for better management and governance of these biodiversity-rich zones. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) worked hand in hand with the Lao government, protected area practitioners and key stakeholders to strengthen this important national legislation, within the framework of the ‘Ecosystem Conservation through Int...

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(March 04, 2023) World Wildlife Day is celebrated globally every March 3rd to honor the birthday of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This year’s World Wildlife Day fell on the 50th Anniversary of CITES coming into existence and marked the launch of two key legislations in Lao PDR; the launching of the Government Decree implementing CITES in Lao PDR and the National Wildlife Health Surveillance Standard Operation Procedures. The launch of the Na...

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(January 26, 2023) 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 & F...

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(January 13, 2023) On January 13th 2022, 36 representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the European Union (EU) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) gathered to review the achievements and challenges met by the Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management in Lao PDR (ECILL). “WCS has been working in Laos since the 1980s when they first helped our government survey biodiversi...

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(December 02, 2022) “Many species are thriving as indicated by the sound of the birds and by the song of gibbons I can hear in the morning even from my house.” Mrs. Maipom Saysomphone, 28 years old, was born in Meungcham village, Xaychamphone District of Bolikhamxay. She is married to Mr. Bounsing and they have two sons, 9 and 7 years old. The family of four lives in her husband’s village, Sopkhone. She first became involved in The Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management ...

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(July 31, 2013) Plenty of forests but no species to call them home Vientiane Times, July 17, 2013 By Keoxomphou Sakdavong Laos is rich in natural resources and biodiversity, yet there is only the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NEPL-NPA) which provides a suitable home for the country's many endangered species. NEPL-NPA is located across the three northern provinces of Huaphan, Luang Prabang and Xieng Khuang. It has a total area of 4,200 sq km and features 129 villages in eight districts. The N...

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(July 04, 2013) Vientiane Times, July 5, 2013 Nearly 100 officials from three northern provinces gathered in Luang Prabang province last week to discuss the sustainability of the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area (NPA), regarded as one of the most important NPAs in Laos. The annual meeting, organised by the Ministry of National Resources and Environment with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the World Bank, aimed to review achievements and the future direction of the 420,000ha pro...

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