Nam Ha Protected Area, Laos

Nam Ha National

Protected Area (NPA) is a densely forested, mountainous region located in Luang Namtha province in northern Laos. Most of the NPA is secondary deciduous and evergreen forest, interspersed with cultivated rice fi elds. The north and the south contain areas of higher altitude scrub and human-altered bamboo forests. The tallest mountains are over 2000 m, with the tallest peak topping out at 2,094 m. Three large rivers drain from the north to the south where they meet the mighty Mekong: the Nam Tha, the Nam Fa, and the Nam Long. The NPA is ranked third in the country for its levels of biodiversity, containing over 300 bird species such as the short-tailed parrot bill and the black eagle. It is also home to many threatened and endangered species including clouded leopards, Asian elephants, tigers, gaur (also known as Indian Bison), and potentially small herds of muntjacs—commonly known as the “barking” or rib-faced deer. An endemic species of frog, Amolops akhaorum, is named after the local Akha people who helped to discover it. Nam Ha was identifi ed as a Provincial Protected Area in 1980 and offi cially established as one in October 1993. It is also designated as the only ASEAN Heritage Park in the country. It is home to many Lao villages and more than 20 diff erent ethnic groups who use the land to graze buff alo, harvest timber, and grow crops. They eat and sell local plants such as rattan, cardamom, bamboo, jewel orchid, and ginger. These resources are becoming diffi cult to manage and maintain because both residents and outsiders are known to harvest from this area. Slash and burn agriculture, road building, and illegal hunting pose a threat to the ecological health of the NPA, while human-wildlife confl icts such as the predation of free grazing buff alo by tigers is also a common worry of local ranchers. Many of these issues have resulted in local communities creating natural resource management rules for the area, and most monitoring and management is in the hands of local village volunteers. Nam Ha is exemplary in its locally-based conservation eff orts and has provided a co-management model for other protected areas in Laos. As with many NPAs in Laos, Nam Ha is a prime ecotourism destination. Tourists come for jungle treks, mountain biking, camping trips, bird watching, and boating. Large caves are also scattered throughout Vieng Phoukha and Long districts, another destination for visitors. These trips provide economic security for many villages within its boundaries, which is especially important in Luang Namtha, one of the country’s poorest provinces. Simultaneously, they off er a unique experience for foreigners. In Luang Namtha province, ecotourism has been cited as an educational opportunity both for western and local Lao visitors. As development pressures heighten in the area, local ethnic groups such as the Akha, Khamu, Hmong, and Lanten have begun selling locally made products and off ering tours of their villages. This way, they can share the importance of their culture with others while maintaining their economic viability and autonomy. Funds from ecotourism and Nam Ha visitor fees are also funneled into programs that work to prevent illegal hunting of threatened species and build NPA staff capacity. Though increased tourism is advantageous for many local people, it places severe stress on the ecosystem. The Provincial Tourism Department in Laos works to maintain a balance between ecotourism and environmental sustainability by imposing limits on group size and the number of wildlife hunting permits. If you choose to visit, remember to be considerate of the land and the rare biodiversity it is home to.