The Babbler 46

The Babbler Number 46 (April - June) 2013

"We have a policy of allocating economic land concessions of deforested land only and, of course, work on the land can only go ahead once an environmental impact assessment is conducted." Mok Mareth, Cambodian Minister for Environment This was forested land within Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary until clearance for oil palm began in 2011. To the best of our knowledge no environmental impact assessment was ever conducted. Ed. Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary 7 May 2013. Photo: J C Eames

COMMENT

The Babbler 46

The Babbler is the quarterly newsletter of BirdLife International in Indochina. The Babbler is compiled by Tran Thi Thanh Huong and edited by Jonathan C. Eames. The views expressed are those of contributors and are not necessarily those of BirdLife International.

In this issue Feature

Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary

Regional News

International Finance Corporation and Deutsche Bank bankrolling Vietnamese land grabs in Cambodia and Laos Horn of scarcity Vietnam among countries submit national action plans to combat illegal trade in elephant ivory Is there hope for the Bengal Florican?

New species of bird discovered in capital city

IBA News

Sarus Cranes decrease at Tram Chim National Park Vietnam withdraws nomination of Cat Tien National Park at UNESCO meeting Rarest of the rare Rufous-rumped Grassbird discovered in Cambodia Project Updates

Personality Grantee profile Staff news

IUCN and CEPF announce major reinvestment in the Indo-Burma Hotspot CEPF-Regional Implementation Team updates Giant Ibis Transport become first BirdLife Species Champion in Cambodia Le Kim Ngan-Becoming a conservation advocate The Center for Water Resources Conservation and Development (WARECOD) Hort Sothea Tran Thi Thanh Huong

BirdLife Vietnam Programme Office Room 401, B1 building, Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound; 298 Kim Ma street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: +84-4-3 514 8903

C

at Tien National Park does not currently meet the criteria for nomination under the World Heritage Convention and the Government of Vietnam was wise to heed the advice of UNESCO and withdraw its candidacy during the recent meeting in Phnom Penh. I was one of the reviewers that recommended to UNESCO that it should not be accepted. This decision was the only correct one but it gave me no pleasure to make it. I rejected its candidacy because it does not represent irreplaceable global natural heritage. It could though: The Government of Vietnam craves international acclaim and legitimacy but its proposal to nominate Cat Tien National Park could only be viewed as a cynical ploy, whilst the prospect of two further hydro-dams hangs over the fate of Dong Nai River, which would overturn the seasonal inundation of wetlands inside the Park. The government should cancel these projects immediately. Once the threat of these dams has been removed, the government needs to embark on the development of an ambitious plan to expand and establish a protected areas complex in the Dong Nai River basin, provide far greater resources to eliminate poaching including training, equipping and funding a large professional ranger force, game fence the entire complex and embark on a programme of ecological recovery which should, once the threat of hunting has been removed, include intensive conservation management of its remaining elephants, re-introduction of Asiatic Water Buffalo sourced from South Asia, and make plans for the reintroduction of Tiger. Concessions to lease and operate commercial safari lodges should then be offered on the open international market as a way to cover the Parks' operational costs. With that plan in place, Cat Tien National Park will meet UNESCO's criteria under the Convention and I will happily support it.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group recently hosted a visit by BirdLife and Dragon Capital Group to the beleaguered Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia. The prospect of us working together to ensure forest corridors remain across their concessions is a challenging but essential one if the Srepok Riverine corridor is to remain connected to the natural forest habitats deeper within the protected area. I take CEO Doan Nguyen Duc at his word when he says he is committed to developing corporate social responsibility practices required of any international company. However, now is the time to end the rhetoric and act before the image of the company and its donors are tarnished further and the remaining forest in his concessions cleared.

For the last five years Tran Thi Thanh Huong has worked as a member of our CEPF Regional Implementation Team as project administrator, and for the last two years she has compiled The Babbler. She has done a first rate job and I have enjoyed working with her immensely. I thank you Huong and wish you good luck in your new job.

At the end of this year BirdLife will cease to provide the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) for the CEPF in the IndoBurma Hotspot as our contract will come to a close . The new RIT will be provided by IUCN. I would like to thank the BirdLife team for doing a great job, offer my congratulations to Robert Mather and the rest of the new IUCN team on winning the recent bid, and wish them the best of luck in developing and delivering the CEPF over the next five years.

BirdLife Cambodia Programme Office #9, Street 29 Tonle Bassac, Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. P.O.Box: 2686 Tel/Fax: +855 23 993 631

Jonathan C Eames OBE BirdLife International

2

FEATURE

The Babbler 46

Hoang Anh Gia Lai in Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary

O

n 7 and 8 May 2013, Bou Vorsak and I were invited to join a delegation from Dragon Capital Group (DC) and Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL) to visit the Hoang Anh Andong Meas (HAAM) and Honag Anh Lomphat (HAL) Economic Land Concessions (ELCs) located entirely within Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary (LWS).

The purpose of our visit was to understand what HAGL has achieved so far at the site, investigate claims that illegal logging was being undertaken outside the ELCs but within the LWS by HAGL staff and explore the possibility of how BirdLife could work together with HAGL and DC to mitigate the impacts of forests clearance and commercial tree-crop development within the protected area.

Since HAGL began operations in October 2011 they have been clearing forest at the rate of 2,000 ha per year. Currently around 4,000 ha of Deciduous Dipterocarp Forest have been cleared south of the Srepok River within the two concessions HAGL holds (one ELC HAGL holds title to, and the second it retains through a shell company). The clearance of this forest has been undertaken by a local contractor under contract to the Ministry of Environment. The salvaged logs are stockpiled and once Forestry Administration stamps obtained, moved to other destinations, either within Cambodia or abroad. To date within the HAAM ELC oil palm has been planted and a drip irrigation scheme installed. In the

3

FEATURE

southerly HAL ELC a mixture of rubber and oil palm have been planted. Three additional compartments await forest clearance and this is scheduled for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The Babbler 46

block flooring and fitted furniture in my opinion. Each piece of timber bore an inventory number suggestive of their value.

Later that day we visited a village in Sre Angkrong Commune and heard views of local villagers about the On the second day of our visit, 8 May, together with ADHOC we visited areas outside the ELCs and within LWS HAGL concessions. At this meeting villagers claimed where high-value timber has been extracted illegally. It that whilst up to 20% of them had employment as daily paid laborers on the ELCs, payment was irregular and was reported to us by villagers and a wildlife sanctuary some of them had not been paid for work done. More ranger that over 5,000 dipterocarp trees, most if not importantly, 14 families claimed that 34 ha of paddy land all used by local communities for resin tapping, had had been taken by HAGL. These villagers either wanted been felled and removed. It was further reported to this land returned or compensation paying they said. us that most of this timber was taken by a Cambodian They reported they had petitioned the commune chief businessman, although HAGL staff were accused of transporting timber across their ELCs. Later that morning and that ADHOC was assisting them in taking their claim to the Ratanakiri Provincial Governor. we visited a sawmill located within the HAGL controlled ELCs. There we met Vietnamese employee of a Saigon based company. Here we saw and photographed large It seems unlikely that MoE will revoke ELCs it has granted within LWS. Therefore we discussed with HAGL and diameter logs being sawn, almost certainly, in my DC the idea of BirdLife developing a plan to mitigate view, acquired from Semi-Evergreen Forest rather than the environmental impact of these ELCs. Since there Deciduous Dipterocarp Forest. Given that the two HAGL remains an extensive area of forest within these two controlled ELCs support Deciduous Dipterocarp Forest ELCs, such a plan should establish forest corridors across only, there was a very high probability that these logs were not cut within either of the two HAGL ELCs but the ELCs to ensure the main body of the LWS does not originated from within the LWS, and possibly the area we become detached from the Srepok River. BirdLife would had inspected earlier in the morning. We also saw sawn like to develop this plan provided all illegal activities are sections of similar timber destined to be used as wooden curtailed.

4

FEATURE

The Babbler 46

Subsequent to our visit, it has been reported that outstanding wages have been paid to villagers, that compensation has been paid for contested paddy fields, that the sawmill has been closed and that further missions from the International Finance Corporation and Dragon Capital Group have been undertaken to these ELCs. On 17 June 2013, HAGL announced a moratorium on further “reclamation� at its land concessions in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. BirdLife hopes that this period of grace can be used by HAGL, International Finance Corporation and Dragon Capital Group to develop a responsible approach that will provide an opportunity for BirdLife to develop a plan to mitigate further impacts on biodiversity within LWS. I would like to extend my thanks to Doan Nguyen Duc CEO of HAGL for inviting BirdLife to join this mission and for being open and receptive to the idea of a collaboration with BirdLife to mitigate future environmental impacts ----------Jonathan C. Eames

5

FEATURE

The Babbler 46

Economic Land Concessions, and zonation of Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary

T

he above map (left) shows the gazetted boundary of Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary. This boundary was established under the 1993 Royal Decree which established 23 protected areas. The map at top right shows the four Economic Land Concessions (ELCs) that have already been granted within Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary in pale green and two polygons in yellow, where we believe two more ELCs may soon be granted. These were granted under the 2008 Protected Areas Law which introduced a system of zoning protected areas to effectively manage the conservation and development of them. This law allows for the establishment of a core zone, conservation zone, sustainable-use zone and community zone. As we reported in The Babbler 42, BirdLife is not aware of any zonation plan having been completed prior to the granting of the ELC licences - which it should have been. The failure to have done so has resulted in the Srepok River corridor becoming disjunct from the rest of the wildlife sanctuary.

The government has used the provision for a sustainable-use zone as the means to grant ELCs in Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary and a large number of other protected areas. There are grounds for disputing what the government has done since the law stipulates a requirement for sustainableuse and clearly logging and commercial tree crop plantations do not constitute a sustainable use of the natural vegetation; since it must first be destroyed to permit these other land-uses.

BirdLife in collaboration with PRCF, has recently developed a draft zoning plan for Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary which awaits approval (bottom right) Jonathan C. Eames

6

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

International Finance Corporation and Deutsche Bank bankrolling Vietnamese land grabs in Cambodia and Laos

M

ay 13, 2013 - The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Deutsche Bank are financing Vietnamese rubber companies driving a wave of land and forest "grabs" in Cambodia and Laos, according to a new report and film

by Global Witness.

the Land Team at Global Witness. “Both • The IFC currently invests US$14.95 million companies are having severe impacts on the in a Vietnamese fund that holds nearly human rights of ordinary Lao and Cambodian five per cent equity in HAGL (1). citizens. Often, the first time people learn of • Deutsche Bank currently holds US$4.5 a plantation is when the company bulldozers million in shares in HAGL through its DWS arrive to clear their farms.”

Vietnam Fund Ltd (2).

• In 2011, HAGL became the first Cambodia and Laos are undergoing a land Vietnamese company to list on the The report, “Rubber Barons”, reveals how grabbing crisis that has seen more than London Stock Exchange, using Deutsche a pervasive culture of secrecy around 3.7 million hectares of land handed over Bank Trust Company Americas as its plantation investments in the region has to companies since 2000, forty percent of depository bank (3). allowed two of Vietnam’s largest companies, which is for rubber plantations. The report • Deutsche Bank holds 1.2 million shares in Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) and the statereveals how HAGL and VRG‘s operations are Dong Phu, a member of VRG, which are owned Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG), to characterised by a lack of consultation with currently worth US$3.3 million (1). acquire more than 200,000 hectares of communities, non-payment of compensation land through a series of deals with the Lao and routine use of armed security forces HAGL and VRG's ultimate ownership of these and Cambodian governments that lack to guard plantations. Large areas of companies lies behind an intricate web of transparency. supposedly protected intact forest have been shell companies. This allows them to disguise cleared, contrary to forest protection laws, the fact that they have massively exceeded It details how these rubber giants, with close apparently in collusion with Cambodia’s Cambodia’s legal limit on land holdings. links to the region’s notoriously corrupt corrupt elite. Global Witness is calling for political elites, operate with complete HAGL and VRG to be prosecuted for their Since August 2012, Global Witness has made impunity, devastating local livelihoods and illegal activities and for their plantation persistent requests to HAGL and VRG to the environment in the process. Deutsche concessions to be cancelled. bring their operations in line with local law, Bank has significant holdings in both resolve disputes with affected communities companies, while the IFC invests in HAGL. Rubber Barons identifies various and publicly disclose details of their “We’ve known for some time that corrupt relationships between Deutsche Bank concessions. Neither company has so far politicians in Cambodia and Laos are and the IFC – the private lending arm of acknowledged any wrongdoing, or made any orchestrating the land grabbing crisis that is the World Bank Group – and the rubber commitment to change their behaviour. doing so much damage in the region. This companies. These investments stand in Local people’s testimony, detailed in report completes the picture by exposing stark contrast to both institutions’ public Rubber Barons, describes the impact of the pivotal role of Vietnam’s rubber barons commitments on ethics and sustainability, these activities on their communities – and their financiers, Deutsche Bank and as well as the World Bank’s core mandate to increased food and water shortages, loss of the IFC,” said Megan MacInnes, Head of end global poverty: livelihood without compensation and poor 7

employment conditions are commonplace, while indigenous minorities have lost burial grounds and sacred forests to the bulldozers. Those who protest face violence, intimidation and even arrest, often by state authorities who are meant to protect them but instead protect the Vietnamese companies.

“These cases are shocking, but they are far from unique,” said MacInnes.

“Until governments bring in and enforce regulations to end the culture of secrecy and impunity that is driving the global land grabbing crisis, international banks and financial institutions will continue to turn a blind eye to the human rights abuses and deforestation they are bankrolling.”

When asked, HAGL confirmed holding rubber plantations totalling 46,752 hectares in Cambodia and Laos but denied knowledge of any disputes with local communities or involvement in illegal activities. VRG meanwhile stated the evidence presented to them was not true, but declined to confirm the status or holdings of its rubber operations in either country.

Watch the film and download the report here -------Source: www.globalwitness.org

v

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

w

HOANG ANH GIA LAI REFUTES ACCUSATIONS BY GLOBAL WITNESS

M

ay 18, 2013 - Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) chairman Doan Nguyen Duc last week denied Global Witness Organisation accusations of land and forest grabs in Laos and Cambodia, earlier carried by internationally respected media such as the BBC. “We will not sue, although the accusations have harmed our image and share price.

We’ll show them that we’ve done nothing wrong. We do not destroy the forest nor trade logs. Meanwhile, our projects have generated jobs for tens of thousands of local residents. If we are found to be committing violations, we are willing to fix them, but I’m confident that we have not.”

Global Witness alleged HAGL and Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) had destroyed vast tracks of forest in Laos and Cambodia for rubber plantations, and devastated local livelihoods and the environment.

Duc said his group was working to obtain a Forest Management Certificate from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) via Bureau Veritas, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification. FCS was recommended by the World Bank the World Bank’s International Finance Corp for certification.

IFC has a stake in the investment fund Vietnam Enterprise Investment Limited (VEIL), managed by Dragon Capital, which in

turn has an investment in HAGL.

Dien. He said Deutsche Bank currently had some indirect investments in HAGL through international exchanges. He added and Dragon Capital always demanded HAGL observe the laws of any countries where it did business, and HAGL strictly observed laws.

Hannfried von Hinderburg, head of communications, IFC East Asia and the Pacific, wrote to VIR last week: “IFC works with financial intermediaries, such as funds, because they can contribute to inclusive and sustainable financial markets that are essential to eradicating poverty and job creation. The multiplier effect of fund investments enables us to support far more enterprises critical to development than we would be able to on our own.

reputations.

He said his group had a total of four subsidiaries in Cambodia, and each had less than 10,000 hectares for rubber plantation, because the Cambodian laws state each company cannot have more than that. This proved that Global Witness was wrong when Global Witness also accused IFC and claiming HAGL had more land for rubber as Deutsche Bank of supporting HAGL’s activities stated by law. Duc added maybe because in Cambodia and Laos. Duc said right after many companies had “Hoang Anh” as part of Global Witness published the report, IFC their names, but they were not in his group, representatives flew from Hong Kong to and Global Witness might have included Vietnam to re-appraise HAGL business and them in its calculations. they told him they found nothing wrong.

Then, IFC advised HAGL about what the Global Witness claimed HAGL had been given group should do next.

47,300ha for rubber plantations in Cambodia.

“IFC’s approach to environmental and social risk management when working with funds is to help build the capacity of the fund Duc said HAGL, or any “We do not destroy the managers so that foreign investor in forest nor trade logs” said Doan they themselves Laos and Cambodia, Nguyen Duc, Chairman of Hoang can assess and had to acquire land Anh Gia Lai group mitigate their own upon approval of the environmental and two governments. The social risks. In line Laos and Cambodian with this approach, governments call we have helped and continue to help fund for investment in poor rural areas with manger Dragon Capital put an environmental incentives, such as corporate income and social monitoring system in place that tax exemptions, in order to improve the allows them to conduct their own dueconditions of both local people and society, diligence and monitoring of their funds’ not to make their life worse, as accused by investments,” he wrote.

Global Witness.

Dragon Capital held less than 6 per cent in HAGL, said HAGL board member Vu Huu

Duc said Global Witness had also smeared the Lao and Cambodian governments’ 8

As for Vietnam Rubber Group, it plans to grow 70,000ha of rubber in Laos and Cambodia between now to 2015, taking its total rubber farming area in these two countries to 150,000ha.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is in talks with the Cambodian government over expanding the farming area of rubber and industrial plants to 300,000ha --------Source: Tuong Thuy, Vietnam News

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

Vietnam: To have licenses for hydropower plants, investors must plant forests

J

une 16 2013 - January 10, 2013 - A latest investigative report by Eyes on the Forest coalition is published today focusing on APP deforestation and its link to deadly human-Sumatran tiger conflict in Riau Province of Sumatra.

From July 1, 2013, the Circular No. 24 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on growing forests to replace the forests to be destroyed for other purposes would take effects.

Under the circular, the investors would have the responsibility of compensate the area of forests they would use for the projects with the same area of forests to be planted in other places. According to Nguyen Quang Duong, Director of the Finance Planning Department, an arm of MARD, the new circular aims to prevent from the forest area decline.

The government’s Decree No. 23 that guides the implementation of the Forest Protection Law also stipulates the responsibility of the investors to destroy forests to clear site for the project development. However, the decree says investors only have to compensate people or afforestation yards when using their forest land.

The investors who take the forest land to develop

hydropower plants, exploit nature or build roads and don’t have to make compensation, because the forest land belongs to the state. Nevertheless, too much forest land has been cleared in the last few years and used by investors to develop industrial projects, which has led to the sharp decline in the natural forest area.

The Circular No. 24 takes effects from July 1, 2013, and the projects which had fulfilled the conversion of the forest use purposes prior to July 1 would have complete the procedures on afforestation by 2014 at the latest.

A report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that 20,000 hectares of forests had changed their use purposes by the end of 2012, i.e. the forests land had been used for other purposes. The majority of the forests have been converted for the development of hydropower plants. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam has programmed 1.100 hydropower plant projects with the total designed capacity of 26,000 MW.

With the Circular No. 24, when an enterprise wants to use a certain forest land in one locality for developing its projects, it would have to grow a forest on the same area in this or another locality. The decline in the natural forest area due to the development of mining and hydropower plant projects was put into discussion at the National Assembly’s working session in December 2012. At that time, the Ministry of The massive development of hydropower plants which Industry and Trade proposed not to license hydropower plant have caused serious consequences is now a burning issue put into the discussion at the ongoing National Assembly’s projects, if there is no land fund for the new afforestation. session. Supervising hydropower projects, together with the restructuring of the banking system, is one of the most Regarding the afforestation costs, Duong said that it costs important duties congressmen have asked to focus on in the VND15-20 million per hectares during a period of four years immediate time on average. The investors, who cannot re-plant forests to replace the forests they take away, would have to pay money -------to the central fund of forest protection and development, Source: www.english.vietnamnet.vn which would organize the plantation and protection of forests in other places.

9

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

Horn of scarcity It is the profit motive, not Asian tradition, that endangers rhinos, elephants, tigers and sharks

A

pril 20, 2013 - Writing in 1917, R.B. Smart, deputy commissioner and settlement officer in Akyab district of British-ruled Burma (now Rakhine state in Myanmar), was worried about local rhinoceroses. His volume of the “Burma Gazetteer” notes that their blood and horns were much prized as medicines and aphrodisiacs. As a result “these animals are ruthlessly hunted down and shot.” The state was already one of the few parts of Burma where rhinos were still fairly plentiful, but “they will become extinct in the near future if not preserved.”

once scattered across South-East Asia up to the foothills of the Himalayas, is confined to a few isolated pockets of Indonesia and Malaysia. A 2011 estimate put the global population as low as 216.

They are still threatened by poachers, as are other rhino species in India and Africa. In the Kaziranga reserve in India’s north-eastern state of Assam, 16 rhinos have been shot so far this year, and the authorities have started using drones—unmanned aircraft—in an effort to curb poaching. A rhino’s being dead or in a cage affords little protection to its precious horn. In the past two years there have been at least 20 thefts in Britain alone from zoos, museums and private collections.

Smart’s concern seemed more for the loss of big game for the “European sportsman” to kill than for biodiversity. But he was right. It is a long time since a rhino was seen in the wild In traditional Chinese medicine, powdered in Myanmar. Now Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, rhino horn was—wrongly—believed to be

effective against fevers, rheumatism, gout and much else. It was also used in premodern medicine in India, Korea, Malaysia and elsewhere. Asia’s population and wealth have both grown spectacularly. Tens of millions of people have become able to afford expensive cures. Small wonder the rhino and other endangered species are feeling the pressure.

The same, after all, is true of many other species whose products are much soughtafter in Asia for their culinary, curative or decorative properties. Just this week it emerged that a Chinese vessel that ran aground in a protected coral atoll in the Philippines on April 8th was carrying 400 boxes—ten tonnes—of meat from the pangolin, the endangered scaly anteater.

Better-known prey is the tiger, a living 10

pharmacopoeia: nearly every part of it has medicinal value, or some other lucrative commercial use, such as in a rug. That is why tigers may disappear from the wild. Elephant populations are also in crisis. On March 14th and 15th, just as a ten-day meeting of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was winding up in Bangkok, at least 86 elephants, including 33 pregnant females, were killed by poachers in south-western Chad for the ivory from their tusks.

The CITES meeting also had to respond to the crises facing creatures endangered by Chinese fine-dining habits, such as abalone, sea cucumbers and sharks. Shark’s-fin soup is an important part of the Chinese banquet served at weddings and other celebrations.

So every year between 100m and 275m sharks are killed for their fins. The CITES

REGIONAL NEWS meeting added five shark species to the convention’s Appendix II, meaning trade in them will be regulated. The manta ray, threatened by the popularity of its feathery gill-rakers as an ingredient in a health tonic, was also added.

The Babbler 46

Blood, sweat and tears

The conventional view is almost despairing: as the inexorable rise of demand, rooted in centuries-old tradition, meets a dwindling number of wild animals, the future for these species is bleak. But in fact much of the demand is The economics of extinction are ruthless. manufactured. Take rhinos. Demand for The fewer specimens of a creature rhino horn—and poaching to meet it—fell there are, the greater the value of its sharply after China banned its use (along products. Those holding stocks thus have with tiger bone) in 1993. The poaching a big financial interest in the creature’s boom had arisen first from a craze for disappearance. The CITES regime— rhino-horn dagger-handles in Yemen, then controlling cross-border trade—seems from China’s high-end market for ivory not to be working. So some argue that and rhino-horn carvings. The final blow what is needed is an expansion of trade, to the rhino has been soaring demand using existing stockpiles, farmed animals from Vietnam in recent years. This stems and the by-products of “trophy hunts”, to from nothing more substantial than a bring down the price and cut incentives for rumour that rhino horn had cured an poaching. (unidentified) former government minister from (unspecified) cancer.

This approach has two big problems. The wild product is always likely to have a Consumer demand is not immutable. certain cachet (European foodies can be Mainstream practitioners of traditional known to turn up their noses at farmed Chinese medicine have long abandoned salmon). Banyan still remembers the the banned derivatives of endangered indignation of a vendor in Ho Chi Minh species. In Chinese-majority Singapore City when he asked in 1997 whether the a number of big supermarkets and piece of tiger bone given pride of place restaurants have stopped stocking sharks’ in his shop, on plush red velvet, was from fins. In Smart’s day, rhino blood was as a farmed tiger. Second, the bigger the prized as the horn and “worth its weight legal market, the easier it is to launder in silver”. It is rarely prescribed these poached goods. So conservation groups days, even in Vietnam. Criminals, and the are appalled at recent agreements South officials they buy, make a fortune out of Africa reached with China and Vietnam, the market in endangered species. They though they are supposed to curb are creating the “traditional demand”, not poaching. The groups fear they herald an the other way round expansion of the ivory and rhino-horn ---------trade.

News and photo source: www.economist. com

Report of 'Asian Species Action Partnership' meetings

T

he 'Asian Species Action Partnership’ (ASAP), formerly known by its interim name of 'Action Asia', is an IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)-convened response by a large coalition of conservation partners, supporting the governments of Southeast Asia in the ambitious mission of minimising vertebrate extinctions in the region. The report gives background to the high threats this region faces in near-term species extinctions. Much good work is already taking place in the region, but this needs to be stepped-up hugely to prevent otherwise inevitable extinction of many vertebrate species, including some that are global icons such as Sumatran Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. ASAP arose out of the alarming results of the Global Mammal Assessment, revealing the concentration of highly threatened mammals in Southeast Asia and adjacent regions. As a result, a number of key conservation organisations agreed for an immediate need for intensified interventions for these species, necessarily involving collaboration among agencies.

The first meeting of representatives of many interested organizations was held at the World Conservation Congress in Jeju, Korea, in September 2012. The aim of this introductory meeting was to explore the participants' views on whether a coalition could materially support the partners in reducing species extinctions, and, if so, gather broad ideas on how it might practically achieve this. A second meeting was held at the CITES CoP 16 meetings in Bangkok on Saturday, 9 March 11

2013. The draft decisions from this meeting were discussed at several other venues over the following month, to take advantage of opportunities for consultation with a wider cross-section of the conservation community.

There were several informal discussions at the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia on 21 March, 2013, and at the Sumatran Rhino Crisis Summit in Singapore, 31 March – 4 April 2013. Additionally, a one-day meeting was held in Vietnam to explore support for applying ASAP's approach in a country-specific way. This meeting was organised by a coalition known previously as VESPA, but which has now been renamed as ASAP – Vietnam (ASAP– VN) (to show its formal linkage] with ASAP) on 22 March 2013.

This report is a summary of these March–April 2013 ASAP meetings’ outcomes, based on discussions during the meetings and some follow-up email correspondence ---------Source: IUCN

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

Vietnam’s illegal rhino horn trade: Undermining the effectiveness of CITES

Vietnam’s Appetite For Rhino Horn Drives Poaching In Africa

M

ay 13, 2013- Africa is facing a growing epidemic: the slaughter of rhinos.

So far this year, South Africa has lost more than 290 rhinos — an average of at least two a day.

That puts the country on track to set yet another record after poachers killed 668 rhinos in 2012.

F

ebruary 2013 - The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), along with the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), filed a petition on December 21, 2012 with the U.S. Secretary of the Department of the Interior under the Pelly Amendment, which enables the U.S. President to impose trade sanctions against countries engaged in trade that diminishes the effectiveness of any international program in force with respect to the United States for the conservation of endangered or threatened species.

This briefing summarises the key points from the Petition to certify Vietnam as diminishing the effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for trade in rhino products.

Rhinoceros populations have been decimated in both Africa and Asia, with three subspecies already extinct and most species and subspecies now critically

endangered. To curb the international trade in rhino horn and other parts and derivatives that has led to diminished rhino populations, the CITES Parties have placed all but two populations of rhinos in Appendix I to prohibit international trade for commercial purposes. Populations of the southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) in South Africa and Swaziland are included in Appendix II with an annotation limiting trade to hunting trophies and live rhinos to appropriate and acceptable destinations. These efforts helped stabilise and in some cases, increase, rhino populations.

However, despite these efforts, rhino populations are again under threat, largely due to rising demand in Vietnam and the failure of Vietnam to implement its CITES obligations.

illegally traded, and poached rhinos in South Africa and elsewhere. In some cases, Vietnam has refused to implement the recommendations of the CITES Parties or even respond to requests for information from the Parties. In fact, Vietnamese CITES officials continue to deny the role of Vietnam and its nationals in the illegal rhino horn trade, statements that defy all evidence to the contrary.

With Vietnamese nationals at the centre of the illegal trade, Vietnam is believed to be driving the “rapacious illegal trade in rhino horn.” Read the full briefing here --------Source: The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Photo: Jonathan C. Eames

Behind the rise in killings are international criminal syndicates and global economic change.

Poachers have gone high-tech, using helicopters, silencers and night vision goggles to meet the growing demand for rhino horn in East Asia, especially Vietnam.

Some newly rich Vietnamese believe rhino horn — used in traditional Chinese medicine — can now treat all kinds of illnesses. Last year in Vietnam, rhino horn sold for up to $1,400 an ounce, which is about the price of gold.

The power of East Asian demand was on stark display last year after South African authorities confiscated a videotape hunters made of an illegal rhino kill.

In the video, a hunter fires on a rhino as it shades itself beneath a tree in a game reserve. The rhino tries to escape, emitting a high-pitched cry, before eventually being brought down by steady gunfire.

In the next scene — yes, the poachers kept taping — South African hunters and Southeast Asian wildlife traffickers count stacks of money to pay for the horn. Steve Galster, executive director of

Vietnam is currently the largest market for rhino horn from both legally hunted rhinos in South Africa, whose horns are then 12

REGIONAL NEWS the anti-trafficking Freeland Foundation in Bangkok, obtained a copy of the tape and explains: “They will be buying this horn for tens of thousands of dollars in South Africa and selling some sets of horns over in Southeast Asia for up to $1 million.”

Wealth and medical misinformation drive killing Conservationists say much of Africa’s rhino horn ends up in Vietnam. On a single day in January, authorities detained two Vietnamese men in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, trying to smuggle a total of almost 60 pounds of African horn worth a combined $1.5 million.

The Babbler 46 “The smuggling of rhino horn has been on our radar since 2006,” says Douglas Hendrie, a technical adviser to Education for Nature, a Vietnamese nongovernmental organization.

Hendrie says demand has been driven by sudden wealth and medicinal misinformation, including Internet rumors that rhino horn can cure cancer. In surveys, users say they believe rhino horn improves general health, prevents illness and treats about 30 different ailments, including hangovers.

Rhino horns. Photo: www. rihnopoasching.wordpress.com

“Like a fad, it’s become popular,” says Hendrie, who says using rhino horn is now a status symbol. “It’s the thing to do. It’s gifted. What a great gift for your boss, or ... government official.”

and feel sober again.”

Sitting at his breakfast table, he unwraps a piece of newspaper to reveal a small, gray block of rhino horn he received as a gift. Bui pours water into a specially made bowl with a rough bottom and grinds the block of horn into a milky, white liquid.

The grinding creates an odor that smells like burned hair. That’s because rhino horn contains keratin, the main component in fingernails and hair. He says that as the value of rhino horn grew, it became a kind of currency.

“People use rhino horn as gifts to trade for a better job or trade for some benefits,” says Bui. “This piece used to cost $100 in the past and now it costs $1,000.”

Contrary to popular myth in the West, rhino horn was never traditionally viewed as an aphrodisiac.

As for all the other ailments some doctors here prescribe it for — such as cancer — Vu doesn’t buy it.

“They do it for their profit, for their business,” he says. “Personally, I have seen a lot of rhino horn, a lot of my patients have brought it here, but I don’t see any special effects.”

In fact, after China banned the rhino horn trade in 1993, it was removed from traditional medicine books in the country.

As with most illegal products, rhino horn’s real demand isn’t easy to gauge, but Bat Rhino horn prices are so high, some medicine Trang, a porcelain-making village outside shops sell fake rhino horn made from buffalo Hanoi, offers some clues. This is where Bui horn. Bui says some people even make rhino bought his rhino-grinding bowl. horn out of industrial plastic.

That’s how Bui Thanh, a Nguyen Thi Le Hang owns a factory here retired official who used to that’s made rhino bowls for at least the past approve construction projects High profit, low risk decade. Nguyen says when she started, some in the Vietnamese government, of her best customers were hard-drinking got his stash of rhino horn. Bui Given the staggering price both consumers pilots. began taking rhino horn to and the rhinos themselves are paying, does recover from drinking binges rhino horn actually do anything? Vu Quoc “I used to sell 2,000 grinding bowls a with contractors.

Trung, a traditional medicine doctor who month to the airport,” says Hang, 56, as she works out of a Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi, crouches on the floor of her shop. “Most “Every time I drank thinks it has some limited value. pilots are men. They are not very careful with alcohol, I’d go home and grind the horn “According to ancient medicine books, there their belongings and they break the bowls all the time.” Last year, Nguyen says, she sold and drink it,” says are only three uses for rhino horn,” says Thanh, a 65-year-old Trung. “The first is to decrease temperature, 10,000 bowls. grandfather of two. the second is to detoxify and the third is to TRAFFIC, a global organization that tracks the “An hour later, I’d throw up improve blood quality.”

13

REGIONAL NEWS wildlife trade, says no other country has a grinding-bowl industry like Vietnam’s.

Naomi Doak, the group’s coordinator in Hanoi, says the rhino horn trade has flourished here because there isn’t a lot of enforcement.

The Babbler 46

Prison and hefty fines for rhino horn traffickers

“It should be the responsibility of the South African government. It can’t be Vietnam’s,” he says, reflexively. “In Vietnam, if people have money, they have the right to buy it.”

M

ay 16, 2013- As record numbers of rhinos are slaughtered for their horns, there is good news that poachers will be punished for their crimes. In the United States, two businessmen will now serve time in prison and pay hefty fines for rhino horn trafficking.

Some rhino horn users, though, seem to be having a change of heart. A woman named “Here is something that is high profit and low risk,” says Doak. “If you get caught, you Duong, 50, who works in international trade, says she used to take rhino horn as a might get a fine, you might get a slap on general health tonic, but found it didn’t do the wrist. That’s it.” much, so she stopped using it.

Efforts to change public opinion Vietnam insists it strictly prohibits the illegal trade in wild animals. Last year, it signed a memorandum of understanding with South Africa to cooperate on the issue. Conservationists think the key to reducing demand is education.

Nguyen Quan, who works in the wildlife crimes unit of Education for Nature, uses public awareness campaigns to debunk rhino horn myths. He tells anyone who will listen that rhino horn is basically a grossly overpriced placebo.

“We have a kind of banner saying rhino horn and people’s nails are not different,” Nguyen Quang says. “So instead of using rhino horn, why don’t we just chew our nails?”

South Africa is home to more than 20,000 rhinos, the vast majority of the global rhino population. Getting people in Vietnam to focus on a creature so far away isn’t easy.

Bui, the government official who took rhino horn for hangovers, said protecting the animal isn’t his problem.

significantly more poaching than the previous year which had a record high of 668 rhinos slaughtered.

Illegal trade in rhino horn continues to threaten rhino populations, driven primarily by a false belief in Asian countries like Vietnam where it is believed to cure cancer and hangovers.

Vinh Chung “Jimmy” Kha and Felix Kha, arrested in 2012, were sentenced by a Los Angeles court to 42 months and 46 months Setting standards in prison, respectively. They will also pay more than a million dollars in fines, penalties “We commend the US Fish and Wildlife and goods to the government.

Service and Department of Justice for bringing wildlife criminals to justice,” said The fines will go toward supporting wildlife Ginette Hemley, Senior Vice President of law enforcement in the U.S. and rhino Conservation Strategy and Science. “This conservation efforts in Africa. case—which involved organised crime, corruption, and trafficking—could be the The father and son were part of a plot of a movie but shows that wildlife crime widespread criminal network supplying is serious and it’s happening within our the Asian black market, including Vietnam borders, threatening survival of precious where the price of rhino horn rivals gold. species like rhinos and lining the pockets of In total, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gangsters.” investigation netted 37 rhino horns, with approximately $1 million in cash, and $1 The strong sentence affirms the stance taken million in bars of gold, diamonds and Rolex by the U.S. at the recently concluded United watches.

Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Member countries A global crisis passed a resolution put forth by the U.S. and Peru, encouraging UN member states “to The Kha’s sentencing coincided with the make illicit trafficking in wild fauna and flora release of the latest rhino poaching numbers a serious crime” and to ensure organised from South Africa. With 313 poached criminal groups are prosecuted this year alone—a shocking rate of 2.3 a ------day—the country is likely to experience Source: WWF

Now, she feels guilty.

“I bought this horn a very long time ago, about seven years ago, and since then, I’ve heard a lot about rare and precious animals being killed,” she says, sitting in her living room with a flat-screen TV and Italian marble floors. “I feel really sorry about that and I would not buy any animal products again.”

How many others rhino horn users here are coming to the same conclusion is anyone’s guess, but the rhino’s survival may depend on it --------Photo and news source: by Frank Langitt. www.npr.org

14

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

South Africa and Vietnam sign rhino action plan

M

ay 7, 2013 - South Africa and Vietnam have signed an action plan to set in motion the biodiversity conservation and protection agreement signed by the two countries in December, aimed at curbing wildlife crimes, in particular rhino poaching.

South Africa backs proposal to legalise rhino horn trade

“The two countries will, in the next six months, share information on each country’s legislation in regards to the management of sport hunting for trophies of rhino and other wildlife with the aim of improving the management of imports of hunted specimens to Vietnam,” the department said.

J

ul 3, 2013 - South Africa’s government is backing the legalization of trade in rhino horns in an effort to stem poaching of the endangered animals.

“South Africa cannot continue to be held hostage by the syndicates slaughtering our rhinos,” Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa told reporters today in Pretoria, the capital.

“The establishment of a well-regulated international trade” could help curb rhino poaching, she said.

“The implementation plan, effective until 2017, gives further impetus to the fight against wildlife crimes, particularly rhino poaching,” the Department of Environmental Affairs said in a statement.

“Awareness and education campaigns on biodiversity management, compliance with international regulations and legislation, forestry, skills development, sustainable utilisation and the improvement of livelihoods while conserving the South Africa’s Deputy Environmental environment and related matters, will also Affairs Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi and be conducted to ensure wildlife-related Vietnam’s Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Ha Cong Tuan signed crimes are reduced.” the follow-up implementation plan in Hanoi Further development of wildlife monitoring on Monday. systems, including the introduction of a gene bank and training courses The memorandum of understanding in wildlife forensic analysis and DNA on biodiversity conservation and sample techniques, also form part of the protection was introduced to promote implementation plan to combat levels of cooperation between the two countries wildlife crime. in law enforcement and compliance with legislation such as the Convention of “The two countries will share experiences International Trade in Endangered Species on a regular basis, resulting in of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). recommendations to enhance biodiversity, ‘Joint efforts to conserve biodiversity’ management, conservation and protection,” the department said Priority cooperation areas also include --------the use, transfer and development of technology, natural resource and protected Source: www.southafrica.info areas management, wildlife trade and community development.

At least 446 rhinos have been killed illegally in South Africa this year, with 280 slaughtered in Kruger National Park, a conservation area the size of Israel that borders Mozambique and where the army has been deployed, the Department of Environmental Affairs said in a June 26 statement. The rate of deaths this year is on course to exceed 2012’s record.

by weight in China and Vietnam, where they are believed by some to cure cancer and boost virility.

Final Approval Members of the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora will vote on final approval of the anti-poaching plan in 2016. South Africa’s proposals have the backing of some members of the Southern African Development Community, a 15-nation regional trading bloc, Mketeni said.

U.S. President Barack Obama on July 1 set aside resources to help combat illegal wildlife trafficking, calling it an “international crisis that continues to escalate.”

Last year 668 rhinos were poached in South Africa, eight times the number in 2008, according to government statistics. Kruger, which has a 350-kilometer (217-mile) border South Africa’s government has about 16,437 with Mozambique, is where 72 percent of kilograms (36,237 pounds) of stockpiled the killings took place. rhino horn, while 2,091 kilograms more is in private hands, Fundisile Mketeni, a deputy “Legalising the trade in rhino horn needs to director-general in the department, told be researched in detail, so that the doubters reporters. The government favors a once-off and the advocates fully understand the sale of horn derived from rhino fatalities and possible consequences,” Cathy Dean, the doesn’t plan to dispose of horn from “illegal London-based director of Save the Rhino activities,” he said.

International, said in an e-mailed statement.

“The one thing we all know is that the The animals’ horns sell for more than gold current approach isn’t enough. There are 15

REGIONAL NEWS fears that 900 to 1,000 rhinos could be killed in South Africa by the end of this year. Tackling the problem needs a whole range of measures.”

Near Extinction South African and Mozambican authorities have agreed to rebuild a fence between the Kruger National Park and Mozambique to deter poachers after the residents of seven affected villages are relocated, Molewa said. Mozambique has secured funding from international donors to carry out the move, she said.

The World Wildlife Fund “remains unconvinced that legal international trade in rhino horn is a feasible approach for rhino conservation at this time,” Jo Shaw, the rhino coordinator for the WWF’s South African unit, said in an emailed response to questions. More investment would likely be needed for security and protection of rhinos, should the trade be allowed, she said.

White and black rhinos were brought back from the brink of extinction in South Africa in the 1960s to a stable population of close to 20,000. Most of those are the larger white rhinos with about 75 percent in the Kruger National Park. With fewer than 5,000 black rhinos alive they are classified by the World Wildlife Fund as critically endangered.

“Ironically, the very success of our national conservation effort, which has resulted in over 73 percent of the world’s rhino population being conserved in our country has, in turn, resulted in South Africa being targeted by international criminal rhino poaching syndicates,” Molewa said.

--------Source: By Mike Cohen and Paul Burkhardt. www.bloomberg.com

The Babbler 46

New Guidelines on conservation translocations published by IUCN

J

uly 11, 2013 - As the world’s biodiversity faces the incessant threats of habitat loss, invasive species and climate change, there is an increasing need to consider more direct conservation interventions. Humans have moved organisms between sites for their own purposes for millennia, and this has yielded benefits for human kind, but in some cases has led to disastrous impacts. In response to this complex aspect of conservation management, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Reintroduction Specialist Group (RSG) and Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) have revised and published the IUCN ‘Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations’.

The updated Guidelines are a response to the multiple challenges facing species, and the resultant need to use conservation translocations to establish new populations; where the species used to occur; or to boost existing small populations; or to restore key ecological functions. Drawing on experience with invasive species, the new Guidelines also draw attention to the uncertainties and risks implicit in assisted colonisation – the

action of deliberately moving plants or animals to areas outside their previous range, where conditions are predicted to be more suitable. To date, there are almost no examples of such assisted colonisation, although it has become a contentious issue in contemporary conservation.

Any conservation translocation must be justified, with development of clear objectives, identification and assessment of risks, and with measures of performance. These Guidelines are an essential tool for any proposed conservation translocation; they are based on principle rather than example, and offer a platform to make an informed decision about this increasingly common conservation intervention. The Guidelines can be downloaded here -----------Source: IUCN/SSC (2013) Guidelines for reinstroduction and other conservation translocations. Version 1.0. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN Species Survival Commission.

Elephant conservation project approved

M

ay 23, 2013 - The Deputy Prime Minister has officially approved a project on elephant conservation in Vietnam for the 2013 - 2020 period.

“Domesticated” elephants feeding in Ha Tinh province’s Vu Quang National Park and Central Highland Lam Dong Province’s Nam Huoai Forest, will be moved to the Elephant Conservation Centre and Yok Don National Park in Central Highland Dak Lak The plan, worth VND278 billion (US$13.3 million), was signed Province. Statistics from the Vietnam Administration of Forestry on May 22 by Deputy Prime Minister Hong Trung Hai. Under the show that only 75-130 wild elephants remain in forest areas plan, three conservation areas for wild elephants will be set up in along the borders of Vietnam and Laos. They are scattered in national parks of Pu Mat, Cat Tien, and Yok Don. And laws against provinces in Dong Nai, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Nam, Thanh hunting, transporting and selling elephant meat or tusks will be Hoa and central highland areas. The plan will be funded from the tightened. The plan also aims to control the trading and import State Budget and international organisations and individuals or export of tusks and other products from elephants, and strictly --------punish those involved in killing the animals.

Source: www.en.nhandan.org.vn; www.Vietnamnews.vn 16

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

Vietnam among countries submit national action plans to combat illegal trade in

elephant ivory

M

ay 16, 2013 – The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has received National Ivory Action Plans from the first group of countries identified as primary source, transit and import countries affected by illegal trade in ivory: China, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Vietnam.

taken by the CITES Standing Committee, is key to winning the fight against illegal wildlife trade. The CITES Secretariat will continue to support CITES Parties in their efforts and to rally further political and financial support to assist them with on-the-ground implementation”, said Mr John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General,.

The Secretariat will now share the plans with the Standing Committee and work closely with the countries concerned The plans were requested by the CITES Standing Committee in monitoring their implementation, which may involve last March as a response to the dramatic rise in the number missions on site. In July 2014, the Secretariat will provide of elephants poached for their ivory. The alarming statistics the Standing Committee with its evaluation of the activities conducted by each country, and recommend potential produced by the CITES programme for Monitoring the further measures to intensify efforts in critical areas.

Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) and the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS, managed for CITES by TRAFFIC, a The deliberations held in Bangkok last March, during the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties, also non-governmental organization) led to this request. identified two additional groups of countries that need to adopt measures in the near future. The first group China, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda, (Cameroon, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of Tanzania and Vietnam submitted plans with time frames the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Mozambique and and milestones by the deadline of 15 May 2013 that Nigeria) will need to develop and start implementing had been set by the Standing Committee. These eight similar National Ivory Action Plans in the course of this countries are requested to take urgent measures to put year. Second, the Secretariat has been instructed to their plans into practice before July 2014, when the CITES seek clarification from Angola, Cambodia, Japan, the Lao Standing Committee will review their implementation.

Each plan specifies activities in the areas of legislation People’s Democratic Republic, Qatar and the United Arab and regulations, national and international enforcement, Emirates on how they control trade in ivory. outreach and public awareness.

Background information on elephants

“Full implementation of the landmark decisions that CITES member States adopted by consensus last March to combat The illegal killing of large numbers of elephants for their wildlife crime, together with the complementary decisions ivory is increasingly involving organized crime and, in 17

some cases, well-armed rebel militias. Unknown amounts of poached ivory are believed to be exchanged against money, weapons and ammunition to support conflicts in several African countries. Significant poaching incidents have recently occurred in Cameroon (Bouba N’Djida National Park), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Garamba National Park) and the Central African Republic (Dzanga-Ndoki National Park). The CITES Secretariat has also informed its partners in the International Consortium on Combatting Wildlife Crime ( ) of the imminent threat to elephants in the Central African Republic (Dzanga-Ndoki National Park) and requested each one to reach out and inform their various networks.

Poaching levels have increased in all African subregions, with central Africa continuing to display the highest levels of illegal killing in any subregion in Africa or Asia. Wildlife rangers who are serving in the front line are often quite literally being outgunned. Wildlife crime has become a serious threat to the security, political stability, economy, natural resources and cultural heritage of many countries.

The extent of the response required to address this threat effectively is often beyond the sole remit of environmental or wildlife law enforcement agencies, or even of one country or region alone -------Source: CITES

REGIONAL NEWS

First record of the genus Oreolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Vietnam with description of a new species

The Babbler 46

The Indochinese Silvered Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus germaini (Sensu lato) in Lao PDR

T

he Indochinese silvered leaf monkey Trachypithecus germaini (perhaps comprising two species, T. germaini [sensu stricto] and T. margarita) is probably the rarest and most threatened monkey in Lao PDR. It has received less conservationrelated attention in the country, however, than have the primates endemic to Indochina east of the Mekong because until recently it was generally considered conspetific with the widespread T. cristatus of Sundaic South-east Asia. All Lao records with firm locality details are from south of 16°23’N (in Dong Phou Vieng National Protected Area) and in lowland forests (up to 550 m above sea level), with many from near waterbodies. The predominant habitat seems to be semi-evergreen forest as patches and strips within a mosaic of more deciduous forest types, especially semi-evergreen forest in riparian and other waterside situations. Occupied semi-evergreen forest seems generally at the dry end of its spectrum, with a high deciduous tree component (this is the predominant type in interior plains-level Indochina), where this forest type grades to what some call mixed deciduous forest.

Few if any records come from the interior of extensive unbroken semi-evergreen forest, or from highly-deciduous mixeddeciduous forest. Occupied areas include narrow stands flanking watercourses in deciduous dipterocarp forest, but there are no records from the more extensive

T

he genus Oreolalax is reported from Vietnam for the first time and a new species is described based on morphological differences, molecular divergence, and phylogenetic placement. Morphologically, the new species is distinguishable from its congeners on the basis of a combination of the following diagnostic characters: size small; tympanum hidden; toes with webbing at base; dorsum with distinct, round, spiny warts; flanks with white, spiny spots; belly and lower surface of limbs smooth, with dark marbling; interorbital region without dark triangular pattern; upper surface of thigh with dark bars; male with black spines present on margin of lower lip, spinal patches on chest small with fine spines, nuptial spines on fingers small, and without vocal sacs. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species is unambiguously nested within the genus Oreolalax. Read the paper here --------Source: Truong Q. Nguyen , Trung M. Phung , Minh D. Le , Thomas Ziegler , and Wolfgang Böhme. First Record of the Genus Oreolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Vietnam with description of a New Species. Copeia, 2013(2):213-222. 2013.

Photo: Phung My Trung

18

deciduous dipterocarp forest matrix itself.

Vague reports suggest occurrence up to 1,200 m, but given the high survey effort in such habitat, the species is at best very rare above the lowlands. Lao villager reports, and comparison with its status in similar habitats in adjacent Cambodia, suggest steep declines in Lao PDR. Suitable habitat (as profiled above) naturally covers only a small part of the southern Lao landscape, is among Lao PDR’s most threatened habitats, and bears heavy hunting. Hence the great rarity of Indochinese silvered leaf monkeys compared with sympatric monkeys and gibbons, which inhabit the more extensive hill forests. There are records of the Indochinese silvered leaf monkey from only one Lao site since 2001.

Although appropriate surveys during the 2000s have been limited, the species may now be extremely rare in the country and should join other, better publicized, bird and mammal species of these southern lowland plains landscapes as in need of urgent conservation action --------Source: www.bioone.org Timmins, R.J., R. Steinmetz, M. K. Poulsen, T. D. Evans, J. W. Duckworth and R. Boonratana.

2011. The Indochinese Silvered Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus germaini (sensu lato) in Lao PDR. Primate Conservation. Vol. 26: 75-87. 2013

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46 The female floricans appear to be much scarcer and are certainly harder to spot.

Photo: Jeremy Holden

rate of decline the Cambodian population is predicted to become extinct in less than a decade.

Over two days we saw about ten individuals – perhaps one percent of the global population.

The male is a striking bird, the size of a turkey on long stilt legs. His inky black upper parts and bold white wings (which appear as a thick white bar when closed) make him easy to spot in the flat grasslands. This is for good reason. The floricans are visual creatures.

Although they make a call it is a surprisingly quiet noise for such a big bird – a soft but far carrying k’sup that gives the bird its Khmer name. The males guard their territories with a display flight, rising into the air like a huge white moth, before flopping back down. This display can be seen from a long way off and males constantly seem to be scanning the horizon for evidence of rivals. By contrast the female is far more discreet, so much so that actually finding one is difficult. Like many bird species, she is cryptically coloured to match May 22th was the International Day for Biological Diversity, an opportunity to increase understanding and awareness of the striations of the grass in which she nests. biodiversity issues. To commemorate the occasion, Fauna & Flora International’s Jeremy Holden tells us about his encounter with But the females also seem to be naturally Cambodia’s rarest bird species. scarcer. We saw only one, squatting in the grass, perhaps hoping to fool us with her t seems incredible that on such a huge chance I would get to see them this dry Cambodia, and perhaps twice as many in planet as ours some species survive in season, because once the rains start and the Nepal and northern Indian, meaning that the camouflage. such low numbers. During the last days of water begins to inundate the seasonal flood global population could be fewer than 1000 April I drove out of Phnom Penh to look for plains where the floricans breed, the birds birds. Throughout their range their numbers Seeing a rare creature is always a thrill, but for me it is often accompanied by a sense of one of these species – the Bengal florican, must move on. are steadily diminishing with habitat loss Cambodia’s most rare bird. It was the last There are an estimated 300 floricans left in blamed as the primary factor. At the current sadness, too. I realised while I was looking at the males displaying - driven by their

Is there hope for the Bengal Florican?

I

19

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

instincts and completely unaware of how precarious their situation is - that If this population does decline to a single male, he will continue to display and scan the horizon for rivals or a cryptically-coloured mate. A futile activity, but he will have no choice.

practices, and protection. It is unlikely that red kites will haunt the skies of London as they formerly did, but in the countryside they seem back to stay. The great bustards are probably more precarious, needing the type of open habitat that is now scarce in England, but at least on Sailsbury Plain they are back.

A relative of the florican, the great bustard, has already suffered this fate in England. Once Britain’s biggest native bird, it finally went extinct in the mid-19th Century, a victim of trophy hunting.

But In recent years a programme to reintroduce these birds to Sailsbury Plain in Wiltshire appears to be flourishing and great bustard is back on the UK bird list.

But what is the future for the floricans? Changing agricultural practices are the altering the way the landscape is used and in consequence destroying their habitat. Although conservation work by Wildlife Conservation Society and Cambodia’s Forestry Administration, supported by and BirdLife International, is underway the pressures of development might prove too great.

What is clear, however, this that as long as there are individuals remaining there is still a chance. The great bustards and red kites have proved that. As conservationists we must be like that imaged last male florican – always scanning the horizon for hope

Watching the antics of the floricans reminded me of another British bird, the red kite. Twenty years ago I made a similar pilgrimage to Aberystwyth in Wales to see the UK’s last population of these beautiful raptors. At that time there were perhaps 20 birds left. Two decades later and this same rarity can --------now commonly be seen above my home village in Bedfordshire Photo and text by Jeremy Holden. www.fauna-flora.org – a result of a reintroduction initiative, changing agricultural

Vietnam: JICA to aid Mekong on climate issue

M

ay 13, 2013 - The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will implement nine projects to help provinces in the Mekong Delta deal with climate

change.

The projects will focus on building anti-salinity gates, improving and building coastal dykes, and developing fresh water resources.

They will also look to strengthen capacity in water-flow management, crop calendars and sustainable shrimp farming in the region.

According to the Southern Institute for Water Resources Planning, orchards and rice fields in the region were hardest hit

by climate change, especially salt water intrusion.

In addition to the nine projects, JICA will deploy small-scale programmes and projects to help local people improve economic conditions in Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang.

The agency will also study and expand new plant varieties which are resistant to saline water and set up salinity warning systems to preserve mangrove forests.

Since 2011, JICA has helped the seven provinces to evaluate the impacts of climate change for the 2020-50 period, and establish master plans and measures to respond to them -------Source: VietnamNews 20

The Darwin Initiative project resource website

M

ay 21, 2013 - The project “Can hunting and conservation of endemic Annamite ungulates be reconciled?” funded by the Darwin Initiative worked to inform more effective conservation of the globally important Annamite mountains. The Annamites, which are called Truong Son in Vietnamese and Phou Luang in Lao, line the border between these two nations.

They are home to a unique, poorly-known and highly-threatened community of hoofed mammals (ungulates) including the critically endangered Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis. The main threat to these animals appears to be from hunting.

Following the official closure of the project in August 2012, the project team have set up a new website to distribute project outputs and expect that this site will continue to be updated until at least April 2014 at http://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/ research/projects/annamiteungulates. Please click ‘Outputs’ tab under the title which takes you to links for downloads.

Project outputs are of five types: Datasheets, Manuals, Teaching Materials, Research Outputs, Datasets and other Project Documents. Some outputs are available now. Others are not yet available but the authors hope to have them up shortly -------Source: Nicholas WIlkinson, Department of Geography, Cambridge University

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: New species of bird discovered in capital city

J

une 25, 2013 - A team of scientists with the Wildlife Conservation Society, BirdLife International, and other groups have discovered a new species of bird with distinct plumage and a loud call, living not in some remote jungle, but in a capital city of 1.5 million people.

Called the Cambodian Tailorbird Orthotomus chaktomuk, the previously undescribed species was found in Cambodia’s urbanised capitol Phnom Penh and several other locations just outside of the city including a construction site.

This same dense habitat is what kept the bird hidden for so long. Lead author Simon Mahood of WCS began investigating the new species when co-author Ashish John, also of WCS, took photographs of what was first thought to be a similar, coastal species of tailorbird at a construction site on the edge of Phnom Penh.

The bird in the photographs initially defied identification. Further investigation revealed that it was an entirely unknown species.

“The modern discovery of an undescribed bird species within the limits of a large populous city – not to mention 30 minutes from my home – is Scientists describe the new bird in a special extraordinary,” said Mahood. “The discovery online early-view issue of the Oriental Bird Club’s indicates that new species of birds may still be journal Forktail. found in familiar and unexpected locations.”

The grey wren-sized bird with a rufous cap and black throat lives in dense, humid lowland scrub in Phnom Penh and other sites in the floodplain.

Its scientific name ‘chaktomuk’ is an old Khmer word meaning four-faces, perfectly describing where the bird is found: the area centred in Phnom Penh where the Tonle Sap, Mekong and Bassac Rivers come together.

The last two decades have seen a sharp increase in the number of new bird species emerging from Indochina, mostly due to exploration of remote areas. Newly described birds include various babbler species from isolated mountains in Vietnam, the bizarre bare-faced bulbul from Lao PDR and the Mekong wagtail, first described in 2001 by WCS and other partners.

Only tiny fragments of floodplain scrub remain in Phnom Penh, but larger areas persist just outside the city limits where Cambodian Tailorbird is abundant. The authors say that the bird’s habitat is declining and agricultural and urban expansion could further affect the bird and its habitat.

BirdLife will assess the species’ conservation status for the RedList on behalf of the IUCN.

Co-author Jonathan C. Eames OBE of BirdLife International’s said: “Most newly discovered bird species in recent years have proved to be threatened with extinction or of conservation concern, highlighting the crisis facing the planet’s biodiversity.”

-------Source: www.birdlife.org; www.wcs.org 21

Photo: Ashish John/WCS

REGIONAL NEWS

The Babbler 46

Scientific Foundations for an IUCN Red List of Ecosystems

A

n understanding of risks to biodiversity is needed for planning action to slow current rates of decline and secure ecosystem services for future human use. Although the IUCN Red List criteria provide an effective assessment protocol for species, a standard global assessment of risks to higher levels of biodiversity is currently limited. In 2008, IUCN initiated development of risk assessment criteria to support a global Red List of ecosystems. The authors present a new conceptual model for ecosystem risk assessment founded on a synthesis of relevant ecological theories. To support the model, they review key elements of ecosystem definition and introduce the concept of ecosystem collapse, an analogue of species extinction. The model identifies four distributional and functional symptoms of ecosystem risk as a basis for assessment criteria: A) rates of decline in ecosystem distribution; B) restricted distributions with continuing declines or threats; C) rates of environmental (abiotic) degradation; and D) rates of disruption to biotic processes.

A fifth criterion, E) quantitative estimates of the risk of ecosystem collapse, enables integrated assessment of multiple processes and provides a conceptual anchor for the other criteria. We present the theoretical rationale for the construction and interpretation of each criterion.

The assessment protocol and threat

Herbal alternatives to bear bile

categories mirror those of the IUCN Red List of species. A trial of the protocol on terrestrial, subterranean, freshwater and marine ecosystems from around the world shows that its concepts are workable and its outcomes are robust, that required data are available, and that results are consistent with assessments carried out by local experts and authorities. The new protocol provides a consistent, practical and theoretically grounded framework for establishing a systematic Red List of the world’s ecosystems. This will complement the Red List of species and strengthen global capacity to report on and monitor the status of biodiversity. Read the full research article here --------Source: www.bioone.org Timmins, R.J., R. Steinmetz, M. K. Poulsen, T. D. Evans, J. W. Duckworth and R. Boonratana. 2011. The Indochinese Silvered Leaf Monkey Trachypithecus germaini (sensu lato) in Lao PDR. Primate Conservation. Vol. 26: 75-87. 2013

all the alternatives to bear bile use are brought together in a single document for reference.

Most of the 32 types of herbs used to replace bear bile are easily found growing naturally.

Some are even planted in people’s garden.

What’s more they are cheap, and safe to use.

I

n April, Animals Asia cooperated with the Vietnam Traditional Medicine Association to launch a new book: “Herbal Alternatives to Bear Bile”. The aim was to encourage people not to use bear bile in order to protect and conserve bears in Vietnam and to end the illegal trade in and use of bear bile.

The book is a reminder for individuals and organisations to act to protect bears and wildlife as well as to conserve our beautiful natural heritage.

Organisations and individuals wish to receive a book can contact Animals Asia or download an e-book here: http://www. animalsasia.org/images/AnimalsAsia_ Traditonal_Medicine_Replace_ Bearbile_2013_Vietnamese.pdf

Despite its illegality, as a result of myths surrounding its use in traditional medicines, --------trading and consumption continues.

Source: Steve Jackson Digital Communications Manager The book contains more than 32 herbal Animals Asia alternatives for treatment to a number of illnesses. The book will be made available to traditional medicine (TM) doctors, TM clinics and shops. For the first time 22

REGIONAL NEWS

J

une 19, 2013 - Since 2007, the NGO Pact has been working with the government to turn 68,000 hectares of forest in Oddar Meanchey province into a moneymaking venture for the state just by keeping trees in the area standing.

As part of the plan, Pact brought on board a U.S. brokerage, Terra Global Capital, to help sell the forest’s carbon credits to environmentally conscious firms in the West.

Together, after years of preparatory work, the pair were finally closing in on approval of the project and a few months ago had even lined up two private buyers ready to spend nearly $1 million on the first batch of carbon credits from Oddar Meanchey.

But when the deciding moment came last month to put pen to paper, there was a glitch.

According to Pact, when the May 20 deadline they had set for the government to sign off on the carbon credit deal came and went without a signature, the two buyers Terra Global and Pact had spent so long nurturing simply walked away.

The loss of the carbon credit deal means more for Cambodia than simply missing out on the $1 million.

Pact country director Sarah Sitts said the failure to sell the carbon credits could hurt the country’s chances of attracting other buyers to a project that hopes to ultimately generate tens of millions of dollars over the next 30 years by protecting what is left of the country’s forests.

The Babbler 46 “It’s worrying…because if buyers start to see Cambodia can’t sell those credits, buyers might stop coming to Cambodia,” Ms. Sitts said.

reform meeting on May 17,” Ms. Sitts said.

“He said that the [forestry administration] is not the decision maker and he needs to consult with [the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries] and others.”

68,000 hectares.

As part of a U.N.-backed and funded initiative called REDD, for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, the project aims to convince private international Mr. Kim Sun could not be reached for companies wanting to offset their carbon comment and Sok Siphana, the government’s emissions to pay Cambodia for every ton of legal counsel for the carbon trade project, carbon those forests keep locked up in their referred questions back to Pact. trees.

Ms. Sitts said the two firms involved in the aborted deal had been waiting for at least a month and a half for the forestry administration to accept their offer to pay a combined $911,000 for the credits, but pulled out when the May 20 deadline they had set passed without a commitment from the government.

A TROUBLED START FOR CAMBODIA’S CARBON CREDITS “The understanding by Pact and Terra Global was that we had all the agreements in place” for the forestry administration to give approval for the deal, Ms. Sitts said. “It’s only been in recent months that it’s been brought to our attention that might not be the case.”

For his part, Mr. Omaliss claimed not to know about the missed deadline or about the two firms walking away from Cambodia as a result.

“I don’t know about that, so I probably cannot help [you] with that,” he said, declining to comment further.

The government’s lead on Cambodia’s carbon trading projects is Keo Omaliss, deputy director of the forestry administration’s department of wildlife and biodiversity.

Terra Global also declined to comment citing the sensitivity of its ongoing work with the government.

“In addition to consulting with Omaliss, I asked Chheng Kim Sun, the director-general of the forestry administration, for an update during the Technical Working Group forest

The carbon credits up for sale would have come from a network of 13 governmentrecognized community forests in Oddar Meanchey province covering a combined 23

Of the tens of millions of dollars the project aims to generate over the next 30 years, roughly half the money earned from selling the carbon credits would go back to the local communities to help them protect their forests and keep up their efforts to improve local living conditions with new schools, clinics, roads and the like.

But seeing the first two firms ready to buy some of those credits walk away could raise alarms among other firms thinking of buying carbon credits from Cambodia.

The fallout could prove even more immediate than that.

Until now, Pact has been paying the community forest groups patrolling the sprawling project area in Oddar Meanchey with funds from donors. But those funds are getting harder to come by the longer the project goes without commercial buyers, and that $911,000 would have gone a long way toward keeping the forest patrols going.

“We were hoping the money would have been able to keep activities up there going,” Ms. Sitts said. Now, she added, “we’re at risk

REGIONAL NEWS in the next month of not being able to pay for patrols and forest maintenance.”

The Babbler 46 credibility, according to Pact.

The community forest groups were scheduled to “Being able to pay my staff is also becoming a concern,” sit down with military officials last month in hopes she added. of convincing them to relocate the bases, but the government called the meeting off at the last minute Sa Thlai, who heads the 13 community forest groups claiming that the room reserved for the event had to be that patrol the project area, heard about the missed used for something else. deadline from Pact. “I’m very sad about losing the buyers,” he said. “I don’t know why they missed it, but I The government handing out land to agri-business believe it will affect Cambodia’s reputation.” firms in the area poses other risks. While there are no economic land concessions yet in Oddar Meanchey’s “The community forest groups working to protect the 13 community forests, Mr. Thlai said he is concerned forest for carbon trading here have been facing budget about a sugar cane plantation owned by Angkor Sugar problems, so we have reduced the forest patrols meant that currently skirts the project area’s borders. He said to prevent deforestation, logging and encroachment,” the firm has cleared most of the trees on its concession he added. since moving in five years ago but planted little sugarcane in their place.

Terra Global, Pact and the government have refused to release satellite images of the project area over time Angkor Sugar is also one of three subsidiaries of to show the extent of the deforestation. Though forest the Thai firm Mitr Pohl operating plantations in the groups say logging has been extensive, they also say province. “I agree that the government can make a one of the 13 community forests has already had more lot of money more quickly by granting economic land than half its trees cleared. concessions, but they have a lot of negative effects on the environment, biodiversity…and climate change,” “Logging and land encroachment inside the protected Mr. Thlai said. forest is getting worse day by day,” Mr. Thlai said.

“There are more common people from other provinces A 2010 study in Koh Kong province by the U.S.-based entering the carbon trading forest area to chop down Center for Clean Air Policy calculated that carbon trees and clear the land to plant and grow cassava.” credits would have to sell for more than $15 per ton to compete with the likely revenue from growing More recently, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces has sugarcane on the land instead, even more if it were been setting up a string of new bases and garrisons used to harvest rubber. inside the project area, which lies along Cambodia’s ill-defined and often contentious northern border with The going price for carbon credits these days, at Thailand. roughly $7 per ton, does not come close to the profit made possible from felling the forest After a visit to the area in February from Scientific --------Certification Systems, a U.S. firm that independently Source: By Zsombor Peter and Kuch Naren, The assesses carbon trade schemes, it warned that the Cambodia Daily military bases could jeopardize the entire project’s 24

Officials strike balance between conservation and development

O

n June 19, 2013, Cambodia Daily published an article written

by Mok Mareth the Cambodian Minister of Environment in response to a demonstration on June 5 where people " accused the government of ne­glecting the forests by granting economic land concessions to firms that engage in illegal logging."

"I would like to clarify the government’s policy on deforestation to those who held a demonstration on June 5 outside the National Assembly for the World Environment Day. The deforestation that takes place in Cambodia today is well planned and takes into consideration the fine balance between economic development and the need for forest conservation.

We recognize the important role that our forests have to play in the country. Our natural forests are a precious natural resource for the nation. The forests play a major role in natural water conservation, particularly when regulating the seasonal rainfall. The forest play an important role in preventing soil erosion and acts as an important habitat for the rich biodiversity present in Cambodia.

Moreover, natural forest products contribute to enhancing the livelihoods of our people. The government has a concrete policy and strategy on the use of the forest that aims to balance conserving the country’s natural resources while also promoting economic growth.

Firstly, our population is increasing to more than 15 million people and our farmers need land to farm on. This is why our government has encouraged student volunteers to provide land titles to thousands of villagers living on deforested land so they can farm for rice.

Secondly, our economy should not only be based on garments when we have such tremendous potential for a robust agro industry.

Cambodia has ample amounts of land suitable for rubber, palm oil, sugar and cassava. We have a policy of allocating economic land concessions (ELC) of deforested land only and, of course, work on

IBA NEWS the land can only go ahead once an environmental impact assessment is conducted. ELCs cover a total of 1.5 million hectares so far and we estimate that 80 percent of those ELCs are suitable for planting rubber.

In the next five years, new rubber plantations will create 1.2 million jobs. We hope to provide these farmers with land titles and clearly demarcate the boundaries of economic land concessions while at the same time ensuring that the remaining 9.2 million hectares of forest cover is conserved.

Lastly, Cambodia plans to start selling carbon credits on 400,000 hectares of forestland in the Cardamom Mountains. Selling carbon credits will contribute to the conservation of our forest. The community who depends on the forest for their livelihoods will benefit form the income coming from the carbon credits."

--------Source: Mok Mareth, www.cambodiadaily.com

The Babbler 46

Sarus Cranes decrease at Tram Chim National Park

A

pril 29, 2013 - The Sarus Crane, a symbol of Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong district, Dong Thap Province, were recorded to have less visited the area than the previous years.

decrease in numbers is of alarm, for the ecological balance of the wetlands and the national environment. The number will continue to fall if urgent measures are not taken.

To deal with the situation, we need to do is improve the cranes’ habitat in Tram Chim National Park , where their According to local people, every year, Sarus Cranes flock to Tram Chim after the Lunar New Year festival when the flood food, water chestnut, grows, Hung said. Then management, especially the management of water sources, should be waters recede. However, since the beginning of 2013, only 50 Sarus Cranes have returned to the park - down 50 percent strengthened, so as the park will welcome the return of hundreds of red-headed cranes in the coming time, he from the same period last year. added.

The park’s managing board said that the cranes muster The Sarus Crane, with an average weight of 7-15 kilos, is in areas of the 7,600 hectare park where their favourite listed in the World Red Book of endangered species. The food, water chestnuts, can be found. But the food source is disappearing because of the changing natural environment. preservation of this rare bird needs more efforts of not only national but international scientists and managers Nguyen Van Hung, Director of Tram Chim National Park, said ---------50 returning cranes is very low compared to the 1,052 birds Source: www.en.vietnamplus.vn that came to the park in 1988, referring to climate change and shrinking wetlands as other causes of the fall. This

Tram Chim National Park to get $US 9.9 million investment

J

une, 1, 2013 - The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has decided to invest VND208 billion (US$9.9 million) on the conservation and long-lasting development of the Tram Chim National Park for the 2013-20 period.

The 7,313ha park will be divided into different areas, including a strictly protected area, an ecological restoration zone, and an administrative centre.

The project aims to closely manage wetland areas, conserve biological diversity during the dry season, and protect rare species in the region -------Source: www. vietnamnews.vn How can a single protected area so small, absorb so much donor funding? Ed. Photo: Sarus Cranes. Jonathan C. Eames 25

IBA NEWS

The Babbler 46

Vietnam: Cat Tien National Park and its bid for World Heritage status

J

une 7, 2013 - The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the science advisory organisation to UNESCO, has confirmed that it has proposed not to grant the “world’s natural heritage” to the Vietnamese Cat Tien National Park.

the Cat Tien National Park would be more convincing in the eyes of UNESCO. He commented that the stories about the Cat Tien National Park and other sanctuaries in Vietnam showed the failure of Vietnam in protecting wild animals.

IUCN has clearly expressed its viewpoint that UNESCO should not grant the “world’s natural heritage” title to the national park.

As an advisor, the IUCN’s recommendation would be considered by UNESCO before it makes final decision.

He said he personally has seen only one successful case of the wildlife protection in the Van Long sanctuary, which witnesses the active participation of the non-governmental organizations.

Jake Brunner, the IUCN Program Coordinator, in an interview given to Vietnam Investment Review, said IUCN suggests not to recognise the Cat Tien National Park as a world’s natural heritage, because the biodiversity value of the national park does not meet the requirements set on a world’s heritage.

Besides, there also exists the danger from the projected hydropower plant dams.

When asked to make comments about the UNESCO’s recommendation that Vietnam should better protect the titles granted by the international community, the expert said the government of Vietnam shows its high interest in international titles, but it has not paid appropriate attention to promote the effectiveness of the global conservation value management and protection mechanism.

The report of the UNESCO’s World’s Heritage Committee showed that Vietnam needs to speed up the measures to tighten the control and fortify the battles against the dangers from hydropower plants, stone exploitation, uncontrolled tourism, and wildlife poaching and trafficking.

He is the author of the report about the biodiversity conservation in Vietnam released in March 2012 titled “Biodiversity conservation in Vietnam: a perfect storm.”

The report wrote that Vietnam’s wildlife’s in particular faces a perfect storm that has resulted in a three pronged assault.

The expert said the story about the “perfect storm” was inspired by what is happening in Cat Tien. The rhino population, in fact, had disappeared for a long time, even before the last rhino in Cat Tien was shot dead.

The “perfect storm,” according to Jake

The IUCN coordinator commented that if the Vietnamese efforts to conserve the wildlife could have shown their effects over the last 10 years, and if there was a living population of rhinos at the national park, the files about

Brunner, has been caused by the three factors, namely the Vietnamese policy to prioritise the economic growth pursued by the Vietnamese government over the last two decades; its heavy reliance on farm produce exports, which has led to the lack of the control over the natural ecosystem; and the habit of Vietnamese of using wildlife as food.

He has warned that Vietnam now has to pay a heavy price for its ineffective conservation work carried out over the last 10-20 years.

Meanwhile, other wild animals, like Saola, may go extinct in 10 or 15 years.

The expert, in the interview, highly appreciated the decision of the Vietnamese agencies to dismiss two leaders of the national parks recently (see previous article).

However, he said Vietnam would still need a revolution in the management over the sanctuaries and in the fight against the criminals.

More updates On June 14, 2013, The Vietnam Prime Minister issued an official document approving the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to withdraw the nomination of Cat Tien National Park as the World Natural Heritage to edit and provide additional data for the application ---------Source: www. english.vietnamnet.vn

26

Vietnam withdraws nomination of Cat Tien National Park at UNESCO meeting

J

une 24, 2013 - In what was apparently a face-saving move, Vietnam opted to withdraw its nomination of a major national park for UNESCO heritage status two days ahead of an annual session that opened June 16 in Cambodia.

But even if Vietnam had gone ahead with nominating the Cat Tien National Park, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization would have probably rejected it following a recommendation to the effect by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The IUCN, which had conducted a thorough evaluation of the park, urged UNESCO in a report this month “not to inscribe the nomination of Cat Tien National Park” for failing to meet World Heritage criteria.

But dismayed conservationists say this is not just a question of Cat Tien, which has already been recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, losing another title.

More important is that the failure should serve as a wake-up call for Vietnam to actually manage its natural heritage rather than simply get recognition for it, they say.

IBA NEWS

The Babbler 46

Cosseted conservation

environmentally sustainable management, and it is one of the few countries with a biodiversity law, a World Bank report said in Eleven ethnic minority groups live around the 2010. park.

But in practice, such provisions are minor After the discovery of a population of Javan considerations in land use and infrastructurerhinos in 1992, the park was declared a planning decisions, it added. rhinoceros reserve and received worldwide attention.

Conservationists say the death of the last rhino in Cat Tien should be a bitter lesson Of 30 national parks and scores of other that funding alone by no means assures the protected areas spanning forests and survival of wildlife. wetlands across Vietnam, “Cat Tien has received the highest attention and the The failure to win the UNESCO recognition largest investment for conservation from “reflects a serious concern in the the government and the international international community that Vietnam is community,” Vu Ngoc Long, a human just not taking the effective conservation ecologist who heads the HCMC-based of its protected areas seriously,” Jeremy Southern Institute of Ecology, told Vietweek. Carew-Reid, director of the Hanoi-based conservation group International Center for But the killing of Vietnam’s last rhino in Environmental Management, said. the park in 2010 dealt a major blow to the biodiversity conservation there.

The IUCN said in its report to UNESCO that since the discontinuation of a major From 1998 to 2004 the WWF alone invested conservation project - funded by the WWF US$6.3 million in the park, with up to - in 2004 and the decline in other project $600,000 earmarked for rhino conservation activities, management support in Cat work.

Tien “has been reduced dramatically and overall management capacity may also have From the mid-1990s, a number of declined.” organizations were involved in efforts to conserve the remaining Javan rhino The report quoted the park staff as saying population in Cat Tien, but conservationists that “local tourists pose the biggest risk to have blamed land conversion and a growing the biodiversity.” local population for threatening the animal’s habitat, which has been cut in half since 1988 It also identified rampant poaching as a to about 30,000 hectares today. current threat to the park.

Located 100 kilometres northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Cat Tien is home to around 1,700 precious plants and more than 700 species

Vietnam’s legal system incorporates a large number of globally accepted principles on

“For the past few years, Vietnam has been all about ‘winning’ recognition,” Pamela McElwee, an assistant professor of human ecology at Rutgers University in the US who has researched extensively on Vietnam’s protected areas, said.

province of Quang Binh.

“But then after having received this international attention, authorities don’t follow up to ensure the cultural or environmental values they won recognition for… are conserved,” she told Vietweek.

The park director was censured and a deputy director was dismissed for failing to handle the case properly and quickly after it was detected despite an outcry.

Just this month a Quang Binh court handed down jail terms to 12 people in a high-profile case of illegal logging of rare trees in the park.

A study released last May by UK-based Conservationists cite the example of the conservation group Flora and Fauna world-renowned Ha Long Bay, where winning International said law enforcement is international attention has not halted serious absent at the park, with illegal logging and environmental problems like coal mining and transportation of timber being rampant and unregulated dumping of waste into the bay. done openly.

In 2011 Ha Long Bay, twice recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, made it to the list of New Natural Wonders of the World in a campaign marred by allegations that organizers asked candidates to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees.

Critics also said the voting methods were shrouded in secrecy.

After Ha Long scooped the new honour experts had expressed concern about its preservation. But the site has continued to suffer from increasing pollution due to industrial and urban development, coal mining, and tourism.

Another example is the rampant deforestation of the World Heritage site Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, home to the world’s longest cave with a stream and mysterious deep lakes, in the north-central

Conservationists say such cases are emblematic of the poor management of Vietnam’s World Heritage sites and other protected areas in terms of conserving biodiversity.

Not achieving World Heritage recognition for Cat Tien National Park would certainly affect tourism to the site since many people use the UNESCO list as a way to seek out and promote unique places, experts say.

But on the bright side, McElwee said: “This will encourage authorities to look at how they might better address the multiple threats to Vietnam’s protected areas and prioritise action above accolades.”

of animals and birds, several of which are endangered.

27

Speaking to Vietweek two years ago, Tran Van Thanh, then Cat Tien director, lamented

IBA NEWS

The Babbler 46

that his 130 rangers faced an uphill task in patrolling the 74,000-hectare (182,000-acre) park.

Fading faith

“A requirement for being nominated for international recognition ought to be excellence in management - unfortunately it is not, as we see in the case of Cat Tien,” McElwee said.

The opponents of the dams also say the impacts are beyond estimation since it is not only about the park but also the lives of millions of people living in downstream areas in Binh Duong Province and HCMC.

this rapid degradation with support to that conservation efforts in the country are hydropower and road projects which are all too often undermined by people with The IUCN also expressed concern about plans having serious negative impacts on protected vested interests. areas, they add. to build two hydropower stations on the They say that when developers want the Each of them, who were paid around VND3 Dong Nai River in the eponymous province million a month, had to be on duty for 22 some 35 km north and upstream of the park. “Protected area managers in Vietnam are not land, power and money do the talking and given the status and authority required to environmental conservation has no chance of days in a row and stay in the forest on their safeguard their territory from poorly planned winning. own.

The dams have faced fierce opposition from conservationists who warn if built they would and executed infrastructure within and upstream of important biodiversity,” CarewWith Vietnamese authorities saying they Since then no major headway has been made totally alter the marine environment in the Reid, the Hanoi-based expert, said. will submit the application for Cat Tien’s in terms of personnel or their wages. park and inundate forests. recognition this September, conservationists An increasing number of lawmakers, say the country risks rejection again if it fails Experts point out that even if rangers The planned construction of these government agencies, environmental groups, to stop the building of the two dams. manage a protected area well they get little two dams “had a major bearing on the and local administrations have joined the pay or recognition, so it comes as no surprise recommendation of the IUCN against that people become corrupt easily and the recognizing Cat Tien,” Long, the Vietnamese opposing camp, saying the two Cat Tien dams The fallout from the construction will also be must be scrapped. irreversible, they warn. entire system suffers. expert, said.

Conservationists say in energy-hungry Vietnam, which relies on hydropower for about 40 percent of its electricity needs, many dam builders claim their actions as being taken in the “national interest.”

But the fact is they are driven purely by the desire to make profit at any cost, they say.

A view of Cat Tien National Park, where two planned controversial dams which conservationists say, if built, would totally alter the marine environment in the 74,000-hectare (182,000-acre) park. The failure of the park to win another UNESCO title should serve as a wake-up call for Vietnam to actually manage its natural heritage rather than simply get recognition for it, conservationists say. Photo: Kim Cuong

The pace and scale of hydropower and road development are proceeding with scant regard for Vietnam’s remaining biodiversity and protected areas, experts say.

Even the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are contributing to

But they are not too sure if their concerns will be heeded.

“The dam developer has been lobbying so aggressively,” Trinh Le Nguyen, executive director of People and Nature Reconciliation, one of Vietnam’s few locally based conservation groups, said.

“If Vietnam allows the dams to go ahead, the country will knowingly go against its international commitments to biodiversity conservation,” Long said.

“In so doing, Cat Tien will lose the [UNESCO] recognition forever.

“But the most important thing is no one will The National Assembly, Vietnam’s legislature, ever believe that Vietnam is serious about has the final say on the fate of the dam, but it preserving natural heritage.” has not fixed a time slot to even debate it any -------time soon.

Source: www.thanhniennews.com Nguyen Van Dien, the current Cat Tien director, declined to say whether he is against or for the building of the dams.

“All I can say is that everything has to be carried out in accordance with the law,” he told Vietweek.

But he and other Vietnamese experts concur 28

IBA NEWS

The Babbler 46

Paintball shooting tours stopped to protect ecosystem

V

ietnam, June 24, 2013 - The Da Nang People’s Committee has finally decided to stop paintball shooting, the game organised for the travellers to the Son Tra Nature Reserve, so as to avoid possible harming of the wildlife.

The decision by the Da Nang city’s authorities has put an end to the prolonged argument about whether to organize paintball shooting tours to entertain travellers.

services. Manh’s son, Pham Truong Mai, has set up the Truong Mai Company Ltd which provides ecotourism services on the allocated land area, which has been named Nhat Lam Thuy Trang Tra. According to the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the activities carried out by Manh and his son have violated the contract on the forest allocation.

In late 2012, Truong Mai joined forces with Huy Khanh Company Ltd The local authority, when releasing and MDQ JSC to organize paintball the decision, has requested relevant shooting services. branches to inform the cancellation of In the report to the Da Nang City the tours to the travel firms and the People’s Committee, the agriculture travellers who are going to the Son department wrote that the area Tra peninsula. As such, the city has where the service was provided was decided to protect the wildlife instead a natural forest, the place where of attracting tourists to the locality no wild animals, including the rare and matter what. precious ones, live and grow up.

Meanwhile, the paintball shooting The place where the paintball causes noise in the locality, while the shooting service was provided is bullets from the gun contain toxic the forestry land area with natural chemical substances which may cause forest in Hai Dang area of the Son Tra fire. sanctuary.

Le Van Nhi, a forest ranger of the The 33 hectare land area was Son Tra – Ngu Hanh Son districts’ allocated to Pham Hung Manh in Son unit, affirmed the paintball services Tra district in Da Nang City who has gather many people, cause explosions the responsibility of planting and and noise, while he was not sure if protecting the forests. the bullets were toxic and if they Manh has planted the forests, farmed would harm the wildlife and the fish, grown fruit trees, built houses environment. and inner roads to provide ecotourism

Media findings contradict hydropower plant report

However, Nhi concluded that the serviced should be removed, saying that under the current laws on the forest protection and development, no one can use the forestry land for business development.

J

Meanwhile, Phan The Duc, Managing Director of Huy Khanh Company, Deputy Director of MDQ JSC, affirmed that paintball shooting will in no way affect the wildlife and the environment.

The Dong Nai 6 and 6A Hydropower Plants are being planned on sites in Dong Nai Thuong Commune of Cat Tien District in the Central Highland Province of Lam Dong.

“They (the agriculture department which proposed to stop paintball shooting service) don’t understand about paintball shooting,” Duc said.

Duc, showing the firing range, said that the site covers an area of 2,000 square meters only, with no living animals and no ancient trees. Duc said that the noise from the shooting would in no way affect the living environment of the rare and precious wildlife as people think.

He affirmed that all the equipment and the instruments that serve the game are put under the Ministry of National Defence’s management. The instrument for shooting is, in fact, not “gun”, while the bullets, in fact, are the soft gels with vegetable oil and colour making substances inside ---------Source: www. english.vietnamnet.vn 29

une 5, 2013 - Saigon Giai Phong (SGGP) reporters were recently on a fact finding trip in the vicinity of proposed sites of Dong Nai 6 and 6A Hydropower Plants and found that the environment impact report provided by the project investor--Duc Long Gia Lai Group, was incorrect.

According to the environment impact report presented by the Group to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for approval, Dong Nai 6 and 6A Plants will be located on the northern edge of Cat Tien National Park in Cat Tien District.

Construction of the plants, link roads and other related infrastructure will come up on the buffer zone of Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve.

Saigon Giai Phong reporters surveyed the location of the hydropower plants recently and uncovered that the Group’s reports contradicted on-site findings.

Near Bu Gia Ra Village in Dong Nai Thuong Commune, SGGP reporters came across a forest patch at the core of the Cat Tien National Park, where the terrain was inaccessible for motorcycles and thick forests made maneuverability difficult.

Nguyen Trong Hieu, head of Bu Sa Forest Management Station inside the National Park, decided to leave the motorcycles and walked through the forest on foot.

Hieu said that it would take one hour to cross high slopes and thick forest to touch the site where Dong Nai 6 and 6A Plants are being planned.

IBA NEWS

The Babbler 46

National Park managers dismissed

Hieu and reporters had to grope their way forward and hold tightly onto tree branches to climb up a steep slope with big ancient trees along both sides.

more than 2,000 ethnic minority people are living in the area targeted for the Hydropower Plants. Fact is--there is not a single resident living there because of the hostile mountainous terrain with no road access.

They then saw a green board saying ‘From this point lies the core zone of Cat Tien The People’s Committee of Dong Nai Thuong National Park, no one permitted except forest Commune said that Bu Gia Ra Village has rangers’. nearly 60 households but they are all located outside the buffer zone and core zone of the However, the Duc Long Gia Lai Group has National Park. already sent several survey teams to this area without permission.

Duc Long Gia Lai Group has surveyed and reported that animal and plant species in Moving across another slope, reporters saw a the area are common as in all other National path leading to a river, which was covered by Parks. thick canopy of leaves.

At seminars to discuss the environment The Hydropower Plants and Dams are impact of the Dong Nai 6 and 6A projects, planned to be built on that location, pointed scientists affirmed that the two plants Hieu. will badly affect the ecological system and biodiversity of Cat Tien National Park. They The above area is clearly the primeval forest will also negatively influence the lives of of Cat Tien National Park with a diverse more than 10 million residents living in the ecosystem. lowlands, including in Ho Chi Minh City.

M

arch 15, 2013 - Two leaders of the national park of Phong Nha - Ke Bang in the central province of Quang Binh have been dismissed for lack of responsibility in the case in which loggers chopped down three sua trees worth millions of USD in the park.

The incident stirred up the local community. They suspected that the rangers joined hands with loggers to chop down the rare trees.

Most recently, on February 28, with fishing nets on the river of Son, in Son Trach The two officials were punished are commune, Bo Trach district, near the director Mr. Luu Minh Thanh and deputy Phong Nha national park--local fishermen director Nguyen Van Huyen of the national picked up 12 pieces of sua timber, worth park. The dismissal was decided by the hundreds of thousands of US dollars authorities of Quang Binh Province, which ---------was announced on March 8.

Source: By Le Ha, www.english.vietnamnet. vn In addition, Mr. Luu Minh Thanh, who is also Deputy Party Secretary, was reprimanded by the Party Standing Committee of Quang Binh province for his irresponsibility in managing the park.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Van Huyen was also dismissed from the Party Standing Committee of Bo Trach district and the Phong Nha - Ke Bang national park.

The investor’s report shows that about 1.16 percent of the total 372 hectare area meant for the project is rich forest zone. The remaining 98 percent is barren land.

Dong Nai River will change course which will lead to flooding during every rainy season and cause drought during dry season. Cultural life of local people in the lower reaches of the Dong Nai River will also be affected in a The report also affirms that People’s negative way Committees in Lam Dong, Dak Nong and Binh -------Phuoc Provinces have permitted the Duc Long Source: by Hoai Nam. www.saigon-gpdaily. com.vn Gia Lai Group to build the plants in these areas.

Another incorrect detail in the report is that 30

In April 2012, three ancient sua trees worth millions of US dollars were cut down in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, a world natural heritage site. In particular, after the incident, Mr. Nguyen Van Huyen was assigned to head an inspection team to check the scene. Discovering the illegal timber worth millions of US dollars, Huyen did not instructed rangers to protect the wood. The wood, therefore, was taken by loggers.

RAREST OF THE RARE

The Babbler 46

Rufous-rumped Grassbird discovered in Cambodia

R

ufous-rumped Grassbird Graminicola bengalensis is an enigmatic and little known grassland specialist bird. Shown recently to be a babbler rather than a warbler, Simon Mahood and I discovered the species at Bakan in Pursat Province on 30 May. We later retuned and on 15 June and trapped four birds, which we photographed in the hand. This represents the first record for Cambodia. We plan to publish full details in due course -------Photos and text: Jonathan C. Eames

31

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

IUCN and CEPF announce major reinvestment in the Indo-Burma Hotspot

B

angkok, Thailand — A major $10.4 million, five-year investment in the Indo-Burma Hotspot will be launched next month, aiming to conserve biodiversity by engaging and building the capacity of nongovernmental organizations.

On 29 July 2013, the second phase of Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) investment will be formally launched for the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, comprising all non-marine parts of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, plus parts of southern China. With its high levels of plant and animal endemism, and limited remaining natural habitat, Indo-Burma is one of the most irreplaceable and threatened concentrations of biodiversity on the planet. Indo-Burma holds more people than any other hotspot, and its remaining natural ecosystems, already greatly reduced in extent, are subject to intense and growing pressure from habitat loss and over-exploitation of natural resources.

on these successes, the second phase of CEPF investment, from 2013 to 2018, will attempt to bridge the gap between development and conservation needs, improve protection and management of priority sites and species, and support the development of the civil society component of the hotspot’s conservation community. The CEPF investment strategy will focus on the highest priorities for conservation in four priority corridors plus Myanmar, and address threats to 151 priority species.

CEPF is a joint initiative of Conservation International, l’Agence Française de Développement, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank, and in the Indo-Burma Hotspot is also supported by the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. CEPF will provide grants to non-government organisations, community groups, private companies In 2013, CEPF will complete its first five- and other civil society organisations year investment phase in the hotspot, for biodiversity conservation projects. during which more than 60 civil society International Union for Conservation groups were engaged in conservation of Nature (IUCN), in partnership projects that strengthened protection with the Myanmar Environmental of 2 million hectares of natural habitat Rehabilitation-conservation Network and delivered livelihood benefits to (MERN) and the Kadoorie Farm and more than 100 communities. To build Botanic Garden (KFBG), will act as the

Regional Implementation Team for CEPF.

More information As the Regional Implementation Team for Indo-Burma, IUCN will solicit and review grant applications; manage a program of small grants; monitor and evaluate progress with the grant portfolio; build the capacity of grantees; coordinate and communicate CEPF investment; build partnerships; and promote information exchange in the hotspot.

The first call for proposals under the new investment phase will be announced by IUCN and CEPF on 29 July 2013. The call will cover Strategic Directions 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 in the ecosystem profile, which can be downloaded from the CEPF website at http://www.cepf.net/ SiteCollectionDocuments/indo_burma/ IndoBurma_ecosystemprofile_2011_ update.pdf (PDF 8.6MB). Local language summaries of the investment strategy in Burmese, Khmer, Lao, Mandarin, Thai and Vietnamese can be found at http://www.cepf.net/ where_we_work/regions/asia_pacific/ indo_burma/Pages/default.aspx

New BirdLife CEPF small grants In this period, two new small grants were made to 1. The Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC) for the project “Conservation through collaboration: the 3rd meeting of the Saola Working Group” 2. Newcastle University for the project “A strategic approach to conserving the Critically Endangered Edwards’s pheasant (Lophura edwardsii)”

Three small grant projects closed 1-Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST): “Developing a Conservation Data Management Tool for the Inner Gulf of Thailand.” Final report 2-People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF): “Community-Based Planning of the Lam Binh Forest Area Francois‘ Langur Conservation Landscape, Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam” (Final report) 3-The World Pheasant Association (WPA): “Conservation of Green Peafowl at key sites in VIetnam.” Final report

Two large grants closed 1. Conservation International “Research and Conservation Action for Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles in Indo-Burma.

Final report 2. People Resources and Conservation Foundation: “Strengthening Community Conservation of Priority Sites within the Ba Be / Na Hang Limestone Forest Complex, Northern Vietnam”. Final report to be available soon For the full list of funded projects and final completion reports, please log in here.

32

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

LOG BOOK: Regional Implementation Team site visits

D

uring this reporting period, the BirdLife Regional Implementation Team conducted 17 site visits to CEPF funded projects.

A site visit was conducted on 27 and 28 April 2013 to the Bengal Florican Conservation Areas at Stung and Chikreng in Kampong Thom and Siem Riep Provinces respectively, and a second site visit to Bakan, an unprotected site in Pursat Province on 29 and 30 May 2013. Overall, the project has met targets so far and it was suggested to undertake more advocacy work to reduce florican hunting levels at Bakan in Pursat Province.

conduct future project activities.

The RUPP team were advised to pay close attention for the need to strictly observe the survey methodology, especially the need to keep to agreed transect times.

protected and monitored. However, it was suggested that PUC project staff should seek more support from its partners to strengthen their skills.

MAY, 13-15, 2013 - WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (WCS): “Conserving a Suite of MAY 3, 2013 - SAM VEASNA CENTER Cambodia’s Highly Threatened Bird Species” (SVC): “Stakeholder-based conservation of APRIL 9-12, 2013 - PEOPLE RESOURCES The project began implementation on three large waterbirds in the dry forest of AND CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (PRCF): October 1, 2009, and following an extension Cambodia” “Strengthening White-shouldered Ibis granted by CEPF now concluded on June 30 The grantee has performed effectively and conservation initiatives and bolstering local 2013. A site visit was conducted 8-10 April the project has been going well so far. The stakeholder-led initiatives in the landscape of 2010 and a second site visit to the same APRIL 30 -MAY 3, 2013 - ROYAL UNIVERSITY first phase of the fieldwork has successfully Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia.” been completed. The project team collected two field sites was conducted on 13, 14 OF PHNOM PENH (RUPP): “Assessing the and 15 May 2013. Overall the project met the most encouraging results in Western status and distribution of Eld’s Deer in Since the project started in March 2013, the expected targets, some noteworthy Siem Pang with a large number of nests Western Siem Pang dry dipterocarp forest, PRCF project staff have located eight achievements: the nest-protection programs found and a higher rate of nest success Stung Treng Province” White-shouldered Ibis nests and a predator Sum Phearun attended a training provided by compared to that in Kulen Promtemp Wildlife focus on Prek Toal and implementation was exclusion device was placed on one nest underway by April 2010 and their key activity, Prom Sovanna from WWF Cambodia on Eld’s Sancturary and Preah Vihear Protected tree. This represented a disappointing low law enforcement courses for 20 community deer survey methods to four RUPP project Forest. In total, 16 White-shouldered Ibis nest detection rate and with only one nest rangers, has now been completed. In the baffle placed it will not be possible to test the members. The training session ran smoothly nests were found and protected in Western Siem Pang (only three nests failed) and seven Northern Plains, wildlife-friendly rice had success of this approach to reducing levels of and the trainees felt more confident to already been piloted in two villages and the nests were found in Preah Vihear Protected nest failure.

CEPF grant has allowed WCS to expand this Forest (four nests failed). The results model to six additional villages. The project contributed to the assumption that the Sum Phearun the RIT Project Officer for has identified three reliable sites for Whitemain cause of nest failure was from human Cambodia also provided a quick training singed Duck in the Northern Plains. And 40 disturbance rather than natural predators. to project team on a bird nest protection out of 230 families at Tmat Boey now earn protocol, putting baffles around the nest direct revenue from tourism.

MAY 4, 2013-PAÑÑĀSĀSTRA UNIVERSITY tree trunk and White-shouldered Ibis census OF CAMBODIA (PUC): “Conserving three methods to make sure they will implement JUNE 2-5, 2013- SAVE CAMBODIA’S WILDLIFE Critically Endangered vultures in Cambodia” project activities smoothly and successfully.

“Community Empowerment for Biodiversity The first fieldwork part was successfully Conservation along Sesan and Srepok Rivers completed. One noteworthy thing, the APRIL 27 – 28, 2013 AND MAY, 29-30, 2013 project found a number of nests within both of Mekong Basin” -WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (WCS): This project will close in June. Most of Western Siem Pang and Lomphat Wildlife “Finding a place for Bengal Florican in an WWF expert provided a field training to RUPP staff projects proposed outcomes were achieved, Sanctuary and all of those nests were on Eld's deer survey skills. Photo: Phearun Sum agricultural landscape”

In Cambodia

33

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

hoods and biodiversity in the Plain of Reeds, Mekong, which was granted to the Center for WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (WARECOD). The site visit coincided with the half-day workshop to present the early findings in the research on hydro regime changes and its effects on livelihoods and aquatic biodiversity of local comJUNE 17-18, 2013- MLUP BAITONG: munity, which was carried out by An Giang “Community livelihood development for MAY 19-22, 2013 - Ban Sanamxai, Eld’s Deer University during April-May 2013. There supporting Sarus Crane conservation in were 45 villagers who participated in the Sanctuary, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR, Kampong Trach, Cambodia.”

JUNE 10-12, 2013 - ACTION FOR The grantee is performing effectively and the for the project Eld’s Deer Community Conser- workshop. The experts from the university discussed with local people on the imporvation Group in Xonnabouly District, SavanDEVELOPMENT: “Integrating Bengal project is going well so far. The grantee has tance of the river section between Vam Nao Florican Conservation in Community Forest successfully completed all proposed outputs nakhet Province, which was granted to the River and Hau River to their livelihoods and SANAMXAI COMMUNITY CONSERVATION Management” and outcomes. This large grant project is how the river has been changed by human GROUP. The site visit team also took the The grantee is performing effectively closed in June. activities. This research was conducted using opportunity to meet seven patrolling group and the project is going well so far in members including the head and vice head of People Knowledge Interview method with Kampong Thom Province. The grantee has In Laos, Thailand and Vietnam representatives of local government authorithe group in Ban Sanamxai and visit the forsuccessfully completed phase one of the est to see the deer. Patrolling activity is being ties from hamlet to district level and local project fieldwork. The Community Forest’s During the five weeks of May-June 2013 people including farmers, fishers, elders etc. committee and members are now well aware Nguyen Hoang Long, Project Officer for Viet- carried out monthly in the core zone by the The study also involved group discussions patrolling team after the CEPF large grant about the importance of the species and nam, Laos and Thailand, and Pham Thi Bich with local government authorities, questionproject to WWF Laos on the species comnatural resources.

Hai, Finance Officer conducted seven site naire interviews and group discussions. The visits to eight BirdLife/CEPF small grant proj- pleted in April 2013. There are three patrolJUNE 19-20, 2013 - CHAMROEN CHIET ects funded under the fourth call for propos- ling teams in three villages with a total of 44 in-depth interviews were conducted with five groups of ten villagers each. The informapeople including villager, teacher, and miliKHMER (CCK): “Enabling continued als in 2012. These site visits have provided tion collected including the natural-socialprotection of the Boeung Prek Lapouv and valuable opportunities for the CEPF Regional tary person. As the community based ecoAnlung Pring Sarus Crane Reserves.”

Implementation Team to see the good prog- tourism activity is considered as a sustainable economic conditions in the area, local main livelihoods, role of the river including the The grantee has successfully completed ress and the hard work of the project teams. financing source of the Eld’s deer sanctuary conservation project the survey for eco-tour- river section between Vam Nao River and phase one of the project fieldwork and the These projects were not without the chalHau River etc. The research team of the uniproject is going well so far in Takeo and lenges, but overall, CEPF Regional Implemen- ism potential has been carried out in April.

The survey findings would be presented in a versity will finalise the final report and presKampot Provinces. The protection team tation Team has been impressed by these ent all the findings in a half-day meeting to workshop in July. and patrolling team have conducted patrols projects’ deliverables. The seven site visits the villagers in June-July. very regularly, and claim that levels of illegal were conducted at: MAY 23-25, 2013- Vam Nao Hamlet, Tan fishing and land encroachment are reduced and the area is being well protected by the MAY 8-10, 2013 - Vinh University and Pu Mat Trung Commune, Phu Tan District, An Giang MAY 29-30, 2013 - Can Tho Province, for the project Strengthening good governance Province, for the project Raising awareness team and the concerned authority.

National Park, for the project Pilot different for hydropower dams development on the on potential impacts of upstream developsurvey methods to identify Saola population The community fishery establishment in in Pu Mat National Park of Nghe An Province, ment activities to hydrological regimes, liveli- Mekong mainstream with particular focus but some activities are still unfinished.

The awareness of local communities is not equally raised. People haven’t fully understood about the causes and effects of threats like deforestation, economic land concessions and dam development.

The grantee has not hosted one site visit to Laos as committed and seems not to have sustainable communication and working with its implementing partners.

Koh Andet district, Takeo province is almost finished. More than 60% of communities in the target area are delighted to designate this area to become a community fishery plot for their sustainable use and for future generations.

which was granted to the CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (CERD), Vinh University. During the visit, the RIT also travelled with the project team to the Pu Mat National Park to meet with some hunters and discuss with them about the potential Saola sites and the coming surveys of the project.

34

PROJECT UPDATES

on Mekong Delta, Vietnam, which was granted to the GREEN INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (GREENID). The RIT took the chance to participate in a half day multi-stakeholder dialogue which was held to share findings from the think-tank group formed under the project on their review of the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA) for Xayaburi case and discussion on the legal issues of Mekong cooperation. This dialogue was also to raise awareness on the impacts of the Mekong dams proposal and the legal framework governing the Mekong river’s shared water resources for the sustainable well-being of the region. The dialogue attracted widely participation and attention from multi stakeholders with 60 participants including representatives from government agencies, research institutions, Delta provinces, media, and civil society.

The Babbler 46

representatives of the voluntary group for resource conservation. The team also went to the headquarters of the reserve to see the development of the mini rescue centre for the three focal species of the project and fisheries in general. The project will be seeking support from local authority and WWF for the project final workshop and monitoring of the project outputs to ensure sustainability.

continued to foster long-term and sustained support for Saola conservation. As one of the most significant contributions to Saola conservation this meeting, the SWG has nurtured and expanded their growing Saola relationships with the zoos in the network of zoos in Europe and that these zoos have become more closely involved in Saola conservation in the Annamite Mountains.

JUNE 11- 14, 2013 - Pang Mod Daeng Village, Chiang Kham District, Prayao Province, Thailand, for the project Strengthening Local Community Network for Fish Conservation in Ing River Basin, which was granted to the LIVING RIVER SIAM. During the site visit, the RIT took the opportunity to attend the meeting on the establishment of the network of fish conservation at the central villages at Pang Mod Daeng Village, Chiang Kham District, Prayao Province. There have been 32 fish conservation zones already established in Ing River so now local people think of a network for coherent and organized actions. Totally there were around 40 of 56 villages mainly coming from villages of the central section of the river have attended the meeting. This was the first time for some villagers to join the meeting of these groups. The meeting was also attended by a few formal heads of the villages where they were the first leaders of their village’s fish conservation zones. The meeting concluded with the establishment of the network and selection of the head and secretary for the management of the network.

JUNE 5-7, 2013 - Vientiane, Lao PDR, for the project Conservation Through Collaboration: The 3rd Meeting of the Saola Working Group, and the project, Nurturing the Flame: Promoting Collaboration for Saola Conservation Regionally and Internationally, which were granted to the GLOBAL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. This year’s meeting involved several discussions on the Saola including protection, detection, and captive potential and management across the five days MAY 31 – JUNE 2, 2013 - Lang Sen Wetland following by the field trip with some meeting Reserve, Long An Province, for the project participants to a potential Saola captive Using and systematizing fishers’ local management site near Lak Xao, Lao DPR. ecological knowledge to monitor and manage Totally, there were 28 meeting participants fisheries, with emphasis on three globally who came from 24 institutions including threatened fish species (the Giant Catfish NGO, range government, research, university, [Pangasianodon gigas], Sanitwongsei’s and donor in 10 countries. Not all 20 SWG catfish [Pangasius sanitwongsei] and Jullien’s members participated in this meeting, Golden Carp [Probarbus jullieni]), in the but the meeting also included the staff of Lower Mekong River system of Long An organizations beyond the SWG membership Province, Vietnam, which was granted to the including museums and zoos in Europe. The RESEARCH CENTRE FOR RESOURCES AND meeting leveraged the results of three recent RURAL DEVELOPMENT (RECERD). During CEPF investments in Saola conservation to the visit, the RIT met with staff from the the WWF-GM, WCS Lao, and Lao Wildlife Science Office of Lang Sen Wetland Reserve Conservation Association. In addition, like and visit Ca Sach Hamlet, Vinh Loi Village, the previous small grant investments in Saola Tan Hung District to meet and talk with conservation to the SWG, this meeting has From July to October another six site visits 35

Meeting to establish a network for fish conservation along central villages in Pang Mod Daeng, Prayao district, Thailand. Photo: Nguyen Hoang Long

will be conducted to six small grant projects, which were also funded under the fourth call for proposals --------Source: Sum Phearun, Project officer for Cambodia.

Nguyen Hoang Long, Project officer for Laos, Thailand and Vietnam

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

CONSERVATION THROUGH COLLABORATION: THE 3RD MEETING OF THE SAOLA WORKING GROUP

I

n 2006, in recognition of the perilous status of the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), a Saola Working Group (SWG) was established within the Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. The SWG was formed as a network of Lao, Vietnamese and international biologists dedicated to conserving Saola. The SWG held its first face-to-face meeting in 2009 (funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund), and has met every two years since. Some significant progress has been made since the first meeting in 2009, but much more remains to be done: Last year, Saola was identified as one of the 100 most threatened species of plants or animals on earth. It is probably the most endangered large mammal remaining in Indochina.

To address challenges of saving this magnificent animal from extinction, the SWG recently held its 3rd meeting, in early June in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Lao Program took a turn this year as local host of the meeting. SWG members and other participants came from 24 institutions (NGO, government, university) in ten countries. This broad participation was reflected in the meeting’s theme, “Conservation Through Collaboration”.

Ten days before the main meeting, preparatory one-day national saola workshops were held in Lao PDR (in Pakxan, Bolikhamxay

Province) and Vietnam (in Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Province). The national workshops were organized by Lao and Vietnamese members of the SWG, respectively. The results of the two national meetings were then presented to and fed into the main, week-long SWG meeting that followed.

This year’s SWG meeting focused on three high priority topics: improving protection at key saola sites; developing a method to efficiently and effectively detect Saola in the wild; and the issue of captive management. For the captive management discussion, external experts in captive breeding of endangered large mammals joined the meeting from Indonesia, Malaysia, United Kingdom and the United States. The meeting ended with the drafting of a 12-month work plan to ‘activate’ and move forward the many decisions reached during the week.

A significant outcome of the meeting was the SWG’s decision to endorse, and begin working towards, the establishment in Lao PDR and/or Vietnam of an ‘insurance’ captive population of Saolas, to guard against the species’ extinction, if it can be done with international best-practice and expertise. In the coming months the SWG will discuss how best to move this forward with government partners in Lao PDR and Vietnam.

Technical collaboration across a broad range of partners is essential if Saola is to be saved from extinction. A broad coalition of donors is also needed, and the following group of supporters contributed financially to make this latest meeting possible: Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund; Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Zoo; Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz; San Diego Zoo and Safari Park Leipzig Zoo; Wildlife Conservation Society/Bronx Zoo Zoological Society of London and Fauna & Flora International --------Source: William Robichaud

Workshop participants. Photo: Dr. Nguyen Xuan Dang

36

I

nternational Union for Conservation of Nature (www.iucn.org): “Conserving Biodiversity and Sustaining Livelihoods along the Mekong River in Luang Prabang, Xayabouri and Vientiane Provinces, Lao PDR” (May 1, 2011-Jun 30, 2013) The recent Indo-Burma freshwater biodiversity assessment surveyed 2,515 freshwater species in Indo-Burma and found that 13% of the species were threatened. The study identifies hydropower development as the main threat to freshwater biodiversity in Southeast Asia. Lack of knowledge has also been identified with 37% of freshwater species found to be data deficient and many undersurveyed locations.

The section of the Mekong River between Luang Prabang and Vientiane is one of the least-studied sections of the entire Mekong mainstream. Despite ongoing hydropower development here, detailed fauna or flora surveys have not been conducted on most of this stretch of the river.

Part of the area is globally recognized as an ‘Important Bird Area’ (IBA), and is part of a critical migration and breeding corridor for a large assemblage of migratory fish.

The area also supports around 30,000 local residents, who depend directly on its natural resources.

In 2011 and 2012, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Lao PDR Office, organized the first ecological survey of the Mekong River between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. IUCN was joined by the National University of Laos (NUoL) Faculty of Science, the Lao Living Aquatic Resources Research Center (LARReC), the University of North Carolina, the University of

PROJECT UPDATES

Chiang Mai, the Lao Biodiversity Association (LBA) and international consultants. This was the first step of a five-year Mekong conservation project, financed by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).

The Babbler 46

due to the development of hydropower projects on the river, road development, and re-enforcement of riverbanks.

cattle and plantation wood. Wild species, mainly fish, macroinvertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and other NTFPs, complement these income sources and, combined, represent up to 30 to 50% of total income.

Most of the communities reported some management or conservation of natural resources at a very local level, but the measures implemented were often unclear In late 2012 and early 2013, a second and often deemed unsuccessful. Only areas phase of the project set out to study the protected by customary rights (spirit forests) The objectives of the survey were to communities along the river in the study Interviewees reported important recent seemed to have relatively good management document the diversity and richness of flora area. The objective of this phase was to growth in the trade of NTFP and wildlife, with in place. Community members seemed very and fauna along the Mekong River and to map all 97 villages and settlements along a shift from consumption at the local level to interested in the potential for ecotourism assess the status of endemic, restrictedthe river and to collect basic information on real economic activity involving middle-scale built around natural highlights including range and/or threatened taxa. Ecological population changes and livelihoods in each of trade. waterfalls, caves, and locally preserved surveys were made carried out by boats these villages. forests, and the interesting local history. that stopped in various natural habitats Villagers also related that agricultural lands along the Mekong River. Interviews were The project team then selected 13 villages have expanded, mainly to be used for upland Through participatory workshops and conducted with villagers and markets were as “pilot villages” based on the results of the rice production involving slash-and-burn complementary assessments, the project also surveyed. biodiversity survey and the initial findings of practices. is now building support for small-scale, the rapid village assessment. achievable projects, including: fish The results identified 23 new records for the The threats to sustainable NTFP conservation zones, NTFP management, Lao flora, 2 records of national significance In these 13 villages, in-depth livelihood harvesting identified by villagers included nest conservation for aquatic turtles and for birds and 7 species of national studies were conducted, using household overconsumption, agricultural expansion and ecotourism development. conservation significance for reptiles and surveys and group discussions to identify the pressure from outside demand for economic amphibians. Spawning sites for Probarbus extent of the communities’ dependency on purposes. This has generated more pressure In line with these goals, developing the jullieni, an endangered fish species, have natural resources and the main threats to the on the resource, driven prices higher, and capacity of district and provincial government been also identified as well as the occurrence sustainable use of these resources. meant that more products go to market staff to manage natural resources is also a of Phoenix roebelenii, a dwarf palm species, rather than being consumed locally. priority. IUCN will seek to encourage local common in horticultural use but rare in the The results indicate that the population on partners to take the lead on projects by wild. the Mekong has increased steadily since The perception of potential threats induced continuing to leverage partnerships with local villages were established there. Since 1975, by dam construction was not clear. While government staff and national NGOs and Some sites still have a relatively high level of the population has increased approximately some villagers interviewed for the study were universities biodiversity remaining; however, the results 250% due to the relocation of ethnic --------concerned that flooding would decrease showed that natural habitats and wildlife minorities from nearby mountainous areas, Source: Raphael Glemet, IUCN Lao PDR, their lands and access to NTFPs, it seemed populations have been heavily impacted and due to natural growth.

Email: raphael.glemet@iucn.org that many villagers believed that it would by human activity and their future is in Uwe Singer, IUCN Lao PDR, have a positive impact on aquatic products, jeopardy. The primary threats identified The most important contributors to Email: uwe.singer@iucn.org according to information they had received include overharvesting, overfishing, wildlife household income actually turned out to be earlier. trafficking, and direct habitat degradation cultivated or raised products such as rice, 37

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

How can we save the Critically Endangered Mekong Giant Catfish?

T

he Mekong Giant Catfish, Pangasianodon gigas, is one of the most endangered fish in Southeast Asia. It is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Critically Endangered.

Specimens have been caught in the past weighing 300kg and 3 meters in length – a very big fish indeed.

Interestingly, it is vegetarian and that presents one of the many puzzles we face when considering how best to make conservation interventions; where does the species find enough river vegetation to grow so big?

Historically there were targeted fisheries using special nets designed purely to catch this fish. Some of the sites where this ceremonial fishing took place were Ban Ang, just upstream of Vientiane, in the Mekong at Luang Prabang and between the Thai province of Chiang Rai and the Lao province of Bokeo. This last one was the final one to continue as no fish were being caught in the other locations.

However, a growing recognition that the population was under severe threat lead to the fish being given full protection under the Lao Fishery Law. It thus became illegal to target this species. On the Thai side, the Governor of the Province can issue permits to fish (for ‘scientific’ reasons) the giant catfish. Since it is believed that one of the causes of the population crash was over-fishing to provide broodstock for the Thai captive breeding programme, WWF pressed for a moratorium on the giving of permissions.

The Mekong in the project area, taken from Thailand looking towards Laos Photo: WWF

38

That aim was achieved through the strong advocacy of staff from WWF Thailand, funded under the recently completed “Engaging with key actors in reconciling biodiversity conservation and development objectives, using the critically endangered Mekong Giant Catfish as a flagship species for biodiversity conservation” supported by CEPF and WWF Germany. The project was also active in Laos under the control of WWF Laos. In both countries there was great support from the respective government departments of fishery and the eight local communities involved.

All eight villages, four in each country, set up Fish Conservation Zones in the mainstream Mekong. A formal transboundary agreement to jointly manage these has been made between 3 pairs of the villages and just awaits sign off from the Bokeo provincial authorities.

All experts agree that the Mekong Giant Catfish is a species that undertakes long distance migrations.

Local knowledge suggests that they spawn somewhere in the stretch of the Mekong that was the focal area for this project. However attempts to pin the location down were unsuccessful. A very thorough trawl for eggs and larvae (icthyplanktion) was undertaken by Thai Department of Fisheries workers – three trawls a day for a whole month, followed by DNA analysis in Bangkok. Many samples of other species were identified, but unfortunately no P. gigas. Had we found it, then quick action would have been taken to extend improved protection from over fishing and sand extraction that could destroy

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Cambodian Rural Development Team 2012 Annual Report

C

ambodian Rural Development Team (CRDT) has recently published their annual report featuring their major achievements and challenges in 2012. Please read further details to see how much they achieved in protecting the wetland resources in Cambodia under two large grant projects funded by CEPF: “Sustainable livelihoods for Mekong biodiversity and critical wetland resource conservation in Cambodia” and “Sustainable development to support wise use and conservation of the wetland ramsar site in Stung Treng, Cambodia” Download the report here ------Source: Cambodian Rural Development Team

the necessary river bed substrate.

Wherever they spawn the young fish will be taken downstream by the natural flood of the river and many are believed to spend their juvenile growing period in the Tonle Sap, Cambodia. After about 15 years they reach sexual maturity and the onset of the rainy season triggers the migration back upstream, ultimately to begin the cycle again by spawning in the project site. A dependence on a range of connected habitats over hundreds of kilometres makes the species and others with similar life-cycles very vulnerable to the impact of any mainstream dams.

Late in the project’s life an attitude survey was done in all the participating villages.

One can see from the chart above that in answer to the question “Compared to 2 years ago, do you understand more about the need to conserve the giant catfish (and other species) than you did before? Yes, no, the same as before?” taking part in project activities was a very effective way of increasing peoples’ understanding of the need to conserve the species. Certainly that is something that should be built on in the future -------Source: Dr. Victor Cowling Technical Advisor, Sustainable Hydropower and River Basin Management WWF Greater Mekong Programme

Save Cambodia’s Wildlife: 2012 Annual Report

T

he year 2012 marks the first year of SCW’s new Strategic Direction (2012 2016), what requires SCW to both keep its scope of operations stable and to improve its own performance especially in consultancy services and regarding environmental education material for social entrepreneurship establishment. During this year, SCW managed successfully eight projects in response to their missions - to protect and conserve natural resources and wildlife habitats through (i) research, publication and education programs on relevant issues; (ii) efficient alternative livelihood support programs, and (iii) playing 39

an increasingly constructive role in raising public awareness about climate change; promoting the use of available means for community based climate change adaptation and individual active participation in climate change mitigation.

Please read more details in the full report here. In 2009, SCW received a large grant from CEPF to empower communities for Biodiversity Conservation along Sesan and Srepok Rivers of Mekong Basin ------Source: Tep Boony, Executive Director, SCW

PROJECT UPDATES

T

he WorldFish Center (www. worldfishcenter.org): “Stung Treng Ramsar Site in Cambodia – Integrating Fisheries Management and Wetlands Conservation” (1 Nov 2011 - 30 Jun 2013) WorldFish and its local partners have implemented a fisheries co-management project in a wetland protected area in Cambodia since April 2011, and the project is in its final stages. Here is some of our experience and the lessons learned from this project.

The Stung Treng Ramsar site in Northern Cambodia is arguably the most important wetland complex for biodiversity in the Mekong River Basin. Stretching nearly 40 km along the mainstream Mekong, the unique habitat system is comprised of flooded forests, fast-flowing river channels, rock outcrops, and sandy islands, providing spawning and feeding grounds for several endangered species of mammals, birds, and fish. Over 200 species of fish have been recorded in this area. However despite its rich biodiversity and high productivity, poverty, food insecurity and social changes have led to an increased pressure on the natural resources. Some of the strongest pressures on fishery resources come from overexploitation and the use of destructive fishing methods (i.e. fishing with explosives and electric-shock equipment).

The Ramsar site is also home to more than

The Babbler 46

12,000 inhabitants from 4 communes and 21 villages, who all depends on fishing for food and income. Additionally, significant numbers of seasonal licensed and unlicensed fishers come to the area following annual fish migrations.

WorldFish has been working with the local Community Fisheries (CFi) groups, the Fisheries Administration (FiA), and the Department of Environment (DoE) on a two-year project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), with an aim of integrating fisheries management and wetlands conservation in the Stung Treng Ramsar site. WorldFish assisted the local CFi groups to develop and test conservation protocols for selected deep pool habitats as fish refuges, with an objective to enhance natural fisheries productivity. The project successfully facilitated the involvement of local community leaders as well as women and poor landless fishers into the planning and design of protocols. The main approach chosen by the participants is to protect the deep pools as a fish no-take zone. In principle nobody is allowed to fish in the three deep pools---Kol 46, Anlong Kambor, and Preah Sakhon---selected based on a number of criteria, integrating both biological and social concerns.

FiA has management authority over all fishing activities and fishing grounds within Cambodia, and the Ramsar site is legally under the authority of the Ministry of 40

Environment. Then each of the 21 villages residing within the Ramsar site has a CFi group that is mandated to manage their local fish resources in own designated management area. None of the three selected sites were situated within existing management area of CFi groups; network of more than one CFi groups were formed and worked together to protect them, with endorsement of the local authorities to ensure the effective implementation of the new fisheries management regime.

This project set restrictions on fishing activities in some areas that were previously unregulated. It was foreseen from the beginning that this would potentially cause negative impacts on fisheries-dependent livelihoods of local communities in the shortterm. Specific social safeguard measures were taken; preferential access to fishing areas within 50m along banks of conservation zone was given to particularly vulnerable landless and/or female-headed households.

This ‘buffer zone’ approach proved effective in allowing the poorer households to catch enough fish for subsistence and satisfy most in the communities.

Regular patrolling conducted by CFi groups has deterred destructive fishing. As one villager put it, “I don’t hear a bomb going off in the middle of night anymore”. The establishment of fish sanctuaries appears to have had an overall positive impact on the fisheries resources in the no-take areas

and the adjacent waters. While there is no scientific evidence of the impact at this point, fishers have reported on numerous occasions localized increases in both fish biomass and diversity. For the purpose of the project, it is important that the fishers themselves be able to feel the positive effect of their actions. We hope to continue assisting them on participatory monitoring of fish resources.

Another positive outcome reported was strengthened partnership at multiple levels, between fishermen, local authorities, and provincial government line agencies.

Despite the positive outcomes, the project was not without some challenges. There was reported incidence of retaliation on the patrol team members from illegal fishermen.

Some individuals expressed concerns around inadequacy of the social safeguard measures.

More targeted livelihoods assistance would no doubt help reduce the overall dependency of local communities on income from fishing in the long run. Sustaining the fisheries management activities without external support is recognized by all parties as a major challenge, and has been discussed during the “reflection” workshops. These are problems commonly faced by many conservation projects; we hope to continue supporting the effort of the local communities in the Stung Treng Ramsar site in resolving these challenges ------Source: Meredith Schofield and Yumiko Kura, The WorldFish Center

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

S

iamese crocodiles are Critically Endangered, with between 100 and 300 individuals surviving in small and scattered populations in the wild in Cambodia, which holds the greatest numbers of the species globally. This is in stark contrast to the number of individuals technically in captivity in crocodile farms in Cambodia where many thousands of Siamese crocodiles, including hybrids with Saltwater and Cuban crocodiles, are kept.

Poaching for the skin trade and collection of crocodiles and eggs to supply crocodile farms was the predominant cause of the range-wide decline of the species. Whilst poaching events are now rare, theoretically the poorly regulated trade in Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia may still present a threat to those in the wild.

Siemese crocodiles

What is sustainable exploitation?

In order to protect the Siamese crocodile, the CCCP, which is a joint programme of FFI and the Forestry Administration, has established community-managed sanctuaries and a network of crocodile wardens at the three key breeding sites for Siamese crocodile in Cambodia; within the Cardamom Mountains. Whilst these populations are stable, only a maximum of 5 nests are produced in the wild each year throughout its range, meaning that the species is unlikely to recover without captive-bred individuals being released back into the wild. FFI, the Forestry Administration and the Fisheries Administration have developed a 20 year Photo: Jeremy Holden/FFI

41

recovery plan for the Siamese crocodile in Cambodia, involving the reinforcement of existing populations with captive-bred stock and the reintroduction of Siamese crocodiles into sites where they formerly occurred. The plan is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. However, whilst the CCCP has set up a captive breeding centre at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, we currently only have 4 adults of breeding age and several juveniles, not enough for a full-scale recovery programme!

In 2011, the CCCP began working with the Fisheries Administration and the Cambodian Crocodile Farmers Association, to try to eliminate the threat of wild Siamese crocodiles being taken to supply crocodile farms. The objectives of the project were to continue to protect and monitor wild crocodiles, and secondly, to support the development of the Cambodian Crocodile Farmers Association.

This new civil society body will entail the membership of registered crocodile farms and have the goal of promoting sustainability within the industry and to support in situ conservation activities.

Currently less than 10 crocodile farms are registered with CITES in Cambodia and predominantly hatchlings are traded for which revenues have declined in recent years.

PROJECT UPDATES

The CCCP has worked with the Fisheries Administration to assist the CCFA to develop the by-laws and constitution of the organisation.

These were discussed at a recent workshop in Siem Reap where more than 50 farmers attended along with representatives from the Fisheries Administration. A representative from the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group was present to provide advice and support on CITES registration and adherence to regulations, how to develop the Crocodile Farmers Association further, and to improve husbandry and captive management of crocodiles.

Whilst the association is in its infancy, significant progress has been made to finalise the by-laws and constitutions of the association, which have been more than 7 years in the making.

It looks promising that in the future, the CCCP will be able to work with a number of crocodile farmers and the Fisheries Administration, to help further the conservation of wild crocodiles.

We are hoping to be able to soon start work with crocodile farmers to identify any purebred crocodiles in captivity, which could be used to breed purebred hatchlings to eventually be released back into the wild, bringing Siamese crocodile conservation full circle -------Source: Sarah Brook, Species Manager Fauna and Flora International, Cambodia Programme Project “Cambodian Crocodile Conservation Programme: Building civil society capacity to tackle the unsustainable exploitation of Siamese crocodiles”

The Babbler 46

M

lup Baitong: “Community Livelihood Development for Supporting Sarus Crane Conservation in Kampong Trach, Cambodia” (1 Oct 2010 – 30 June 2013)

The Anlung Pring Sarus Crane Reserve in Kampong Trach District of Kampot Province, Cambodia, at the western edge of the Mekong delta contains an extensive area of seasonally inundated grassland, which is still one of the main habitats in the regions for the Sarus Crane in the non-breeding season.

Community members in the area used to earn their living by growing rice and collecting animals, fish and raw materials from the conservation area. They had no access to microcredit programme for operating micro-enterprises. When the Sarus Crane Reserve was established in 2011, the community members tried various ways to make a living. However, the results were not what they had hoped.

Mlup Baitong has implemented the community livelihood development for supporting Sarus Crane conservation project funded by CEPF in close cooperation with local authorities and other related agencies. The project aims at supporting Sarus Crane Conservation through livelihood improvement. To achieve this, the following actions have been undertaken:

which has been used for providing micro credits to its members to do micro businesses. Mlup Baitong trained the SHG members in micro-enterprise development and skills related to agriculture such as pigs raising, chicken raising, subsidiary crop planting, home gardening, handicraft and spice shops.

Mlup Baitong has also supported the construction of 35 wells to provide clean and safe drinking water for the households living around the Sarus Crane Reserve under the condition that they no longer collect water from the Reserve, which would disturb the Sarus Cranes. Farmers were also encouraged to use water from the wells for improving home gardening.

Mlup Baitong also encouraged and supported farmers to engage in Community Based Eco-Tourism (CBET) as an alternative and sustainable source for income generation. A CBET Group (CBETG) was established to provide services to tourists, such as bird watching. CBET members were trained in CBET management, bird watching management, and in environment concepts.

Mlup Baitong provided awareness raising activities for the commune managers and residents on environment protection and the sub-decree of Sarus Crane Conservation Reserve establishment and encouraged them to participate in Sarus Crane conservation.

More than 120 poor community members, who rely on the Crane area, were facilitated to form 10 Self Help Groups (SHGs) to operate saving and revolving funds. SHG executives were trained in management of SHGs including bookkeeping and financial reporting. The SHGs have so far saved US$20,250, 42

Raising pigs by loans from the Self Help Group. Photo: Mlup Baitong

PROJECT UPDATES

CBETG welcomed 89 visitors (50 Cambodian and 39 foreign visitors) in the first year of operation. It created US$255 of income and ensured the safety of Sarus Crane and their habitat. This income is used for CBETG members’ benefit, community development, maintenance of CBET facilities, and particularly for Sarus Crane conservation. Community members are satisfied with the result of CBET development.

They are committed to stop doing illegal activities and to participate in protecting Sarus Cranes and their habitat in the reserve area. The commitment is written in the regulations of SHGs and CBETG as well as well construction contracts.

On the other hand, Community Livelihood Development Management Committee (CLDMC), which was established at the beginning of project, has played an important role to facilitate SHGs to do saving and loaning their members and CBETG to provide proper services to visitors. CLDMC members, together with Local Conservation Group (LCG) have participated in patrolling Sarus Crane conservation area and its habitat.

As a result of the project, there were 10% of total household incomes of SHG members generated from micro-enterprise implementations. Disturbance towards the bird species has reduced. Number of cranes living in Anlung Pring increased from 238 in 2011 to 345 in 2013. This indicates that our Livelihood Improvement project has significantly contributed to Sarus Crane conservation --------Source: Va Moeurn, Executive Director, Mlup Baitong.

The Babbler 46

L

ong An province, Vietnam - On 25th April 2013, the Research Center for Resources and Rural Development (RECERD) coordinated with Lang Sen Wetland Reserve organised a training course to “identify and rescue endangered fish species” for the Reserve staff and communities living nearby.

This is part of the project “Using and systematizing fishers’ local ecological knowledge to monitor and manage fisheries, with emphasis on three globally threatened fish species (the Giant Catfish [Pangasianodon gigas], Sanitwongsei’s catfish [Pangasius sanitwongsei] and Jullien’s Golden Carp [Probarbus jullieni]), in the Lower Mekong River system of Long An Province, Vietnam” financed by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).

Sixty people have participated in the course and a majority is fisherman from two communes of Vinh Dai and Vinh Loi in Tan Hung district bordering the Reserve.

With the help of trainers coming from the Ho Chi Minh city based Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2, the trainees had a good opportunity to find out how valuable those fish species are and their basic biological information: identification, distribution, food source, breeding season, threats with a focus on three mentioned globally threatened fish species. Methods of rescuing endangered fish were also mentioned.

Involving communities in conservation encourage more voluntary work by ‘local’ guards towards natural resources and sharing local ecological knowledge among local authorities and communities. Besides, local fishermen also help to do fishery surveys, monitor endangered fish species and prevent harmful factors, etc.

43

In May 2013, a mini rescue centre for endangered fish species was set up in Lang Sen with contributions from both the Reserve authorities and the project funding. The Reserve staff are responsible to receive and treat sick and endangered fish before releasing them back to the wild. More activities will be implemented to reduce threats towards the existence of endangered fish species and to ensure the sustainable aquaculture in the area.

Publication on local ecological knowledge Under the same project, a survey was carried out in April 2013 to get information of“Local ecological knowledge to conserve and develop endangered fish species in Lang Sen Wetland Reserve”. The local communities and authorities in Lang Sen and surrounding commmunes such as Vinh Loi commune, Vinh Dai, Tan Hung town, Long An province were questioned about their understanding of endangered species, with an emphasis on three globally threatened fish species (the Giant Catfish, Sanitwongsei’s catfish and Jullien’s Golden Carp). Their knowledge is valuable and useful to point out food sources, frequency of species appearance, factors that impact endangered fish species (destructive fishing gears, pesticide usage, water level changes, etc.). In addition, some practical suggestions were made by the local people to restore the population of endangered fish species.

Link to download the survey report here ---------Source: Xuan Lap, Vice Director, RECERD (www.recerd.org.vn)

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Locals help conserve langurs in Vietnam

L

ocal people in Lam Binh District, northern Vietnam, are now more aware of the need to protect the endangered Francois’ Langur – and biodiversity in general – thanks to a CEPF-funded community conservation project entitled Communitybased planning of the Lam Binh forest area François’ Langur conservation landscape, Tuyen Quang province, Vietnam, the project ran from October 2011 to October 2012.

People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) carried out the project, a first onground effort to conserve the François’ Langur in Vietnam. The aim was to involve villagers living near the langur’s karst forest habitat in participatory land-use planning, and to address threats to the species in the Lam Binh forest area.

The project encouraged local people and forest protection department officials to collaborate on the conservation of forest resources and biodiversity in an area not yet included in Vietnam’s protected area network.

and the langur’s critical habitat. The completed map is now prominently displayed in a commune hall to help others learn about François’ Langur conservation in their local area. This mapping project also helped establish key sites to monitor the Francois’ langur in its habitat.

On the basis of these activities, PRCF was able to secure signed protection agreements from 27 forest users. Agreements were also signed by ten local restaurant owners and food sellers who were known to serve wildlife ‘bushmeat’. These protection agreements are posted on the walls of participating restaurants, raising awareness and contributing to public support.

Environmental education PRCF Vietnam field staff prepared educational materials on François’ Langur conservation for seven-grade classes. Topics included the langur, local ecology, habitat, threats and conservation needs, and relevant government policies and local conservation agreements. Teachers also attended the classes, increasing their knowledge and skills in conservation education.

PRCF tested conservation awareness-raising ideas with groups of locals aged between 15 and 30 years, and defined education programs that could be applied at a broader, more sustainable scale.

Training workshops were held with 22 youth union members of the local Khuon Ha and Khuong La communes. Sessions focused on how to use the education materials effectively to promote conservation awareness among local community members.

Community conservation highlights PRCF led a highly successful week-long workshop in participatory three-dimensional land-use mapping. Enthusiastic locals learned about conservation, topography, and three dimensional map-making – and in turn passed on their knowledge of specific land-use zones

A diverse range of awareness-raising material was produced as part of this project. PRCF Vietnam designed and distributed stickers promoting the ‘Environment Nature Vietnam’ Wildlife Crime Hotline, encouraging locals to report incidents, for example. A François’ Langur 44

Local villagers constructing three dimensional map of Francois' Langur landscpape in Lam Binh area.

Photo: Jean -Joel Lawrence

drawing competition for local schoolchildren resulted in eye-catching, original pictures, reflecting the passion of young people and their families for conservation. A selection of these was later published on calendars and posters.

These were distributed among the community and PRCF supporters, helping to both involve the community and spread conservation awareness.

This CEPF-funded François’ Langur conservation project has helped build the Lam Binh community’s knowledge of the langur and the vital role they themselves can play in its

conservation. The success of the project’s community conservation activities has helped secure additional funds from Save Our Species and the McKnight Foundation for langur conservation programs now implemented by PRCF and local partners ----------Author: Randi Brown - PRCF Communications Volunteer Co-author: Fernando Potess - PRCF Director/ Chief Executive Officer Editor: Brenda Mattick – PRCF Communications Associate. Palmtree Productions

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Giant Ibis Transport become first BirdLife Species Champion in Cambodia

Mr Jacob Montross, Managing Director of Giant Ibis Transportation receives the BirdLife Species Champion Certificate. Photo: Ty Srun/BirdLife Cambodia

P

The Giant Ibis, a Critically Endangered Species, was designated by Royal Decree as the national bird symbol of Cambodia in 2005. It is now mostly confined to northern Cambodia, where it is still fairly widespread but extremely rare; with a few birds from the same population observed On May 1st 2013, Giant Ibis Transport signed in extreme southern Laos. Its historical range once spanned southern Vietnam and an agreement with BirdLife International to provide US$51,000, which will be used to Thailand, where it has now become extinct. conserve of Giant Ibis in Cambodia over the An extremely rapid population decline is next three years. suspected to have occurred over the last hnom Penh, Cambodia - On 6 June 2013, Giant Ibis Transport became the first BirdLife Species Champion in Cambodia after providing financial support to prevent the extinction of Cambodia’s national bird, the Giant Ibis.

three generations and unless conservation action is taken urgently it is now projected to continue over the next three generations as a result of hunting, wetland destruction and lowland deforestation. Recent assessment of the available records suggests a minimum estimate of 115 pairs. This is equivalent to a minimum of 230 mature individuals, and roughly 345 individuals in total.

a flagship for the plight of all Cambodia’s threatened wildlife.” commented Bou Vorsak, Programme Manager of the BirdLife Cambodia programme. “More involvement by the private sector can only lead to better species conservation and we hope that Giant ibis Transport will be the first of many future corporate supporters in Cambodia,’’ added Vorsak.

“We understand improved commitment is required by all stakeholders in Cambodia to stabilize and improve the conservation prospects for the Giant Ibis population and we are happy to be part of the Preventing Extinction Programme,’’ said Jacob Montross, Managing Director of Giant Ibis Transport.

BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.

By focusing on birds, and the sites and habitats on which they depend, the BirdLife Partnership is working to improve the quality of life for birds, for other wildlife (biodiversity), and for people.

BirdLife Species Champions are a growing community of companies, institutions and individuals that supports conservation measures aimed at preventing bird extinctions. As well as providing the funding that brings threatened birds back from the brink of extinction, Species Champions also draw attention to the plight of the species they support and all the other threatened species the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme embraces.

“We are delighted that the first Species Champion in Cambodia is a private company who have fully recognised the symbolism the Giant Ibis represents, This species is 45

Giant Ibis Transport is an “Affordable Luxury” bus service in Cambodia, which was established in May 2012 to provide a luxury commercial vehicle transportation service for local and international passengers. It belongs to the Royal Cambodian Limousine Service Co.,Ltd which provides an exclusive chauffeured driven vehicle service to among other dignitaries, delegates and official guests of the Royal Government of Cambodia -------Source: BirdLife Cambodia programme

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Provincial workshop to increase awareness about the value of Western Siem Pang proposed Protected Forest

Western Siem Pang proposed Protected Forest biodiversity report at the BirdLife World Congress

O

W

n May 30, 2013, BirdLife International Cambodia Programme organised a provincial workshop on the biodiversity values and the impacts of climate and livelihood change in Western Siem Pang (WSP) proposed protected forest. Thirty four representatives from Stung Treng provincial departments, Siem Pang district offices, Forestry Administration, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders attended the event. The aims of the workshop were to introduce the unique biodiversity value of WSP, to distribute recently published reports on biodiversity, climate change and livelihoods. H.E Yu Pasith, Deputy Governor of Stung Treng Province, officially launched the workshop. He highlighted Western Siem Pang, which supports the populations of five Critically Endangered bird species. Yu Pasith also stressed the importance of this workshop to all stakeholders that are involved in the conservation of biodiversity in Western Siem Pang.

Attendees were able to share experiences and lessons learned to improve and strengthen the management and protection of the area in a sustainable manner.

At the end of the workshop, participants discussed actively finding solutions to deal with threats facing Western Siem Pang today. They highlighted the importance of cooperation among stakeholders at all levels to manage Western Siem Pang efficiently and effectively and to harmonise biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, which helps alleviate poverty in local communities and mitigate climate change ------Hort Sothea, Project Manager, BirdLife International Cambodia Programme

ith funding support from the MacArthur Foundation, the first biodiversity report of Western Siem Pang proposed Protected Forest was published and launched by BirdLife International in Cambodia in August 2012.

This 200-page report covered all key biodiversity elements of Western Siem Pang Important Bird Area (IBA) and it has received many positive responses from readers. BirdLife International Cambodia Programme and the Forestry Administration use this report to advocate for the designation of the site to become a Protected Forest and to date 300 copies of the report have been circulated to all key stakeholders in Cambodia including the Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, donors, conservation communities,

provincial and district governors.

During the recent BirdLife World Congress in Canada, this June this report was also presented to some key representatives from donors, Rare bird club members, ITTO and especially Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan, Honorary President of BirdLife International. It is hoped that this report will help garner more support to conserve this IBA and save it from being converted to an agro-industrial plantation ------Bou Vorsak, Programme Manager, BirdLife International Cambodia Programme

Â

Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan received the Western Siem Pang proposed Protected Forest biodiversity report Photo: BirdLife

46

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Buffalo vaccination at Western Siem Pang

O

n 18 June 2013 BirdLife vaccinated domestic water buffalo at Kek Svay village in Western Siem Pang. This is part of a wider undertaking to control Foot and Mouth Disease and Hemorrhagic Septicemia amongst buffalo in the district. In doing so we hope this will help maintain a large buffalo population in the forest to assist in maintaining ecosystem function at trapeangs - a vital resource for wildlife. By the end of June, buffalo vaccination was completed at six out of seven of our target villages. Only the stock at Kampok village now remains unvaccinated. The total number of buffalo vaccinated by the end of June was 550, plus 80 cows. Ear-tagging also helps BirdLife monitor trapeangs used by buffalo.

------Text and photos Jonathan C. Eames

47

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Drone training at Phnom Tamao Zoo

T

he Forestry Administration has set aside 10 Protection Forests for conservation of forests and wildlife across Cambodia. Each of the Protection Forests requires very large investments in human resources and equipment for protection and monitoring. At the same time, forestry crime has now reached very high levels inside and outside of Protection Forests, and field teams thus require new approaches, tools and technologies to be able to respond effectively to the increasing threats.

Collaboration has begun between government and non-government agencies in Cambodia, and organizations that are developing UAV technology (Researchdrones) and applying the technology for conservation (Conservationdrones). With the support of private donors, this has resulted in the adaptation of a new UAV, the Maja drone, for use in Cambodia.

Two training exercises have now been held to provide field staff with basic skills in the use of UAV technology. This included familiarization with the hardware and software, basic flying skills (launch and land), and an introduction to image post-processing.

A Cambodian UAV group has been formed as a forum for further training and skill development for working with UAVs. The group will receive support from Researchdrones and Conservationdrones.

A second training four day training was held for designated drone operators from the participating organisations at Phnom Tamao Zoo on 25-28 June 2013. At this training we learnt that the Maja UAV is still highly experimental and requires a high level of skill to fly and control it. The trainers only currently hold such levels of skill and in the hands of lesser mortals frequent crashes seem inevitable. The Maja UAV can also only be launched and landed in a large open space; virtually ruling out is use in forested environments ------By Jonathan C. Eames and Tony Lynam (WCS) Photos: J C Eames 48

PROJECT UPDATES

The Babbler 46

Slender-billed Vulture released at Western Siem Pang

A

49

juvenile Slender-billed Vulture taken into care earlier this year in a poor condition and unable to fly, was released at the Western Siem Pang Vulture restaurant on 2 July 2013. This followed rehabilitation of the bird by Nick Marx and his colleagues from Wildlife Alliance and Phnom Tamao Zoo, to whom we are most grateful. Its cage door was opened at the restaurant site once a large flock of vultures, including Slender-billed Vultures were already actively feeding. As soon as the door was opened it ran the 30 m and joined the feeding flock. It was shy and hesitant at first and spent time playing with bones from earlier restaurants or watching the proceedings from a distance under a tree. As the day wore on it seemed to gain confidence and fed more actively, although

it failed to fill its crop. During 2 July it flew to roost in nearby trees and was seen to return to the kill to feed twice. It was observed roosting in trees on the morning of 3 July and seen to fly down to feed. By this second day it seemed more assertive and frequently pecked at other vultures at the kill. Again, though, it seemed not to take much food from the carcass and its crop was not large enough to see. This individual is pictured on the far left. It carries a red darvic ring "AW." ------Text and photo by Jonathan C. Eames

PERSONAL PROFILE

The Babbler 46

Becoming a conservation advocate

L

e Kim Ngan from the Center for Water Resources Conservation and Development (WARECOD) was one of attendees in the recent CEPF Grantees Workshop held in Phnom Penh in March 2013. People were impressed with her character, enthusiasm and liveliness. Below Ngan shares her journey to become an environmentalist.

I've loved to try new things since I was small. I chose Business Administration to study at university and what I learned from this period is not only business but also good English language skills. In 2009, by accident I was aware of WARECOD and

its activities to protect water resources in Vietnam, which inspired me a lot. My application to be a volunteer there was accepted. Initial translation work gave me general ideas of the workings of civil society, environmental laws, dam development threats… which were never taught in our business lectures. And I wanted to explore more.

paper work as a back-up officer, I still have chance to go to the field, working with local people, listening to their needs and feeling their kind love. I treasure my job so much, which brings me the feeling that I’m really contributing something for this country and for these poor people rather than sitting in front of a computer to compute interest rate or revenue. It also helps me learn a lot from different stories, where people living In 2011, while searching for a place to do in harmony with nature, where people my internship, I was asked by WARECOD destroy this centuries-relationship because managers to provide help on a proposal of short-term benefits, where power defines development. One month later, the proposal everything, and where humanitarian needs was accepted, and I was also recruited to space to win the individual benefits. be a full time officer in WARECOD. This was truly beyond my expectation and I promised Thanks to my English and logical thinking myself to do my best in return for such nice skills, I have chances to meet many donors offer. Since then, along with my own hard and to develop proposals in coordination efforts, the organisation directors have been with other colleagues. Bringing actual giving me extremely good chances to learn expectations to reality is not easy but an and to experience things I’ve never known exciting task. This is when I list down what before, including a series of short trainings, I can do for communities, what civil society inside and outside Vietnam, to expand my can respond to global issues such as threats background on environment issues. The from dam construction. Better and better new love with this work made me decide I understand the true meaning of the to be a conservation advocate rather than a statement “Think Global, Act Local”. One business woman. of the most memorable events to me is to participate in the CEPF Grantees Workshop I started my work as a project officer for a in Phnom Penh earlier this year. I have project in the Mekong Delta for two years never met so many environmentalists and until 2012, trying to form a network on conservationists from different countries in climate change in the region. After that I the region, expressing various and useful became a support officer for other projects lessons learned from similar work to mine. where I tried to integrate what I learned Their knowledge and passion created a from trainings such as communication strong motivation and assisted me in better events, climate change and gender into visualising my future career road. specific project activities. Therefore, besides 50

Some friends questioned me why not working for a private business company and the possibility of losing my background, and this is what I said “A lot of business students are doing business now, I want to be an exception. I don’t regret at all for choosing to study business but working for a non governmental organisation on environment protection. These choices really made my life colourful and meaningful -------Source: Le Kim Ngan – WARECOD

GRANTEE PROFILE

T

he Center for Water Resources Conservation and Development (WARECOD) is a Vietnamese nonprofit organization whose goal is to promote the sustainable use of Vietnam’s water resources.

WARECOD was established on September 7, 2006 under the auspices of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association (VUSTA).

Our Vision We consider rivers and water resources to be one of our most precious assets, and we believe that everyone has a responsibility to protect these valuable resources. We envision a world where people are aware of the value of water resources and cooperate together in solidarity to conserve and ensure their equitable and sustainable use.

Our Mission: Our organization’s mission is to protect Vietnam’s water resources, in order to contribute to ensuring the well-being of river ecosystems, sustain biodiversity, and protect the livelihoods of communities that depend on these resources.

The Babbler 46

approach to river protection that • Blends research, project development, empowerment and advocacy, • Works at a river basin scale, • Promotes local participation, and • Links local participation and national advocacy.

• This integrated approach increases the impact of each separate component of our work.

Our Strategy up to 2015

Strategy 1: River Basin Approach Promote an effective river basin approach in a specific river basin.

Strategy 2: Community Demonstration Projects Promote appropriate practices in usage, protection, and restoration of water and aquatic resources, giving priority to vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Strategy 3: Community Empowerment Enhance accountability in water and aquatic resources governance through community empowerment and development of community monitoring systems.

Goal Strategy 4: Advocacy WARECOD’s goal to 2015 is to demonstrate and promote Advocate for improved water legislation, policy the effectiveness of integrated and participatory water implementation, and enforcement using the lessons governance practices, for the benefit of ecosystems, learned and evidence generated from Strategies 1, 2 and community livelihoods, and water use and protection 3. needs. This goal reflects WARECOD’s strengths that allow Strategy 5: Vietnam Rivers Network us to play an important role in linking grassroots action, Continue to manage, coordinate and participate in the capacity-building, and monitoring with improvements in Vietnam Rivers Network, based on VRN’s Strategy and Vietnam’s national water management and protection Action Plan for 2009-2015. systems. In addition, it reflects our belief that we need to work at a river basin level to protect the health of our WARECOD have received two small grants and two large rivers effectively. Finally, it reflects the importance of grants from CEPF to conserve aquatic resources in Gam community engagement and participation in building River, Tuyen Quang province, northern Vietnam as well a sustainable future for Vietnam’s water resources. as raising awareness for local communities in parts of WARECOD’s Goal therefore emphasizes an integrated Mekong river, Vietnam on potential impacts of upstream development activities 51

Hort Sothea After only six months with us Hort Sothea, who was seconded from the Forestry Administration to manage the Western Siem Pang team, decided to move on and has now left the project.

We would like to thank Sothea for his contributions and wish him luck in the future

Tran Thi Thanh Huong After five years of being the Administrative and Communications Officer for CEPF-Regional Implementation Team at BirdLife has decided to move to another conservation organisation. She said she had enjoyed much working with BirdLife and the team in the region and would continue to contribute to conservation career in her new position. We wish her luck in the future too