Securing Livelihoods and Conserving Nature's Resources - WWF

Environmental
Guidelines for
Development
NGOs working in
Ecoregions
Securing Livelihoods
and Conserving
Nature’s Resources
in Lao PDR
May 2006
Andreas Glanznig and Sacha Jellinek
A Joint Project by
Concern Worldwide and
WWF Laos - Greater Mekong Programme

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Design and Layout by
Andrew Dennis & Janet Pontin

Securing Livelihoods and Conserving Nature’s
Resources
Environmental Guide for Development NGOs
Working in Ecoregions
Andreas Glanznig and Sacha Jellinek
A Joint Project by
Concern Worldwide
and
WWF Laos - Greater Mekong Programme

Acknowledgements
Many people provided the views and information that helped shape this guide.
We would like to thank the following people and organisations.
Thank you very much to Jodie Kurpershoek for taking the time and effort to
edit this guide. Thanks also to Chris Ball and Nick Cardwell, who also gave
comments on the content and layout of the guide.
Thank you to Danielle Cole (World Wide Fund for Nature), Phillip Miller (Concern
Worldwide) and Palash Bagchi (Concern Worldwide) for initiating the project.
Thank you to Pauline Gerrard (World Wide Fund for Nature) and Lynne Kennedy
(Concern Worldwide) for providing ideas and comments on the evolving guide.
Thank you also to Thanhnhalin Chaleunsouk (Lin) (World Wide Fund for Nature)
for acting as our interpreter during field visits and for producing the maps
displayed in this document.
Special thanks to Mr Phetdavone Chaleunsouk, who provided the basis for the
project implementation process. Also thanks to Mrs Sothsavanh Sithammavong,
Sikhaiphone Soulinxay, Sonkham Sengvilay, Mr Thinnahorn, Mr Luly, Mr
Siphone and Sand Darathankkauongm from the Concern Worldwide office in
Thapangthong.
We would also like to thank a number of International Non-Government
Organisations (INGOs) and Not For Profit Organisations based in Lao People’s
Democratic Republic for their input. Thanks to Concern Worldwide, Helvetas and
the Lao Extension for Agriculture Project (LEAP), Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS), Global Association for People and the Environment (GAPE), Save the
Children Australia, Canadian University Students Overseas (CUSO), CARE
International, the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), Japanese
International Volunteer Centre (JVC), Community Development and Environment
Association (CDEA), Mennonite Central Community (MCC), Rural Research
& Development Training Centre (RRDTC), Save the Children Norway, German
Agro Action (GAA), Handicap International France (HI) and the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic INGO Network.

About Concern Worldwide
Concern Worldwide is an international development NGO that works in 30 of the
least developed countries in the world. Concern Worldwide is a non-government,
international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering
and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s
poorest countries.
Its mission is to help people living in extreme poverty achieve major
improvements in their lives which last and spread without ongoing support from
Concern Worldwide with an aim to see a world where no-one lives in poverty,
fear or oppression; where all have access to a decent standard of living and the
opportunities and choices essential to a long, healthy and creative life; a world
where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. To achieve this mission,
Concern Worldwide engages in long-term development work, responds to
emergency situations and seeks to address the root causes of poverty through
development education and advocacy work.
To this end, Concern Worldwide works with the poorest communities and also
with local and international partners who share their vision to build just and
peaceful societies where the poorest can exercise their fundamental rights.
About World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is the world’s largest and most experienced
independent conservation organisation. It has more than five million supporters
and a global network active in more than 100 countries. Its mission is to protect
the diversity of life on Earth.
The WWF Laos Program has been active in Lao PDR for more than 10 years
and recognises that a key part of poverty alleviation is to maintain food security
and environmental health by sustaining the country’s diverse natural resources.
WWF’s goal recognises the strong links between poverty and environmental
degradation and focuses on the central role of equitable access and benefit
sharing of natural resource management in improving quality of life. WWF
recognizes that Lao PDR is a country of global biodiversity significance and that
its biodiversity resources are of national, social and economic importance.
WWF Laos is a part of the WWF Greater Mekong Program, which envisages
a future in which the function of natural ecosystems is maintained by people
whose daily actions support biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of
renewable natural resources in the Greater Mekong region.

Chapter Themes Discussed Audience
1 Introduction
(Page. 1)
2 Poverty and the
Environment
(Page. 9)
3 Integrating
Conservation and
Development
(Page. 17)
4 Implementing
Programs at the
Country Level
(Page. 25)
5 Implementing
Programs at the
Project Level
(Page. 33)
6 Environmental Risk
Screening and
Mitigation
(Page. 53)
7 Monitoring for
Environmental
Change
(Page. 99)
8 Creating an
Eco-Office
(Page. 117)
9 Benchmarking and
Measuring NGO
Progress
(Page. 125)
Purpose of the Environmental
Guide. Who should use this
guide and how.
The link between poverty
and the environment. The
contribution of environmental
degradation to the poverty
cycle.
Why it is important to combine
conservation and development
activities and the root causes
of natural resource loss.
The steps to implementing
conservation into your
activities at the country level.
The steps of project
implementation.
Used to assess the potential
environmental risks posed by
projects and ways to mitigate
these.
How field staff and villages
can help monitor project sites
for environmental change.
How to make your office more
environmentally sustainable.
Determine how successful
your project has been.
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers, Field Staff
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers, Field
Staff
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers
Country Program
Managers
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers, Field
Staff
Field Staff
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers, Field Staff
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers , Field
Staff
Country Program
Managers, Project
Managers

Guidelines Flow Chart
6
Environmental
Risk Screening
and Mitigation
9
Benchmarking and
Measuring NGO
Progress
5
Implementing
Programs at the
Project Level
4
Implementing
Programs at the
Country Level
3
Integrating
Conservation
and
Development
2
Poverty and the
Environment
1
Introduction
8
Creating an
Eco-Office
7
Monitoring for
Environmental
Change

Introduction
“ In rural communities across the
globe, the natural environment is
relied upon to provide people with
resources needed in everyday life
“

1
2
Introduction
In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LAO PDR), and
rural communities across the globe, the natural environment
is relied upon to provide people with resources needed
in everyday life. These guidelines are intended as a tool
specifically aimed at non-government organisations (NGOs)
working in development to build environmental awareness
into their everyday business and project management.
This in turn will assist in reaching the goal of alleviating
poverty in the long term through environmental and cultural
sustainability.
This guide provides a practical guide on
how to secure livelihoods AND conserve
environmental resources. It explains how to
effectively identify potential environmental
risks and benefits of projects before and
during implementation. The guide gives a
framework and step-by-step process to follow
when designing new projects and improving
environmental management in existing projects.
The guide is also designed for field staff to
use and will help them identify environmental
problems at project sites and monitor for
environmental changes.
Introduction
Communities in Lao
PDR, such as this village
in Xekong, rely heavily
on the resources around
them to survive.

Article: “ Statements made by the Vice
President of the Science, Technology and
Environment Agency STEA. Mr Noulinh
Sinbandhit”
Mr Noulinh Sinbandhit highlights the importance of
environmental protection in Lao PDR in regards to
the work of NGOs and other development agencies
involved in the development of the country:
“As countries develop in the rush towards
industrialisation natural resources and the
environment are often neglected and in some
cases destroyed….When development causes the
destruction of natural resources, this necessitates
considerable expenditure in order to restore them.
In addition, the quality of water, soil and air is often
reduced…”
“As we step into the new millennium, modern
technology is employed to move countries towards
industrialisation and greater development, but that in
turn has a detrimental effect on the environment….
All forms of economic development, especially in
the fields of hydropower, mining and public health
must operate within the framework of environmental
protection…”
Source: Vientiane Times (31 st August 2006).
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4
How to Use this Guide
Country Program Managers
Country Program Managers will find this guide
useful to fully understanding the links between
poverty and the environment (Chapter 2) and
how to integrate conservation and development
activities (Chapter 3). Country Program
Managers will also find this guide useful to
implement Lao PDR government legislation,
important areas for biodiversity conservation
and Strategic Environmental Assessments into
their country programs (Chapter 4).
1 Emerton, L. Making the economic links between biodiversity and poverty
reduction. The case of the Lao PDR. IUCN.
Introduction
Benefits of Conservation
The guide presents a number of case studies that
highlight the benefits gained from conservation
and natural resource management. Benefits of
implementing programs and projects that seek
to conserve the environment and reduce poverty
include: increases in the harvest of forest products
as a result of forest protection; increases in fisheries
catches through the protection of deep pools and
seasonal streams, and clean water; and increased
hygiene through the protection of upland forest
areas in watersheds. These types of environmental
benefits are broad and far reaching, affecting local
villages and the country as a whole. In economic
terms, biodiversity in Lao PDR contributes to three
quarters of the per capita GDP, more than 90% of
the employment, almost 60% of exports and foreign
exchange earning, just under a third of government
revenues and nearly half of foreign direct investment
inflows (Emerton 2005 1 ).

Project Managers
While Project Managers should understand
the first chapters of this guide, Implementing
Programs at the Project Level (Chapter 5) has
been designed as a “how to” guide to design
and implement environmentally friendly projects.
Chapter 7 provides worksheets that have been
designed to be photocopied as A4 and filled
out by Project Managers and Field Staff. The
Environmental Risk Screening and Mitigation
chapter (Chapter 6) is integral to project design
and should to be used alongside Chapter 5.
Chapter 6 should be used to provide information
on the risks, benefits and possible responses
that can be delivered through project activities.
The suggested overall message should be that
the degradation or loss of those environments
that are a source of non-timber forest products
(NTFP) and other natural resources will directly
affect the livelihood security of the poorest
people in the village, often those without land.
Monitoring for Environmental Change (Chapter
7) and Creating an Eco-Office (Chapter 8)
also feeds into Implementing Programs at the
Project Level (Chapter 5).
Field Staff
Field Staff are the most important component
in project implementation and management as
it is their role to manage and monitor projects
in the field. While they should be a part of the
project design stage (Chapter 5), they will also
be responsible for Monitoring for Environmental
Change (Chapter 7) in their project.
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6
The capacity of field staff needs to be built to
enable them to identify environmental changes
and how these may impact livelihood security,
and also environmental opportunities that
may better secure important areas. Appendix
1 outlines ways field staff can be trained to
better integrate conservation into development
activities.
The Creating an Eco-Office (Chapter 8)
section should be used by all of the above
audiences to make their offices (not only
their projects) environmentally sustainable.
Likewise, Benchmarking and Measuring NGO
Progress (Chapter 9) should be used by all of
the above audiences to determine the success
of the NGO to integrate environmental and
conservation objectives, both at a country and
project level.
Introduction
While the guide is tailored to NGOs working in
Lao PDR, and issues affecting the country’s
environment, its scope is comprehensive
enough so it can be used in other countries
where Concern Worldwide and other NGOs are
active.

That Luang Marsh
Case Study 1
That Luang
Marsh and the
reliance
of the urban
poor on wetland
resources
As the capital of Lao PDR, Vientiane continues
to expand there is less room for household
gardens and small scale livestock production.
In response to this, local people are becoming
more reliant on the natural resources found at
That Luang Marsh for subsistence and income
generation. That Luang Marsh is especially
important to the livelihoods/subsistence of the
urban poor.
The goods and services associated with That
Luang Marsh are worth just under $5 million
per annum to people living around the marsh
and in Vientiane City. The degradation and
subsequent loss of wetland resources through
urban development would have large financial
and lifestyle implications for local communities.
The poorest and most vulnerable sectors of
Vientiane’s urban population, who rely most
on the goods gathered from the wetland, will
be the most severely affected.
Source: WWF Laos
Environmental Guidelines
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Poverty
and the
Environment:
Making the Link
increases environmental
degradation which often leads
to an increase in poverty.
This in turn results in further
environmental degradation. This
is the cycle that links poverty
and the environment.
““ Poverty

2
10
Poverty and the Environment:
Making the Link
This section explains the strong link between poverty
and the environment. Poverty increases environmental
degradation which often leads to an increase in poverty. This
in turn results in further environmental degradation. This is
the cycle that links poverty and the environment.
Poverty and the Environment
Nearly four in 10 Lao people live below the poverty
line 2 . While the links between poverty and the
environment are complex, the poor are the most
severely affected when the environment is degraded
and access to natural resources is reduced. Natural
resources play a very important role in village
livelihoods, both in terms of nutritional needs and
by filling a critical gap during rice shortages or
livestock loss. Plants and animals gathered from
the natural environment make up a wide range of
products commonly used and sold in village homes,
Poverty and the Environment
Natural resources are those products which are part
of the natural (or unmodified) environment, such as
plants and animals and the habitats they require to
survive. Communities and individuals can use natural
resources to make things or they can sell them to
make money. Natural resources also relates to timber
and non-timber forest products (NTFPs)
2 The World Bank Group 2004, [Web:http://devdata.worldbank.org/AAG/lao_aag.pdf]

Figure 1: Cascade diagram: environmental degradation leads to increased poverty
Overuse of
forest resources
Forest
degradation
Less resources for
local livelihoods
More pressure on
existing resources
More work for local
communities for less
food resources
Increasing
habitat/resource
degradation
Increasing
poverty
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Including food, traditional medicine, livestock
fodder and materials for house construction
and handicrafts. Rural Villagers consistently
rank these products as the most important
forest resources. Also, wild meat and fish are
a vital source of protein in most rural people’s
lives . Given this dependence on the natural
environment, the loss of natural resources
could have a negative impact on individual and
community health, as well as increase poverty.
As Figure 1 illustrates, a reduction in natural
resource availability results in both increased
resource use and poverty.
Case Study 2
Wild Frogs in
Salavanh
Province
Frogs are a very important
food source for some
villages
In southern Lao PDR, frogs and fish are the
most valuable NTFP as they are the most
important source of protein in local people’s
diets. A project in Salavanh Province looked
at ways to manage frog populations to
reduce over-exploitation and thus maintain
food security. It found that by prohibiting
the harvest of frogs in two protected areas
during May to November stopping destructive
harvesting methods (e.g., spot lighting, hooks,
nets, scoop/funnel baskets, etc), restricting
harvesting to village residents only, and the
use of fines for those who broke the rules
frog numbers for harvesting remained
sustainable. The project also found that habitat
within the protected area, such as vegetated
stream banks, forest undergrowth and shrubs
provided shade and retreats for maturing
frogs. The use of fertilisers may also have had
a negative impact on the survival of some frog
species, especially at the tadpole stage.
Source: NAFRI (2000)
Rattan shoots are a very
important non-timber
forest product (NTFP)
for local communities
as it provides a building
material, subsistence
food sources and an
item they can sell

Figure 2: The poverty cycle
Health and
environment
decline
Short-term
resource
exploitation
The Poverty Cycle
In poor communities, poverty and environmental
degradation can develop into a worsening cycle,
as Figure 2 shows. It is important to realise
that people who live in poverty often do not
have access to adequate health services and
education. As a result, they have little power
to influence decisions outside their everyday
lives, and must focus on surviving from day to
day. They often do not have the capacity (time,
money, support, knowledge and/or skills) for
long term planning.
3 Dechaineux, R. 2000. Community Experiments with Sustainable Management of Wild Frogs Salavanh
Province, Lao PDR. NAFRI.
Poverty
Poverty Cycle
Forces
short-term
perspectives
Denies health and
education
Day to day
survival
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Projects that focus on conserving and managing
natural resources will also reduce the level
of poverty in the surrounding villages. There
are five key ways to ensure that conservation
and management of the natural environment
contributes to poverty reduction:
1 Support and advocate reliable and fair
environmental management
2 Ensure access to safe and clean water
and promote sanitation
3 Minimise waste and pollution and use of
toxic chemicals
4 Reduce the effects of natural disasters,
for example by maintaining trees on
steep slopes to reduce flooding, and
reduce resource-based conflicts
5 Reduce the effects of climate change by,
for example, protecting many different
environments and linking them together
via wildlife corridors to allow animal and
plant movement 4 .
4 World Bank. 2002. Linking Poverty Reduction and Environmental Management:
Policy Challenges and Opportunities. World Bank, Washington DC.

Case Study 3
The Xekong
Sustainable
Forestry
Project
(XEFOR)
Xekong Dry Forest
1 WWF Laos. 2005. The Xekong Sustainable Forestry Project. Factsheet
The XEFOR project in Xekong province
is piloting sustainable forestry practices
for livelihood improvement, integrated
watershed management and biodiversity
conservation. This project aims to
protect and maintain native forests whilst
improving local livelihoods by introducing
a production forestry system that ensures
local participation and equal distribution
of benefits. Sustainable forestry is
defined as being socially responsible,
ecologically sound and economically
viable. The project is working with district
and provincial agencies to improve
forestry operations through forestry
training and management planning. The
project is also working with villagers
to recognise indigenous management
systems and community rights in both
village forests and state production areas.
Most importantly, villagers taking part
in this project take a share of the profits
from timber sales, thus providing income
for village development.
Source: WWF Laos 1
Examples of the links between poverty and
the environment, and possible responses, are
outlined in Appendix 2.
Environmental Guidelines
15

Integrating
Conservation
and
Development
community
development,
securing livelihoods
““In
and conserving the
environment are two
sides of the same
natural resources coin.

3
18
Tools for Conservation in
Development
Conservation of natural resources is very important
for sustaining the poorest communities. In community
development, securing livelihoods and conserving the
environment are two sides of the same natural resources
coin. In many cases, the same social and economic forces
that cause increased poverty also cause environmental
damage and loss. As such, it makes sense to encourage
better integration of poverty alleviation and conservation
of natural resources at the program and project planning
level. This includes increased sharing of overall planning
approaches and information between conservation NGOs
and development NGOs, as shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Planning approaches to conservation and development projects
Target
Desired Condition
Role of Humans
Principle Activities
Examples
Source: Adapted from Robinson and Redford (2004) 7
Conservation Projects
with Development
(CPD)s
Plant and animal species,
ecosystems
Viable plant and animal
populations and areas
Threat
Protection; restoration; threat
alleviation; stakeholder
education
WWF Human Elephant
Conflict Project, WWF
Community Fisheries Project
(Comfish), WCS and Center
for International Tropical
Agriculture (CIAT) Tiger and
Livestock Project
Development Projects
with Conservation
(DPC)
Local people and
communities
Socio-economic
development; equitable
social conditions
Target
Enterprise
development;
institution building;
improving livelihoods;
empowerment
Concern Worldwide
Thapangthong Rural
Development Program,
Concern Worldwide
Bokeo Integrated Rural
Development Project
Integrated Conservation Development (ICD) provides a framework
for addressing both environmental conservation and socio-economic
development interests at the local, regional, national and international
level (CARE, WWF and UNDP 8 ). The development of ICD has
progressed through three stages:
1 Focus on reducing environmental impacts and using resources other
than natural ones,
2 Focus on community involvement in management and use of natural
resources (e.g. timber or NTFPs), and
3 Focus planning at a national and international level.
7 Robinson, J.G. and Redford, K.H. 2004. Jack of all trades, master of none: inherent contradictions among
ICD approaches. . In: T. O. McShane and M.P. Wells (eds.). Getting Biodiversity Projects to Work: Towards
More Effective Conservation and Development. Columbia University Press, New York. page.26.
8 Franks, P., and Blomley, T. 2004. Fitting ICD into a project framework: A CARE Perspective. In: T. O.
McShane and M.P. Wells (eds.). Getting Biodiversity Projects to Work: Towards More Effective Conservation
and Development. Columbia University Press, New York. page.82
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Case Study 4
Integrated
conservation
and
development in
NTFP
management
Local communities can
help regulate how, when
and where fish are caught
to maintain catches for the
future
The IUCN Non-Timber Forest Products
(IUCN-NTFP) Project started in the
mid-1990s to develop ways to enhance
conservation outcomes through
development activities. They found
that links between development and
conservation improved outcomes and
supported the development of village
based conservation and development
activities. The IUCN-NTFP Project found
that by providing rice banks there was
less pressure on forest resources in times
of rice shortages, as villages no longer
went into debt by borrowing rice and thus
did not have to resort to illegal logging
and hunting to pay back the debt by
implementing simple regulations on frog
and fish harvesting. Villages noticed a large
increase in catch rates the next year by
establishing a NTFP marketing group for
bitter bamboo shoots. As a result, there
was a four-fold increase in the income of
resource users. This led to the community
taking a greater interest in monitoring and
managing their bamboo resources. By
providing small scale irrigation structures,
villages were able to get two crops per year
from paddy rice which reduced pressure on
upland areas used for shifting cultivation.
Source: IUCN (2002) 9
9 Nurse M. & Soydara V. 2002. Conservation and Development: Finding the Linkages. Lessons learned in
collaborative management for the sustainable use of non-timber forest products in Lao PDR. IUCN.

ICD projects should aim to achieve
environmental and social sustainability, but
development projects cannot succeed in this
goal without recognising the fundamental
causes of natural resource loss and poverty.
These causes must be factored into project
design and implementation. One way to ensure
this is done is to use a planning tool called
“Root Cause Analysis’”.
Case Study 5
Wildlife
conservation
and
village participation
Eld’s deer
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
is running a project in Savannakhet
Province to help protect the Eld’s Deer and
assist villagers in village development. In
response to the need to conserve the Eld’s
Deer, local communities in the area have
developed a Provincial Level Protected
Area, called the Eld’s Deer Sanctuary. The
project compensates villages for their help
with survey activities and protected area
patrolling, as they have found that villages
provide valuable data on the Eld’s Deer.
Source: WCS (2006)
Recommended Reading
To further understand the issues and
challenges surrounding ICD projects, we
recommend you read Getting Biodiversity
Projects to Work: Towards More Effective
Conservation and Development. See the
Resources chapter 10.
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Unrestricted logging
and clearing can cause
flooding and the loss of
agricultural and natural
resources
Determining the Root Cause of Natural
Resource Loss
A critical step in the development process is learning from past mistakes
so they are not repeated in the future. Root Cause Analysis determines
what, how and why something happened and provides a tool to prevent
it from happening again. In development, Root Cause Analysis can
determine the social, economic and political drivers behind the direct
threats to natural resource and environmental degradation. This
approach has much to offer, given that these drivers are similar to those
which effectively increase poverty and can weaken development NGO
efforts to improve community livelihoods. A summary diagram of the Root
Cause Analysis is shown opposite (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Root Cause Analysis
Environmental
Priority
Direct
Threats
Root
Causes
Forest
Pollution
Lack of environmental policy/regulations
Growing populations
Healthy
Freshwater
Habitat loss
Demand for cash/resources
Environment
Lack of understanding about sustainable
Species
Overharvesting
resource management
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23

Implementing
Programs at the
Country Level
“
“How environmental
considerations can be built
into country programs.

4
26
Developing Programs at
a Country Level
The country program level considers how the presence of
an NGO within Lao PDR can influence the environment.
This chapter outlines how environmental considerations can
be built in at country program level and suggests ways to
ensure negative environmental impact is minimal.
Developing Programs at the Country Level
To ensure environmental factors are built into programs and projects it is
important to follow this 3 step process:
Step 1: Align country programs with the of Lao PDR government’s
sustainable development policies
Step 2: Identify the relationships between country program priority
areas and biodiversity priority areas
Step 3: Undertake program and project level strategic environmental
assessments
Step 1: Align country programs with the Lao
PDR government’s sustainable development
policies
At a country level it is essential that programs are consistent with Lao
PDR’s four key sustainable development policies. If programs are
consistent with government policies, then it will be easier for NGOs to
gain government support. These four policies are:
1 National Social Economic Development Plan (National
Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy (NGPES) and the
Draft National Socio Economic Development Plan
(2006-2010))
2 National Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and Action Plan to

2010 (NBSAP)
3 National Forestry Strategy to 2020.
4 Lao PDR Government ‘Decree on the Implementation of the
Environmental Protection Law, 2002’
The following text boxes provide brief overviews of the four sustainable
development policies that should guide development of any program or
project. For more information on where to find details of these please
refer to Appendix 3.
1 NGPES and the Draft National Socio Economic Development
Plan (2006-2010)
The NGPES and the National Socio-Economic Development Plan are the Lao
PDR government’s strategic action plan for achieving their goal of exiting the
group of least developed countries by the year 2020. The strategic action plan
identifies four priority sectors for investment over the short and medium term.
These four sectors are:
1 Agriculture and Forestry,
2 Education,
3 Health and Transport and
4 Communications.
In addition, the following development strategies are outlined: 1) acceleration
towards a market economy; 2) economic growth of the agricultural, industrial
and service sectors; 3) development and improvement of the regional economic
structures; 4) rural development; 5) expansion of economic cooperation and the
promotion of foreign investment; and 6) consideration of natural environmental
harmonization.
The major focus of the Strategic Action Plan is regional development and the
eradication of poverty.
In relation to agriculture and forestry, the main priorities are: more analysis
on land use zoning and resource allocation; governance, capacity building,
research and extension; animal health (vaccination), small irrigation schemes
and small animal raising and fish ponds and access to markets and production
inputs.
NGOs that align their programs and projects with the strategic action plan will be
more effective in working on development projects in Lao PDR.
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2 National Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and Action Plan to
2010 (NBSAP)
The NBSAP and the Biodiversity Country Report (2004) set out the
government’s policy roadmap to maintain the Lao PDR’s unique biodiversity as
a key to poverty alleviation, and securing assets for the poor.
The main objectives outlined in these documents are to:
• Identify important biological diversity components and
improve the knowledge base
• Manage regional biodiversity, using natural
boundaries to facilitate the integration of conservation and
utilisation oriented management
• Plan and implement a biodiversity-specific human resource
management program
• Increase public awareness of, and encourage participation in,
sustainable management of the environment
• Adjust national legislation and regulations and bring them into
line with Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)
• Secure the NBSAP’s implementation
• Promote international cooperation
The NBSAP also states co-operation with NGOs in biodiversity conservation
should be continued (Biodiversity Action Plan to 2010, Program 7, Objective 1).
3 National Forestry Strategy to 2020
The National Forestry Strategy (2005) presents a range of policies, programs
and actions for the sustainable development and management of the forestry
sector. The National Forest Strategy aims to:
• maintain healthy and extensive forest cover as a major part of rural
livelihood support systems, including constant water supplies and the
prevention of natural disasters
• provide a sustainable flow of forest products for domestic use and to
generate household income through their sale and export, thus
helping the country’s economy and increasing employment, and
• maintain the many species and unique habitats that are threatened
both within Lao PDR and elsewhere.

4 Lao PDR government ‘Decree on the Implementation of the
Environmental Protection Law, 2002’
NGOs are required by law to have an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
completed by a registered company before any of their projects begin. The EIA
should include methods for protecting social and natural environments and ways
to mitigate possible negative impacts.
NGO programs and projects that do cause damage to the environment are
required to mitigate the environmental impacts and restore the environment.
Step 2: Identify the
relationships between Country
Program Priority Areas and
Biodiversity Priority Areas
In addition to National Strategies, there are
many important areas for biodiversity that have
been officially identified within the country.
Two of the key biodiversity assessments that
need to be considered are:
1 WWF’s Global Priority Ecoregions in Lao
PDR (Appendix 4) and
2 Lao PDR network of National Protected
Areas (Appendix 5).
These documents will help to identify the
natural resources likely to be present in
program/project areas.
There are many other important areas in
Lao PDR that are not covered by the above
two classifications. Therefore, it is important
to also identify any other natural resource
considerations, e.g. Important Bird Areas
(Appendix 5).
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Step 3: Undertake program
and project level Strategic
Environmental Assessments
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
involves assessing broad environmental issues
to improve understanding of and plan for
environmental threats and impacts. It can also
help to identify environment-poverty links at the
program and project level.
An SEA should be undertaken as early as
possible as it is a very important part of any
poverty analysis. There are five stages for
SEA, which are briefly explained in Appendix
6. These steps are only an outline of what an
SEA goes through. While undertaking an SEA
is a useful planning tool, the process may be
limited by resource, capacity and information
constraints. Appendix 6 provides more
information on where to find instruction and
advice on the SEA process.

Step 4: Making your office
more environmentally sound.
Having an environmentally sound office means
an effort is made by all staff to reduce resource
use including electricity, paper, fuel and office
waste as well as recycle what is used. This can
also induce a flow-on effect when employees
take these concepts and apply them at home.
Refer to Chapter 8 on Creating an Eco-office
for ways to improve your office.
Eg: Use compact fluorescent globes in the
office, use motorbikes rather than cars to visit
sites, catch a bus to the head office rather than
drive
Environmental Guidelines
31

Implementing
Programs
at the Project
Level
“How to factor environmental
considerations into the project
development and implementation

5
34
Implementing Programs
at the Project Level
After implementing programs at the country level to meet
conservation and development objectives, it is important to
look more specifically at the potential environmental impacts
of each project within the program. This chapter focuses
on how to factor environmental considerations into the
project development and implementation. It also provides
a step-by-step guide to an “adaptive management” project
cycle, highlighting the importance of project monitoring in
achieving program and project objectives.
The project cycle is a part of adaptive
management which combines project design,
management, and monitoring to provide a
structure for testing assumptions, adaptation
and learning.
The project cycle shown in Figure 4 explains
the steps involved in developing and
implementing a project and monitoring plan and
analysing the results. The diagram contains
steps, which represent different stages in the
project cycle. These steps are part of a process
that involves repeatedly going through these
series of steps.
Concern Worldwide’s
Thapangthong Rural
Development Program
Office

Questions have been adapted from the
project cycle so project managers and field
staff can easily design projects that include
environmental considerations. At every stage
of the project cycle, project managers and
field staff should reflect on how their projects
may impact the surrounding environment. In
the example below the project is looking at
providing clean water for villages to improve
health, which would come under the health
project sector. However, the natural resource
used for this project is water, so the water
sector should also be taken into consideration.
To get the water from the wetland, where it is
being sourced, will also require infrastructure
such as pipes and pumps.
A blank project cycle form can be
photocopied from Appendix 7.
Recommended Reading
If you are designing a rural development project it
is strongly recommended that you read Measures
of Success: Designing, Managing and Monitoring
Conservation and Development Projects. It contains
planning tools and processes, and then shows how
these can be applied through ICD project plans for
four different vegetation type scenarios: tropical
forests, savannahs, coasts and wetlands. See the
Resources chapter, page 32. The project cycle in this
guide is based on this resource
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Figure 4: The Project Cycle
Source: Adapted from Measures of Success (1998)
D
Implement Management
and Monitoring Plans
E
Analyse Data and
Communicate Results
C
Develop
Monitoring Plan
The Project Cycle
START
Clarify Group's
Mission
B
Develop Management Plan:
Goals, Objectives, Activities
A
Design Conceptual Model
Based on Local Site Conditions
ITERATE
Use Results to
Adapt and Learn

Step 1: Clarify your Group’s Mission
This step helps define your groups mission and find common ground
with your project partners.
1 A: What does your project aim to achieve over the long term?
Eg: Improved community health in Phine district
1 B: How do you hope to achieve this?
Eg: Education on health issues
Ensure access to clean water
1 C: What project sector will your project be involved
X
X
X
X
Water
Infrastructure
Health
Education
Emergency Aid
Tourism
Other
Agriculture and Natural
Resource Management
• Livestock
• Plant and Crop
• Non-timber Forest
Production (NTFP)
• Aquaculture and
Fisheries
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1 D: Who will be your project partners?
Milestones Indicators
Government Agency:
Department of Health, Department of Education, Women’s
Union
Provincial and District Offices:
Phine District, Savannakhet Provincial Government
Departments.
Village Names:
Ban …..
Ban …..
Community Leaders:
Mr Champeng (Ban ….)
Mr Somphone (Ban ….)
Donor/s:
Food For Work
World Food Program (WFP)
NGO/s:
Other:
Step 2: Design a Conceptual Model Based on
Local Site Conditions
A conceptual model is a diagram (Figure 5) that helps people initiating
a project to visualise all the factors they have identified as leading to,
or impacting, the desired outcomes of the project and how they relate
to each other. This should happen early in the project design stage.
The following questions will assist in gaining information to create your
conceptual model.
2 A: What existing information do you have about your project site?
(This question assists with the review and compilation of existing
information regarding your project site.)
Past activity reports, phase one final evaluation, information
about poverty from government, health information,
education information, natural resources information.
Be
le
2

nchmark
vel
3
2 B: Draw the set of relationships between factors which impact or lead
to your project outcome.
(This question assists in developing an initial conceptual model of your
project site including:
• Identifying desired outcomes
• Identifying and listing factors that influence desired outcomes
• Arranging factors and desired outcomes in diagram format
• Reviewing and expanding your conceptual model.)
Figure 5: Conceptual Model
Lack of
education
Lack of
agricultural
land
Lack of
logging
regulations
Unexploded
ordinance
No money or
capacity to
build
infrastructre
Logging in
nearby
upland
area
No wells or
clean water
sources
High
sediment in
neighboring
stream
Access to
clean water
Healthy
village
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2 C: What do government officials and local communities regard as
threats and opportunities in your project area?
(This question helps you assess local site conditions to refine and
improve your initial conceptual model. To answer this questions consult
with villages and partners regarding:
• Potential threats to your project
• Discussion of their problems and needs
• And opportunities for your project.
Threats – Lack of clean drinking water, lack of infrastructure,
villagers having little knowledge of sanitation.
Opportunities – Another NGO in the area doing similar work,
local health officer able to undertake training, enthusiastic
village leaders, able to discuss with local village elders.
2 D: Are there any Biodiversity Priority Areas in or around your project
site?
(Refer to Appendix 4 and 5. Please contact WWF, WCS or ICUN for more
information on your area)
Dong Phou Vieng National Protected Area
Greater Annamites Ecoregion and Lower Mekong Dry Forest
Ecoregion.

Step 3: Develop a Project Management Plan
• Develop project goals. Project goals are
based on your answer to Step 1A and is a
more specific statement of what your
project should achieve.
• Develop project objectives for each project
goal. Objectives are like ‘miniature goals’
and are the separate parts of the project
which together support the overall goals.
• Develop project activities for each project
objective.
• Determine what Project Sector (Step
1C) each project activity is related to
and what the Environmental Risk
(Chapter 6) of each activity will be.
• Using the “Steps to determine the
projects risk level” table in Step 3C,
identify the activities Risk Level.
• Identify ways to Mitigate this risk
(Chapter 6).
Figure 6: Project Management Model
Project Goal
Objective 1 Objective 2
Objective 3
Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 1 Activity 2
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3 A: What is your project’s long-term goal?
Project goals are based on your answer to Step 1 A and is a
specific statement of what your project would like to achieve.
Improve community health through access to clean water in
all villages in the Phine District.
3 B: What are your project’s specific objectives?
Develop project objectives for the project goal. Objectives are
like “miniature goals” which together support the overall
goal. Refer to diagram (Figure 6) above.
Establish year-round access to water fit for drinking in each
village by 2008.
Train and establish 30 community-based health and hygiene
advocates by 2008.
3 C: Using the table opposite identify the activities to be carried out to
achieve the objectives. Write these in the sector activities column in the
table opposite.
3 D(1): From your answers in Step 1C, determine which project sector
is related to each activity. Add this to the project sector column in the
table opposite.
3 D(2): Determine the environmental risk level. Using the list in Chapter
6, identify environmental risks associated with your activities .Add this to
the environmental risk column of your table. The mitigations measures
can be dealt with later.

C Table 2. Identifying environmental risk and mitigation options for project activities.
Success
Mitigation Measures
(based on Chapter 6)
Risk
Priority
Risk
Level
Likeli
- hood
Level
Maximum
Impact
Level
Sector Activities Project Sector Environmental Risk
(based on Chapter 6)
Yes
Where infrastructure
is put in, such as
small buildings,
villagers will be
responsible for
construction.
Solar power will be
used
Low
Not serious:
Acceptable
with
mitigation
measures
C
3
Q A: Yes, some
villages in the
Dong Phou Vieng
NPA, which is
a part of the
Indochinese Dry
Forest Ecoregion
Project Designs
Yes
Use self-closing
hydrants and taps
and use low pressure
distribution systems
to conserve water
Medium
Serious:
B
2
Q B: Yes, water
pumped from
wetland may be
considerable
Water & Health
No
Use alternative
water sources by
collecting rainwater
in tanks
To establish
year-round
access to waters
we will pump
water from the
nearby wetland
and then filter
it to be suitable
for drinking.
Q........
Infrastructure
To.......
Environmental Guidelines
Note: If your Risk Level is Serious or higher, you must implement mitigation measures to lower your impact. If mitigation cannot be done, look at changing your activities.
Note: Ensure all of the Risks stated above relate to your Project Activities
43

44
3 D(3): Using the maximum impact table below, consider the potential
environmental risk for each activity. Add this to the maximum impact
column in your table.
Maximum Impact Table: Consider the worst case foreseeable environmental
impact following the risk
Level Descriptor Example Description
1
2
3
4
3
Severe
Moderate
Minor
Insignificant
Level Descriptor Example Description
A
B
C
D
Almost Certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
• Irreversible change (e.g. release of new invasive
species).
• Large scale degradation to local and surrounding
environment.
• Moderate to high environmental impact, with lasting
change to surrounding habitats and species.
• Low levels of environmental impact in the project
sites and areas surrounding it.
• No negative environmental impact
3 D(4): Using the Likelihood table below, determine the likelihood
of the Worst case scenario occurring for each activity. Add this to the
likelihood level column in your table.
Likelihood Table: Consider how likely it is that the worst case scenario
foreseeable will be realised
• Is expected to occur as part of the process in most
circumstances
• Common
• Will probably occur routinely
• Has happened
• May happen at some time but not normally
anticipated
• May happen in exceptional circumstances

3 D(5): Using the scores from the maximum impact Column and the
likelihood level column in your table, determine the corresponding
level of risk using the level of risk table below.
For example, if your activity was going to have a moderate impact (level
2) and was likely to happen (level B), then your level of risk would be
serious. Add this to the risk level column in your table.
Level of Risk Table: Apply the risk ranking to the hazard found where the
likelihood and consequences meet
A
B
C
D
Likelihood
Almost Certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
1.Severe 2.Moderate
Extremely Serious
Extremely Serious
Very Serious
Serious
Very Serious
Serious
Not Serious
Not Serious
3.Minor 4.Insignificant
Serious
Not Serious
Not Serious
None
Serious
Not Serious
Not Serious
None
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3 D(6): Using the risk priority table below, determine if the risk is
acceptable or not and add this to the risk priority column in your table.
Risk Priority Table: Apply the risk ranking to the hazard found where the
likelihood and consequences meet
Risk Ranking Category Priority
Extremely Serious
Very Serious
Serious
Not Serious
None
Unacceptable
Unacceptable
Undesirable
Acceptable
with mitigation
measures
Acceptable as is
Very High - Project manager ensures that
project is redesigned to reduce level of risk to an
acceptable level.
High - Project manager ensures that project is
redesigned to reduce level of risk to an acceptable
level.
Medium - Project manager ensures that mitigation
measures are taken, project design team has
an environmental expert appointed. Project
design team may undertake an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) and develop a project
environment management plan.
Low - Project manager ensures project design
team reassesses potential environmental impacts
and mitigates for them.
None - No further action is needed. Project
manager ensures monitoring for unexpected
environmental impacts is built into project
monitoring and evaluation process.
3 D(7): Determine the mitigation measures for the environmental
risk. Using the list in Chapter 6, identify mitigation measures that will
eliminate or minimise the environmental risks associated with your
activities. Add this to the mitigation measures column of your table.

Step 4: Develop a Project Monitoring Plan
(Refer to Chapter 7 “Monitoring for Environmental Change”)
This is an outline of the steps you will take in order to ensure the project
is on track. This step should focus on the performance of the different
elements of the project. However, for this publication, we will focus on
monitoring the environmental impacts of the project.
4 A: What groups will be interested in the results of your project and
what information do they require?
Government officials (District, Provincial, National) –
effectiveness of rainwater tanks for collecting water
Donors – number of villages supplied with clean water
Other NGO’s working in a similar field.
4 B: What monitoring strategies will you use?
Field diary method – Field staff to record in a diary their
observations each time they go in the field.
Village group discussions – meet with villagers every three
months to discuss our project. Design questions to find out if
there have been any environmental changes, especially in
relation to wetland resources.
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Step 5: Implement Project Management and
Monitoring Plans
• Implement your management plan
• Implement your monitoring plan
• Implement way to make your office more environmentally sound
5 A: When will you start and finish your management plan?
February 2007 to February 2009
5 B: When will you start and finish your monitoring plan?
January 2007 (to see what the area is like before the project
starts) to February 2009
5 C: How often will you analyse your data (project outcomes and
monitoring results) and communicate your results?
Data analysis and communication of results to villagers,
government officials and head office every three months (May
2007, August 2007, November 2007)
Yearly report to head office and donors
Ongoing liaison with other NGOs to see how we can adapt our
project to be more effective

Step 6: Analyse Data and Communicate Results
• Analyse data
• Communicate results to your internal and external audiences
6 A: For each environmental risk identified (Step 3C), have your
mitigation measures been successful? What worked and what didn’t
work?
Solar power implemented in all project infrastructure.
Water use minimised by self-closing taps.
Tanks not totally successful due to long dry periods. Will try
other methods to minimise wetland water usage.
6 B: Has monitoring for environmental change been successful
(Step 4 B)? What worked and what didn’t work?
Mostly successful, but need to adapt questions for village group
discussions to individual villages.
Need to undertake monthly meetings and train government
staff to facilitate meetings
6 C: What practices have you implemented to make your project office
environmentally sound (Step 3 D)?
Solar power used in all project offices
Minimised use of cars to move between project sites
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6 D: Using Chapter 9 (Benchmarking and Measuring NGO Progress)
how well is your project integrating environmental and conservation
objectives?
August 2007:
Benchmark Level 4
6 E: How have you communicated the results to the project partners you
identified in Step 1 D?
Reports written and distributed to donors, government and
project partners;
Project brief written includes environmental aspects of the
project, distributed to other NGOs working in the area,
government counterparts, donors.

Step 7: Use Results to Adapt and Learn
• Put your assumptions to the test
• Adapt your project based on your monitoring results
• Document and share what you have learned about your project
7 A: How will you adapt your project, based on your mitigation and
monitoring results?
Use data collected from monitoring to better protect important
habitats:
• Will hire consultants to undertake survey of wetland
biodiversity and protect those areas most vulnerable
• Undertake environmental education in villages where
endangered species have been identified
• Mitigation measures largely successful
• Seek new ways to minimise water use
• Minimise use of timber products gathered from the
surrounding forest for building construction. Will try to
use other materials such as mud-bricks
Recommended Reading: Project Planning
Tools
There are also other very good planning and analytic
tools to ensure that Natural Resource Management
is integrated early in the project planning and
development process.
Strategic Environmental Analysis developed by
the Netherlands Development Organisation, which
uses a 10-step process that results in a strategic
and operational development plan with environment
issues fully integrated.
Another is Beyond Fences: Seeking Social
Sustainability in Conservation. It is made up of
processes and resource books, and includes a
wealth of information, including sets of possible
indicators that can be used to measure success.
Environmental Guidelines
51

Environmental
Risk Screening
and Mitigation
“
“Quickly screen your project
activities for any potential
environmental risks

6
54
Environmental Risk
Screening and Mitigation
Environmental impacts defined
A direct impact is a change (physical, chemical
or biological) to the environment because of the
activity (e.g. building a road or well, introducing more
sustainable fishing practices, introducing a new
plant or animal species).
An indirect impact is where there is a likelihood
that the changes flowing from the project activity
will affect the environment in the future or downstream
(e.g. soil erosion resulting from landclearing
affecting siltation levels downstream).
A positive impact is a beneficial environmental
outcome (e.g. increased protection of animal habitat,
better health due to a clean water supply).
A negative impact is an adverse environmental
outcome. Such outcomes can sometimes be
irreversible and have a chain of impacts on poverty,
such as poor health or increased vulnerability (e.g.
erosion from poorly planned infrastructure activities).
Source: AusAID (2003) 10
10Environmental Management Guide for Australia’s Aid Program 2003. Australian Agency for International
Development, Canberra. [Web:http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/pubout.cfm?ID=2297_1393_1917_9648_
6600&Type]

Environmental Risk Screening Tool
To help you quickly screen your project activities (identified in Step
3 D in the previous chapter) for any potential environmental risks, the
following questions have been divided into a general “Project Design”
risks section and seven major “development sectors” risks, of which
Agriculture and Natural Resource Management has been divided into
four sub-sectors (Table 2). Once you have identified the risks connected
with each project activity, there are mitigation measures to help you
avoid or lower the environmental risk.
Table 2: Project sector information
Project Sector
Project Design
Agriculture and Natural Resource Management:
• Livestock
• Plant and Crop Production
• Non-Timber Forest Products
• Aquaculture and Fisheries
Water
Infrastructure
Health
Education
Emergency Aid
Tourism
Project Design
The design and the location of a project
is the most important consideration when
implementing NGO programs. The design and
location determines whether there will be an
environmental impact in the project area, and
how large that impact will be.
Page Number
55
60
66
73
76
80
86
90
92
94
96
A Quick Reference
Guide is available
in Appendix 8 to
determine what
broad impacts each
project sector might
have.
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Project Design Risks
A Will your project be undertaken in environmentally sensitive or fragile
locations (such as National Protected Areas)?
Projects can impact on the number, type and health of animal and plant
species in the project area. Projects can also bring in exotic species to
the area. Refer to Appendix 4 and 5 to view the location of biodiversity
areas. It is recommended that you contact WWF WCS or IUCN for
further information about your project area.
B Will the project increase the amount of non-renewable/non-recyclable
waste products used by the community?
Consider plastic bags and product packaging, building materials, paper
and electricity sources
C How will you dispose of waste materials and what impact will disposal
have on the environment? Will waste materials, especially toxic materials
(oil, chemicals) have an impact on the surrounding environment?
Waste materials that are not managed can have a large impact on
waterways and other important areas.

Project Design Mitigation Measures
A To reduce impacts in environmentally sensitive or fragile locations
(such as National Protected Areas)
• Where possible, infrastructure and environmental change should
occur outside of forested areas and those areas which are
biologically important. Choose the site where the amount of least
least damage will be done.
• Employ a closed-system approach by using solar/wind/hydro power,
composting toilets, recycling and removing non-recyclables.
• Avoid dust, noise, vibration and air quality impacts on human
settlements and natural environments.
• Ensure adequate access to essential services in construction
camps (e.g. water and sanitation, waste management).
• Ensure that construction workers are not exploiting the local
environment (by collecting forest products or wildlife) or the
local community (human trafficking).
B To reduce introducing or increasing non-recyclable or non-renewable
waste to communities
• Develop an adequate management plan for construction waste.
• Use locally sourced recyclable materials (especially building
materials, which do not require timber from local forests).
• Use solar/wind/hydro power and composting toilets.
• Don’t take plastic bags, plastic water bottle, etc, into villages, and if
you do make sure they are re-used or taken away.
C To reduce the impact of waste materials
• Build containment areas to control chemical spills and prevent them
from contaminating water bodies, flora and fauna.
• Ensure proper functioning of drainage works.
• Resurface and vegetate exposed areas and protect vulnerable areas
with composted waste materials.
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D Does your project involve ethnic minority villages?
Field staff who are not from the ethnic minority they are working with
may cause damage to the local area by exploiting local resources and
disregarding cultural taboos.
E Will the project result in any change to the natural environment (e.g.
modifying waterways, clearing vegetation)?
These activities will inevitably cost, financially and environmentally,
much more than projects which seek to protect the environment before
the activity beginning. Make sure the cost of this work has been built into
the activities budget.

D To reduce the influence of non-ethnic staff on minority villages
• Ensure that some field staff are from the same ethnic group minority
village.
• Hire local villagers to translate and provide local knowledge.
• Provide training for staff in cultural sensitivity and awareness.
• Ensure staff don’t take any goods (i.e. wild meat, NTFPs, timber,
antiques) from the village.
• Do not hunt and don’t buy any wild meat, as villagers rely on wildlife
for food security, especially in times of rice shortages.
E In order to make re-establishment of the natural area easier
• Ensure that there is adequate budget to repair the area before the
project starts.
• Avoid reclaiming wetlands, waterways or forests.
• Collect seeds from local plant species and record the plant species
growing in the area to be cleared.
• Resurface and vegetate exposed areas and protect vulnerable areas
with mulch to stop erosion.
• Limit earth movement and soil exposure during the wet season.
• During road construction, do not place road camps in protected
areas.
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Livestock
Case Study 6
Livestock can
increase
conflict
between large
cats and humans
Raising livestock for both food and sale can
have a number of positive outcomes for the
environment by taking the pressure off natural
resources, conservation areas and native
plants and animals. Waste products from
livestock may also allow for the production of
compost, organic fertilisers or bioenergy.
The increase of livestock farming in
Oudomxai and Phongsaly Province,
combined with a decrease in natural forests
in the area are believed to have caused
greater conflicts between large cats and
humans in recent times. This is because
large cats, such as leopards and tigers,
have less food to eat in their natural habitat
and more opportunities to capture locally
reared livestock. The result is that large
cats, already highly endangered, are under
increasing threat of local extinction due to
increased conflict with local communities.
WWF has suggested that NGOs involved in
livestock production in the area should ask
local communities to keep their livestock
closer to their villages, as this would
decrease the likelihood of large cat-human
conflict.
Source: WWF (2006)

Domestic stock, Sayaboury Province
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Livestock Risks
A Will livestock have access to natural resources and forested areas?
Livestock can cause soil compaction and erosion, and damage to
vegetation through trampling and grazing. Indirect impacts include
increased runoff into waterways, and changes to native plant and animal
populations. Livestock can also compete with villagers for access to
NTFPs.
B Will the grazing of livestock in forests reduce the number and type of
NTFPs available in that area?
Cattle have been known to eat bamboo shoots in areas where grazing
pressure is high.
C Will livestock have access to rivers, creeks or streams?
Livestock can damage waterways and wetlands by compacting soil and
grazing on plants, thus reducing the stability of the banks of waterways
and causing erosion, loss of productive land and destruction of fish and
frog habitats.

Livestock Production Mitigation Measures
A To stop grazing and access to forest areas or waterways·
• Restrict livestock access to certain water points or use water troughs.
• Use fodder crops to reduce reliance on other feed.
• Use fences around forest remnants, waterways and steep edges as
well as areas where NTFPs are collected·
• Restrict livestock access to unstable areas (e.g. slopes, river banks).
• Plant buffer zones between forests and agricultural areas (usually
between 10 to 20 metres).
• Encourage protected area protection and protection of sacred areas.
• Keep livestock close to the village as otherwise they may attract large
predators, such as tigers, and increase human and animal conflict.
B To stop overgrazing of NTFPs·
• Control the length of grazing time and the repetition of grazing in
particular areas.
• Encourage the rotation of crops to minimise cattle grazing in one
area to allow another to regrow.
• Mix livestock species to optimise use of vegetation resources (e.g.
goats and cattle).
• Reseed areas which have previously been grazed and produce
fodder.
• Educate and train agriculturalists in environmentally responsible land
and crop management.
C To reduce the chances of erosion along rivers and streams
• Keep some vegetation such as tree stumps and shrubs to help
preserve soil structure and prevent soil erosion.
• Plant cleared areas immediately following clearance with native
plants to limit erosion and nutrient loss.
• Establish training programs on soil conservation measures.
• Avoid reclaiming wetlands, waterways or forests.
• Limit livestock access to waterways by using fences or control
livestock grazing along waterways.
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D Will livestock negatively affect water quality via faecal contamination in
rivers, creeks or streams?
E Is it possible that livestock will be in contact with native animals?
Livestock can pass on or contract diseases through contact with wild
animals e.g. bird flu. Disease spread can kill livestock and surrounding
native animal populations, which in turn affects community access to
food.
F Will there be any overgrazing due to increased livestock numbers?
Overgrazing (too many livestock for the area) can stop native plants from
growing and regenerating, which can lead to environmental degradation
and feed problems for stock.
G Will any vaccinations be used on cattle and are there any reports of
these vaccinations causing deaths in native animals?
Any vaccinations used for livestock need to be checked for their impact
on native predators, for example Dichlorophen (a common cattle
vaccine) has been reported to kill some predators which had eaten
dead, vaccinated cattle.
H Will livestock compete for natural resources which native animals
require?

D To reduce faecal contamination of waterways
• Place water points (water troughs) away from waterways to minimise
the risk of waterway pollution.
• Limit livestock access to waterways by using fences or reduce
livestock grazing time near waterways.
• Concrete or stabilise animal crossing areas.
• Monitor for changes in human and livestock health and water quality.
E To reduce disease spread between animals and animals and people
• Monitor for changes in human and livestock health.
• Find alternative places to house livestock, i.e. away from houses (but
not near forests).
• Provide vaccinations to villages.
F To reduce the impact of increased livestock numbers
• Break livestock into small groups and rotationally graze them.
• Plant and use fodder crops.
G To vaccinate cattle without damaging other species
• Use vaccinations that are species-specific, with short residence time
and low impact on other animals.
H In order to reduce competition between native animals and livestock
• Reseed and produce fodder for livestock.
• Fence livestock out of forest areas (this also fences native species
into natural areas).
• If livestock are being killed by native animals, move them to areas
closer to the village so villagers can protect them. If villages are
experiencing serious problems with animals such as elephants or
tigers contact WCS, WWF or the Department of Forestry to get help
in dealing with the problem.
• Ensure fodder does not become a weed
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Plant and Crop Production
Case Study 7
The Dangers
of not
monitoring
weed spread
Introducing crops and other plants can benefit
communities and the environment by providing
food and reducing villages’ reliance on wild
products. Other environmental benefits can
include soil improvement, production of plants
for biomass/renewable energy usage, natural
pest control and organic fertiliser reducing the
need for chemicals.
Mimosa pigra is a thorny shrub from
Central America which is now considered
one of the most dangerous weeds in
tropical wetlands of Asia, Australia and
Africa. Mimosa pigra can grow to 6 meters
tall and forms dense thickets that replace
native plants which native animals rely
on for shelter and/or food. In Lao PDR
Mimosa pigra is found all over the country,
especially in wetland areas. In Vietnam
Mimosa pigra is found throughout the
country and has become a destructive
weed in many places, most importantly in
the Mekong Delta and the Dong Nai river
basin. The invasion of Mimosa pigra on
grasslands of Tram Chim National Park
has greatly reduced the area of Sarus
cranes feeding habitat and has directly
contributed to fewer cranes visiting Tram
Chim over the past five years.
Source: University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam
National University 11 . WCS (2006)
11 University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University
[Web:http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02ENV150306]

Photo credit - Colin Wilson,
Parks and Wildlife Commission
Northern Territory, Australia.
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Plant and Crop Production Risks
A If you are introducing plant and animal species, have they been field
tested previously?
Plants and animals not previously used in Lao PDR can have a very
damaging impact on local crops and animals.
B Is there going to be any clearing of forests for crop production?
This can reduce habitat for native animals and reduce NTFPs, possibly
increasing poverty in the poorest villages.
C Will there be increased tillage of land for crop production?
This can increase the amount of bare ground and thus increase the
chance of erosion, especially in the wet season.
D Is fertiliser (especially inorganic fertiliser) going to be used in your
project?
Fertiliser use can reduce water quality: causing algal blooms, fish kills
etc.

Plant and Crop Production Mitigation Measures
A To reduce the likelihood of introducing exotic species
• Identify and implement integrated pest management (IPM) regimes.
• Screen species names against the Global Compendium of Weeds or
the Global Invasive Species Database (see the Resources chapter).
• If available, use a local species that achieves the same result.
B If it is impossible not to encroach on forest areas
• Maintain or provide corridors for native animal movement.
• Ensure that the project has additional funds to re-establish native
plants in areas cleared by the project once the project is completed.
Otherwise, replant another area of the same size or larger. It is
always more expensive to restore and re-establish areas than it is to
protect them.
• Assess village land use to ensure appropriate areas are chosen for
agriculture.
C To reduce land tillage
• Limit site preparation to dry season and limit use of machinery and
fire.
• Minimise or eliminate use of chemicals.
D To reduce or stop the use of inorganic fertiliser
• Select fertilisers that break down in the environment and are not toxic
to mammals and fish.
• Find alternative organic fertilisers (contact NGOs involved in this).
• Use organic and/or green manuring to combat the lethal effects of
fertiliser over-use and anhydrous ammonia.
• Limit nitrogen use during crop rotation and near surface water
supplies.
• Monitor water quality levels and restrict fertiliser use where
appropriate.
• Institute training programs on health and safety and optimum fertiliser
application.
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E Are herbicides (especially inorganic herbicides) going to be used in
the project?
Herbicides can pollute waterways, kill non-target animal and plant
species, and in some cases remain in the soil for long periods of time.
F Will there be any removal of plants alongside streams and rivers?
This can increase soil loss through erosion and decrease water quality
through siltation.
G Will there be a change in the varieties of crops grown?
Imported crops can decrease local genetic variability and make crops
more susceptible to diseases, decreasing food productivity.

E To reduce or remove the use of inorganic herbicides and pesticides
• Introduce companion planting to encourage growth and also natural
pest control.
• Find alternative organic herbicides (contact NGOs involved in this).
• Select pesticides that are biodegradable and pose low toxicity to
mammals and fish.
• Reduce or eliminate use of stable pesticides to avoid accumulation in
the food web.
• Use pest-specific pesticides and ensure formulations are appropriate
(use Ultra Low-Volume application methods).
• Encourage Integrated Pest Management as an alternative to
pesticides.
• Ensure staff use adequate application equipment, protective clothing
and masks when applying chemicals.
• Ensure adequate packaging (size/type) and effective labeling on
application volumes, rates and spray periods.
• Identify the best time for spraying and stop spraying in windy or wet
conditions.
• Avoid spraying pesticides on crops 20 meters away from the banks of
waterways and groundwater recharge areas.
F To reduce the impact of clearing vegetation
• Leave buffer zones of undisturbed forest at least 20 meters along
waterways.
• Leave seed trees and collect seeds of native trees.
• Avoid clearing in the rainy season and re-establish cover immediately
after clearing.
G To maintain a variety of different crops (especially native crops)
• Encourage rotational cropping and deferred grazing.
• Introduce companion planting.
• Maintain native crop species as these will be better adapted to the
area.
• Collect data on plant communities before the project starts.
• Establish a seed store to maintain a record of species previously
grown.
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In addition, if your project plans to undertake forestry operations:
• Look at planting native trees as opposed to introduced trees. They
will provide more habitat for native animals and have a lower impact
on the environment.
• Ensure that the area you are planting on is actually degraded and
unused land, not just listed as “degraded”.
• Don’t relocate communities for the sake of forestry production and
ensure village land and forest land where NTFPs are collected
aren’t used for forestry plantations.
• Ensure that NTFP production won’t be effected by logging
operations. Ask villages if they would prefer the use of NTFPs or the
money from forestry operations.
• Select silviculture systems that will ensure regeneration and
sustainable production and minimise damage.
• Avoid clear cutting and practice small coupe logging, alternating
small cuts with unlogged areas.
• Refrain from whole-tree harvesting in areas of low nutrient levels.
• Use low impact harvesting equipment and methods.
• Limit plantation establishments to degraded sites or sites of low
biodiversity.
• Choose tree species with pest or disease resistance and low water
demand. For example, eucalypts have a very high water demand
and can lower water tables over consecutive years.
• Monitor impact of forestry on sediment and nutrient loading in
streams and on water quality.
• Avoid logging in the rainy season and re-establish forest cover
immediately after clearing.
• Minimise or eliminate use of chemicals.

Case Study 8
The
sustainable
management
and marketing
of NTFPs
Tamarind for sale in a
local community
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
NTFPs are a vital resource for many villages as
they create a stable food source and provide
food security and income for local people. They
are also important for the environment as they
help stabilise biodiversity; create a value for
forests and habitats, which then protect other
plants and animals and maintain traditional
cultures and traditional management systems.
In northwestern Lao PDR, villagers from
Nam Pheng village began a cooperative
effort in 1996 to expand the market for
bitter bamboo and cardamom, with the
help of IUCN-NTFP project. They created
a coordinated management plan for the
sustainable harvest of bitter bamboo and
cardamom, improved ways to harvest
them and established a marketing group
to increase sales and obtain higher market
prices. By 2001, a day’s harvest of bitter
bamboo brought ten times the wages of
slash-and-burn cultivation, which had been
the villagers’ main livelihood.
Source: IUCN (2002) 14
14 Morris, J. 2002. Bitter Bamboo and Sweet Living: Impacts of NTFP Conservation Activities on Poverty
Alleviation and Sustainable Livelihoods. IUCN.
[Web:http://www.iucn.org/themes/fcp/publications/files/3ic_cs_lao.pdf]
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NTFP Extraction Risks
A If your project is not planning to monitor NTFP extraction and use, will
this have an impact on how many NTFPs remain?
There may be a local decrease or even extinction of some species,
which will increase pressures on other NTFPs or resources.
B Will trade or tourism increase the amount of NTFPs extracted in your
project sites?
Increased reliance on one NTFP quickly reduces the quantity and
quality of that resource.

NTFP Extraction Mitigation Measures
A To reduce the impact of NTFP extraction
• Monitor NTFP extraction and use. For example, note whether effort
to get certain NTFPs increases (distance and time traveled) over
time. Also note whether any NTFPs aren’t used anymore when once
they were a staple food or resource. See Chapter 7, Monitoring for
Environmental Change.
• Implement closed seasons at certain times of the year. For example,
do not allow frog collection during peak breeding periods (usually
during the height of the rainy season). Alternatively, protect certain
areas.
• Ensure that enough seeds/plants/animals are left for future
generations.
B To maintain NTFPs for trade and tourism
• Reduce the risk of over exploitation by monitoring populations and
restrict extraction if certain NTFP products become scarce.
• Trial growing certain species for sale.
• Reduce livestock grazing by fencing off important areas for NTFP
production.
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Aquaculture and Fisheries
Case Study 9
Local fisheries
and the
use of fish
conservation
zones
The village of Khanthanyat lies along the
shores of the Xe Bang Hieng in Songkhon
district of Savannakhet province. The collection
of freshwater species, especially fish, is an
important contribution to household food
security and economy. In 2003 the people
of Khanthanyat village, with the support
of WWF, agreed to work with neighboring
villages to establish a Fish Conservation Zone
(FCZ) in the Xe Bang Hieng. A fisheries comanagement
plan was established - through
a participatory process that included village
authorities, fishermen and district officials
- along a 2km stretch of the river that included
important habitats such as rapids and deep
pools.
The variety of habitats included in such
a large Fish Conservation Zone (FCZ)
ensured a diverse range of fish species was
protected. Three years after implementing the
management plan, the fishermen are now
reporting they are catching more fish outside of
the FCZ, and seeing a greater diversity of fish
species than before.
Source: WWF Laos Comfish Program (2006)

The development of aquaculture and
fisheries can have a positive influence on the
environment they are located in. Aquaculture
can help stop overfishing and provide an
alternative source of income to agriculture.
Fish are a very important source of protein
for many households in Lao PDR and if the
resource is managed appropriately, and nondestructive
fishing methods are used, it can be
a sustainable way of maintaining this important
food source.
Fish are an important source of
protein for many households in
Lao PDR
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Aquaculture and Fisheries Risks
A Will land alteration from agriculture to aquaculture cause a change in
water allocation?
This may mean decreased flows to downstream users or decreased
water in wetlands and waterways.
B Will there be an increase in pollutants (faecal or inorganic nutrients) in
the water from aquaculture?
A decrease in water quality can increase health risks to people and
livestock downstream and kill native plant and animal species.
C If you are introducing aquatic plant and animal species, have they
been field tested previously?
Plants and animals previously not used in Lao PDR can have a very
damaging impact on local crops and species.
D Will more advanced fishing techniques or technologies be used in
waterways?
This can increase fishing effort and efficiency and decrease fish
resources rapidly.

Aquaculture and Fisheries Mitigation Measures
A To decrease the effect of aquaculture ponds on water and land
allocation
• Minimise the number of areas converted to ponds.
• At the local level, encourage use of existing depressions, hollows and
ditches to stock fish.
• Site project to avoid disruption of traditional uses of water and avoid
areas susceptible to acidification (avoid waterlogged soils high in
pyrite and organic matter).
• Organise training programs for environmentally responsive fisheries
and aquaculture management.
B Reduce pollutants from aquaculture ponds by
• Discharging effluents into water with adequate dilution and dispersal
capacity.
• Monitor water quality for suspended solids, oil, grease, dissolved
oxygen, nitrogen and faeces.
• Coordinate aquaculture ponds with other complementary activities
such as irrigation.
• Design features to prevent disturbance to water flow patterns and
water regimes important for resource conservation (e.g. wetlands).
C To reduce the effects of introduced aquaculture species
• Avoid introduction of species which are not native to Lao PDR, or at
worst try and prevent their escape. Screen species names against
the Global Compendium of Weeds or the Global Invasive Species
Database. See the Resources chapter, page 32.
• Monitor species regularly for diseases and parasites.
D To reduce the effects of overfishing
• Restrict harvests (minimum size limits, catch quotas, seasonal
closures) and equipment (trawl bans, specified net mesh sizes).
• Ban and confiscate destructive fishing methods (explosives, gillnets).
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Water
Case Study 10
Impacts
of livestock
on wetland
resources and
village livelihoods
Lowland areas throughout Lao PDR are the site
of both seasonal and perennial wetlands. These
wetland ecosystems provide important habitats
for unique freshwater plants and animals such
as waterfowl, Siamese Crocodile, Otter, and
numerous species of fish. Much of this wetland
biodiversity - especially fish, aquatic insects
and plants - are an important source of food,
especially for the poorest households in a village
that may have no land or skilled labor with which
to earn a living. Healthy wetland ecosystems
are therefore an important component of the
livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable people
in a village.
Throughout Attapeu Province there is an
abundance of lowland areas that support unique
wetland resources. As sources of food and water
for nearby villages, these wetlands are often
closely linked to local culture and traditions. Nong
Lohm is a large wetland in Sanamxai District
where villagers collect fish, aquatic insects, plants,
turtles, and waterfowl using a wide assortment
of traditional fishing gear. Recently, the wetland
has increasingly become a grazing area for water
buffalo, which the villagers say are having a
negative impact on wetland habitats. For example,
villages say that nesting habitat for migratory
waterfowl is being reduced and they see fewer
and fewer of these birds every year. Grazing
livestock may also be having an impact on the
water quality and native fish habitat, affecting fish
production and consumption by local villagers.
Careful consideration of the potential impacts of
livestock on natural resources is needed in order
to protect wetland habitats and thus community
food security.
Source: WWF Laos Comfish Project (2006)

Water is the most valuable
resource in a community
Water is the most important resource for all
communities, as well as animals and plants.
Waterways, including wetlands, are extremely
important habitats for frogs, water birds and
fish, as well as aquatic plants and insects.
Water can also provide a low cost renewable
energy source via mini-hydro projects and the
use of water for irrigation allows different crop
species to be grown and allows landowners to
maintain groundcover and reduce erosion.
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Water Allocation or Use Risks
A Will there be any alteration of the hydrological cycle?
This can impact on important habitats and decrease the amount and
diversity of aquatic plants and animals in the waterway. For example,
the construction of roads can increase water flows into waterways and
increase the amount of sediment and pollutants (from vehicles) in the
water, killing plants and animals. Dams stop the flow of water and stop
fish migration, thereby reducing fish numbers downstream and affecting
villagers’ livelihoods.
B Is a significant amount of water going to be removed from wetlands or
waterways?
This can kill many plant and animal species and can also increase the
poverty of the villagers reliant on wetlands for their food security and
livelihood.

Water Mitigation Measures
A To maintain the hydrological cycle
• Have the community and district allocate water rights, ensuring that
the poorest villagers are taken into account.
• Leave buffer zones of undisturbed forest at least 20 meters wide
along waterways.
• Design project features to prevent disturbance of water flow
patterns and water cycle patterns critical to resource protection (e.g.
wetlands). For example, install adequate sediment traps to reduce
increased soil loss associated with roads, install fish ladders in dams,
and release water from dams to resemble normal flows.
• Leave fallen trees and other debris in the water as these provide
habitat and help maintain natural flows.
B To maintain waterways and wetlands, and develop watershed
management
• Provide equitable water allocation, especially for the poorer
community members.
• Limit groundwater extraction so that the groundwater level is not
reduced.
• Institute farmer training programs on crop irrigation and water
conservation.
• If possible, introduce alternative water supply sources to offset
diversion to irrigation.
• If appropriate, promote planting of crops with low water demands.
• Site projects to avoid going into sensitive natural or human
environments (e.g. forests and wetlands).
• Use sprinklers or drip irrigation to conserve water.
• Use self-closing hydrants and taps and use low pressure distribution
systems to conserve water.
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C Will there be an increase in the amount of water distributed for crop
production in the dry season?
This can increase the chance of salinisation (salt) in soils, which will
reduce or possibly stop crop growth.
D Are physical barriers going to be used in waterways?
This may reduce water allocation to downstream communities, and
also restrict fish movement and spawning. Diversions of water can also
impact other important aquatic habitats such as wetlands.
E Will there be an increase in pollutants (agricultural by-products such
as herbicides, sewage/grey water from households) in the water?
A decrease in water quality can increase health risks to people and
livestock downstream and kill native plants and animals. Some toxins
can also accumulate in the food chain, having long-term consequences.

C To reduce the chance of salinisation
• Alter irrigation techniques and timing, such as using sprinklers and
drip irrigation.
• Regulate flows to minimise waterlogging of soils.
• Use lined canals or pipes to minimise seepage.
D To reduce changes in water flow due to the use of barriers
• Undertake measures to monitor environmental effects before, during
and after construction.
• Minimise land loss and land use conflicts through careful project
planning.
• Avoid establishing energy facilities in environmentally-sensitive areas.
• Employ low maintenance and field-maintainable techniques (e.g.
solar, micro-hydro, biomass, thermal, wind).
• Maintain minimum flow for fisheries, construct fish ladders and
protect spawning grounds.
• Schedule water drawdowns to minimise negative effects on local
ecosystems.
• Minimise erosion by planting trees or other suitable vegetation along
river banks.
• Provide access to canals for the regular removal of weeds and
sediments.
E To reduce the effects of fertilisers and pollutants in waterways
• Restrict use of fertilisers on land and stop runoff of manure and
other waste products by planting 10 to 20 metre-wide buffer zones of
native plants.
• Provide settling ponds/erosion measures to maintain water quality for
downstream users.
• Avoid the creation of stagnant or slowly moving water, as these are
breeding grounds for disease vectors (particularly mosquitoes).
• Consider proximity of human settlements and livestock, and health
risks posed by irrigation.
• Monitor water quality for suspended solids, oil and grease, dissolved
oxygen, nitrogen and faeces.
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Infrastructure
The development of infrastructure (e.g. roads) has obvious benefits to
development projects by providing communities with greater access to
health care workers, teachers, scientists and other professionals they
would not necessarily have had access to.
Infrastructure Risks
A If the project is building roads, bridges or other infrastructure, will this
cause environmental disturbance?
Construction can increase erosion from soil disturbance and the
increased flow of water off roads and structures. This in turn can change
the hydrology of an area, affecting village livelihoods.
B If the project is building roads or bridges, will this increase access of
people to the area?
Increased access can increase the likelihood of illegal (or legal) logging,
wildlife hunting and poaching and wildlife trade, reducing the natural
resources villages require to survive.
C Will vehicles and other machinery inadvertently bring dirt or seeds in
from other districts?
Plant and animals not previously known in the area can be spread
through the transport of dirt (carrying seeds or fungi) on tyres or inside
of vehicles.

Infrastructure Mitigation Measures
A In order to reduce damage from infrastructure development, such as
roads and bridges
• Limit scale and number of access roads to areas.
• Install adequate sediment traps to reduce the increased soil loss
associated with roads.
• Revegetate and landscape affected areas according to the local area
and using local plant species.
• Limit use of heavy machinery to minimise soil compaction.
• Where practical, place road closures between dusk and dawn
to minimise road kill of animals and disruption to their behaviour
patterns (e.g. Khao Yai National Park, Thailand, uses this method to
protect park animals).
B To reduce the amount of outside people gaining access to the site
• Provide checkpoints to monitor wildlife trade.
• Use pictorial signage to restrict access to prohibited areas.
• Minimise number and size of transportation routes to access forested
areas.
C To reduce the risk of bringing in exotic species on machinery
• Spray cars and other machinery entering new areas to reduce weed
and disease spread. Scrub tyres.
• Have field staff clean boots and equipment of all dirt. Chlorine
solutions and methylated spirits are good for this.
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D Will new roads increase the chance of outside influences on ethnic
communities?
This can cause cultural knowledge to be lost and resource exploitation.
E Will new roads cut off links and corridors between native forests?
This can decrease the movement of native animals and plants and
increase the chance of inbreeding and loss of genetic variability.
F Will tractors and other mechanised farm machinery be used more
regularly due to this project?
Machinery can have a negative impact by compacting the ground,
reducing manure input by buffalos and increasing non-renewable waste
products such as oil, petrol and rubber.
G Will buildings and other infrastructure be built in forest areas and/or
biologically sensitive locations?
Infrastructure in forests or sensitive areas can increase the chance of
hunting, logging, disease spread, etc.

D To decrease outsider influence on ethnic communities
• Ensure some field staff are from the ethnic minority group.
• Close off some areas to outsiders who do not have a permit.
• Try and record oral histories, farming techniques, hunting
techniques, ceremonial procedures, etc.
E To retain wildlife corridors
• Don’t clear areas of forest which link one area to another (corridors
need to be at least 50 to 100 meters wide).
• Replant or rehabilitate areas of forest to link isolated areas together.
F To reduce the impacts of mechanised farm machinery
• Limiting use of heavy machinery to minimise soil compaction.
• Use low tillage techniques.
G To reduce infrastructure impacts on forests or sensitive areas
• Refer to Appendix 4 and 5. Consult WWF, WCS or IUCN for
locations of sensitive areas.
• Where possible, locale infrastructure outside forested areas and
areas that are biologically important.
• Employ a closed-system approach by using solar/wind/hydro
power, composting toilets, recycling most goods and removing nonrecyclables.
• Monitor water quality for suspended solids, oil and grease, dissolved
oxygen, nitrogen and faeces.
• Discharge effluents into water with adequate dilution and dispersal
capacity. Do not discharge non-biodegradable pollutants. Use reedlined
canals to assist in filtering the waste.
• Build containment areas to control chemical spills from
contaminating waterways.
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Health
Case Study 11
Providing
health facilities
for ethnic
communities in
Thapangthong
District
Concern Worldwide’s
new birthing hut
Health projects can have a significant benefit
for both people and the environment as these
projects can improve water quality, reduce
human and animal disease, raise awareness
about the benefits of a clean and hygienic
environment and reduce risks of agriculturally
based diseases.
Concern Worldwide have a project in
Thapangthong District, Savannakhet
Province, to help provide better health
services for rural villages. Most of the
villages in this area are from the Katang
ethnic minority and their major occupation
is farming and livestock production.
According to their tradition, whenever
a woman gives birth she has to do so
in the forest, where she builds a small,
temporary, obstetric hut. In the past, this
has caused many health problems for both
the mother and child. To overcome this,
villagers in Lamu village agreed to build a
birthing hut with support from the program.
The birthing hut included a toilet, birthing
room, fire place and a cemented pond.
The villagers were also trained by the
district health office in birthing methods
and general hygiene.
Source: Concern Worldwide Thapangthong
Rural Development Program (2006)

Health Risks
A Will waste materials or
pollutants from health facilities
enter waterways?
B Will population control
methods be used to try to
increased health and longevity?
Populations can grow beyond
the land’s carrying capacity.
Health Mitigation Measures
A To stop waste products and
pollutants from entering the area
• Install impermeable conduit
base to avoid water seepage
and overflow from waste
facilities contaminating the area.
• Employ a closed-system
approach by using solar/wind/
hydro power, composting
toilets, recycling most goods
and removing non-recyclables.
• Do not route sewer lines directly
into stream channels.
• Monitor water quality for
suspended solids, dissolved
oxygen, nitrogen and faeces.
B Ensure populations will not
exceed the land’s carrying capacity
• Implement birth control
measures.
• Educate the community about
population control methods.
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Education
Case Study 12
Integrating
the
environment
into
village
education projects
Villager participation in
educational meeting
Both formal and informal education can
increase villager knowledge about the
environment around them and the need to
protect and maintain it. Education not directly
related to the environment can also benefit
conservation objectives. For example, through
education on health and hygiene, water supplies
can remain free of pollutants, benefiting native
plants and animals.
A project being undertaken in Champasak
province, called the Remote Village
Education Support Project and operated
by the GAPE, aims to increase villager
understanding of the environment and
ways to conserve natural resources and
preserve cultural knowledge. This project
provides remote villages with building
materials for schools, learning materials,
vocational training and teacher training, as
well as information and materials on the
environment aimed at raising teacher and
student awareness on conservation.
Source: Global Alliance for People and the
Environment (GAPE, 2006).
[Web: http://www.gapeinternational.org/Index7.
doc]

Education Risks
A Will hunting increase if
villages are educated about
the economic value of certain
animal and plant species?
Education Mitigation Measures
A How to decrease hunting for
economic gain
• Ensure villages are aware of
government law and how to
implement it.
• Provide alternatives, such as
the benefits of eco-tourism.
• Provide education about the
benefits of wildlife. Employ
groups such as the Mobile
Conservation Unit to undertake
environmental education.
• Study local beliefs and the
importance of sacred forests to
align environmental aims within
the existing spiritual framework.
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Emergency Aid
Emergency
Food Aid
Indroduces
New Crop
Pests
Emergency aid can help maintain the
environment by reducing the community’s need
to over-exploit the resources around them and
by creating an awareness of the importance of
maintaining natural resources.
Well intentioned emergency aid now
threatens the livelihoods of those it was
designed to help. The 1980s famine in
Ethiopia saw many governments and
NGOs give emergency aid relief. While
many lives were saved in the short
term, some of the food aid shipments
were contaminated with the seed of a
serious weed: Parthenium (Parthenium
hysterphorus). The weed spread from
spilled roadside grain, and by 1999 was
widespread in eastern Ethiopia. Local
farmers now call this weed “no crop”, since
it greatly reduces the yield of food and
other crops.
Source: Wittenberg and Cock (2001)

Emergency Aid Risks
A Is there a chance that food
aid packages, such as grain,
could become or harbor plants
and animals not previously
known to occur in the area
(exotic species) or genetically
modified crops?
Emergency aid Mitigation
Measures
A To reduce the chance of
importing exotic plant and
animals species
• Screen species names
against the Global
Compendium of Weeds
or the Global Invasive
Species Database (see the
Resources chapter)
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Tourism
Tourism can benefit the environment by providing a direct dollar value to
nature, which in turn can increase forest management in that area.
Tourism Risks
A Will increased tourism bring in exotic species?
B Will increased tourism bring in, or increase, non-recyclable waste
products?
C Will infrastructure be built to increase tourism or accommodate
tourists in sensitive and/or protected areas?
Tourists enjoying Lao
PDR’s natural Resources

Tourism Mitigation Measures
A To reduce the chance of exotic species import and spread
• Spray cars and other machinery entering new areas to reduce weed
and disease spread.
• Have tourists clean boots of all dirt. Chlorine solutions and
methylated spirits are good for this.
B To reduce tourists bringing in, or increasing, non-recyclable waste
• Employ a closed-system approach by using solar/wind/hydro
power, composting toilets, recycling most goods and removing nonrecyclables.
• Provide drinking water in refilled bottles.
• Limit use of plastic bags and other plastic items.
C To reduce the impact of structures on sensitive areas
• Employ a closed-system approach by using solar/wind/hydro
power, composting toilets, recycling most goods and removing nonrecyclables.
• Consult WWF, WCS or IUCN for locations of sensitive areas
Environmental Guidelines
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Monitoring for
Environmental
Change
environment is an
integrated system composed
of the earth and its resources,
such as water, air, soil and
living forms: animal and
plant life. Any change or
deterioration in any of these
parts affects all the other parts.
““ The

7
100
Monitoring for
Environmental Change
The environment is an integrated system composed of the
Earth and its resources: water, air, soil and living forms such
as animal and plant life. Any change or deterioration in any of
these parts affects all the other parts.
When projects are implemented, they will inevitably have an influence
on some part of the natural environment. This is why monitoring of the
project area to see what influence your activities are having on the
natural environment is very important. It is also important to monitor sites
outside your project area, such as areas downstream, as your activities
may be having an impact elsewhere. Through monitoring, you can notice
environmental impacts, feed these observations back into the project
cycle (Chapter 5) and implement mitigation measures (Chapter 6).
Monitoring enables you
to detect changes in the
environment
Monitoring is the regular collection of
information to find out what is happening in the
area your project is operating in. The objective
of monitoring is to provide an “early warning
system” of harmful effects humans or projects
may be having. By identifying, early on, any
problems your project is causing, you can see
whether mitigation measures are working or
if any need to be implemented. Monitoring
environmental impacts is important because it
allows you to adapt to the changing situation
to protect natural resources, and thus protect
local livelihoods. Monitoring also allows you to
identify important animals, plants and habitats
in your project area.

Guidelines for Monitoring and
Evaluation:
The purpose of monitoring for environmental
outcomes should be to promote sustainable
resource use by generating useful information
and feedback that prevents environmental
degradation as a result of your project. Some
specific objectives may include:
• Assessing and monitoring the condition of
natural resources (e.g. water quality) and
the threats to the environment, to promote
adaptive management for sustainable
resource use.
• Identifying ways and times to sustainably
harvest an NTFP (e.g. bamboo shoots).
• Adapting monitoring methods to include
villages in the monitoring process.
Source: Subedi B.P. (2002) 17
Any person from project managers, government
staff and field staff to local village members can
conduct monitoring activities for the purpose
of detecting change at project sites. Some
guidelines for monitoring are:
• Make monitoring and evaluation an integral
part of the project cycle and its activities.
• Choose a few measurable indicators which
would provide you with accurate and
reliable data easily and quickly.
• Rely on data which can be collected
routinely as part of your regular work.
• Supervise and train community members in
routine data collection and discuss the
results regularly.
18 Subedi B.P. 2002. Advances in Forestry: Methodology for Participatory Biodiversity Monitoring. A paper
prepared for the National Seminar on Recent Advances in Plant Science, March 17-18, Birgunj, Nepal
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Field Methods
There are four ways field staff can undertake
monitoring to determine environmental
disturbances and monitor environmental
health. The first two monitoring techniques
are the easiest and least time consuming to
undertake, and when used together can yield
very useful and important data. These are:
1 Field Diary Method
2 Village Group Discussion Method
1 Field Diary Method:
The use of a field diary allows field staff and
villages to take notes on changes in the
environment around them. This method is
used on a day-to-day basis to get information
on:
A Animal Observations
B People Observations
C Observations of Environmental Change
Equipment:
• Notebook (field diary) and pencil.
• Plant and animal identification guides to
There are two other methods which can
also be used, but they require more specific
training, specific areas to monitor and take
a lot more time and effort. These include
Walked Transects and Photo Documentation
(NORDECO and DENR 1998 18 , Steinmetz
R. 2000 19 ). These can be used to monitor for
scientific purposes. This monitoring is more
focused on detecting and understanding the
response to an intervention or manipulation.
18 NORDECO and DENR 1998. Biodiversity Monitoring System Manual. DENR Manila and NORDECO
Copenhagen
19 Steinmetz R. 2000. Ecological surveys, monitoring and the involvement of local people in protected areas of
Lao PDR. Evaluating Eden Series Discussion Paper No. 13. WWF Thailand.

help gather information for plants, mammals
and birds and if possible, frogs and reptiles.
For a list of suggested identification guides,
refer to Appendix 9.
• Binoculars.
• GPS (to mark your location so you can
return to it at a later date).
Always put name, date, time and location
before each entry.
A Animal observations
Animal observations not only tell you which
animals live in and around your project area, but
they also give an indication of the habitat and
resources present, the hunting pressure, etc.
Take note of all of the animals you find in your
project area. Animal observations can include
animals that you see, hear and footprints or
hair/feathers you notice. Animal observations
can also include animals that you see in a
market or a person’s house. An indication of a
way you can set-up your notebook, and some of
the factors to take note of are shown in Table 3.
Table 3: Example of a notebook entry on animal observations
Animal
Species
Present
Was the animal
seen, heard or
tracks/scats
found
Forest pig Tracks &
scats
Number
Seen
One
animal
Location &
Habitat
1.5 km NE from
Ban Noi, forest
scrub
Animal
Species
Present
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Using indicator species
There are many different types of animals and
plants found in Lao PDR and it is impossible
to try and monitor all of them. Studies in
ecology have identified animals and plants
called “indicator” or “keystone” species - so
called because they occupy a key role in the
environment. When they are present, the natural
environment is assumed to be stable, and when
they become absent it is considered a warning
sign of environmental degradation.
If you are choosing an indicator species, they
should:
• Reveal changes in the habitat or resource
use.
• Be easy and cost effective to monitor
(i.e. must be easily identified).
• Be meaningful to the local people.
• Be able to be monitored in a wide range of
environmental impacts.
Source: NORDECO and DENR (1998)
B People observations
People observations allow you to gather
information on what activities the people in
your project site are undertaking. For example,
it gives you the ability to record the type and
amount of NTFPs people are harvesting at a
certain time of year, or the amount of wildlife
trade which is occurring. Table 4 gives an
example of some of the people observations
which can be made.
The table in Appendix 10 gives examples of
indicator species found in Lao PDR. If these
animals are found in your project site
they should be monitored as their presence
or absence will show when environmental
conditions have changed.

Case Study 14
Planting rice
Import of New
Food Animal
Impacts on
Food Security
The Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata)
was introduced into many south-east Asian
countries from the 1980s as either a new high
protein human food crop for local or European
markets, or as an aquarium snail. As people did
not like the taste of the snail, the industry failed
and the snails escaped or were released.
The Snail is a serious rice field pest, and
began to damage rice fields in Lao PDR soon
after it was first introduced in 1991. The pest
mostly attacks young rice seedlings and, as
such, infested fields have had to be re-planted
several times, farmers started using chemicals
to control the pest’s spread. The snail has
also been intentionally brought into Taiwan,
Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the
Philippines. In the Philippines, it is now the
biggest rice pest and causes huge economic
losses.
Sources: Nhoyboukong and Khamphoukeo (2002) 20 ;
ISSG (2005) 21
Table 4: Example of a notebook entry on people observations
People
encountered
reason
for being
in the
area
Villager food
collection
Forest
Products
Collected
(e.g.rattan,
fruits,
frogs, etc)
Wildlife
collected
& amount
Collection
method
(gun,
crosbow,
snare, etc)
Reason
for NTFP/
Wildlife
collection
(home use,
market)
fruits None N/A home use
21 Nhoyboukong, M. and Khamphoukeo, K. 2002. Prevention and management of invasive alien species, ASEAN
Biodiversity, Vol.2, No.4, pp.24-26. Excerpt of paper Prevention and management of Alien Invasive Species in
Lao PDR presented at the workshop on The Prevention and Management of Invasive Alien Species: Forging
Cooperation through South and Southeast Asia held from 14-16 August 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand.
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C Observations of Environmental Change
It is sometimes very difficult to determine
the cause of environmental degradation
and its immediate effect on the surrounding
environment. Appendix 11 shows some of
the effects of environmental degradation, and
indicates some of the potential causes. Table
5 gives some examples of observations of
environmental change you can make.
Table 5: Example of a notebook entry on
observations of environmental change
Type of
change
(landslide,
algal
bloom,
pollution
etc)
Flooded
river
Potential
Cause
(logging,
fertiliser
use, oil
spill)
Forest
clearance
in next
village
How long
it lasted
(hours,
days,
weeks)
14
days
Wildlife
collected
& amount
None
Collection
method
(gun,
crosbow,
snare, etc)
None None
Reason
for NTFP/
Wildlife
collection
(home use,
market)
The field diary method becomes useful when
you compare the results over time (e.g. month
by month or year by year). That way, you can
identify what change is taking place and when,
which will help in identifying the causes. It is
important to store your observations, even if
you think you haven’t seen anything. Often
observing “nothing” is a good indication of what
is happening in the environment! After each
day, put the data into a database (Excel or
something similar), using a different worksheet
for each observation theme (animal, people,
environmental change), adding date, time and
location in separate columns at the start of the
database. After each month you can then tally
your observations and report on them
22 Invasive Species Specialist Group. Nd. Global Invasive Species Database, Record on Golden Apple Snail
(Pomacea canaliculata) [Web: http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=135&fr=1&sts=sss]

2 Village Group Discussion Method:
Village group discussions are very useful in
gathering information on the environment.
They are a vital way selecting areas to monitor.
Village group discussions are useful for
gathering information on environmental impacts
or disturbances, NTFP use and availability,
resource availability trends and the number of
households benefiting from natural resource
harvesting. This information is useful before the
project begins, and for its duration. An example
of the information villagers can supply includes
the changes in the quantity of NTFPs harvested
per effort required to collect them.
Calculating Trends in Catch/Harvest
Per Unit of Effort:
This gives you a good estimate of the type
and amount of a certain natural resource
(e.g. fish, frogs, bamboo shoots) at a certain
period of time. The data is most useful if it is
collected at the same time every three months
each year, as the amount of effort required
to catch or harvest certain natural resources,
such as frogs, will change depending on
the season and time of breeding. This data
can act as an early warning signal of overharvesting
or environmental damage which
could threaten the local communities’ longterm
resource use. The effort needed to
collect a certain resource can be calculated
by measures such as: distance traveled to
collect the NTFP; time spent searching for
certain resources; and/or the amount of traps/
nets set per night.
Source: Biodiversity Monitoring System Manual
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Steps to Undertake Discussions:
• Identify 15 or more community members
among households who can meet every
three months or sooner if necessary. The
group of community members should include
the most experienced indigenous healer and
hunter/forest products gatherers.
• Ensure that both men and women are
represented and that different ages are
represented. It may be necessary to divide
the group into males and females to
encourage open discussion.
• From the members of the group, 4 or 5
motivated individuals should be selected to:
• Take notes during meetings, e.g., a
school teacher or someone with good
reading and writing skills is usually best.
• Gather information (written, drawings,
photographs) from other community
members on changes occurring within
the village area.
• Collate data.
• One, two-hour meeting (2 hours) every
three months will need to be organised
Equipment and staff:
• Two field staff: one to take minutes
and one to facilitate the discussions. Ensure
at least one staff member can speak the
local language, or arrange for an interpreter.
• One field diary booklet (A5 or smaller) per
village.
• Field Guides (Appendix 9).
• Large sheets of paper, for taking notes on.
• Topographic or drawn map of villages and
project site.
• Marking pens.
• Snacks/food.

in each village in which your project
operates. Organise the meeting with the
village Naiban (chief) a week in advance to
ensure villagers attend. Set a time which
is convenient for the participants, and a
venue inside the village. Be flexible, and ask
the village chief to invite you to meetings if
issues affecting your project or resources
such as NTFPs or water allocation are
going to be discussed.
• Devise questions which will assist you in
your monitoring.
Tips on undertaking group discussions:
• Clarify your questions before the meeting.
• If there is a problem or there are negative
remarks, try not to be defensive.
• Encourage everyone to participate and
maintain the discussion as a dialogue.
• Maintain an atmosphere of trust and
cooperate with villagers. Listen to them,
don’t teach them.
• Use open-ended questions such as “what
did the mammal look like?”, don’t use
leading questions such as “was it a
porcupine you saw?”.
Source: Biodiversity Monitoring System Manual
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Some questions to ask:
Since the last meeting/in the last 3 months:
• Has there been any change in the time
and effort needed to collect Xkg of
NTFPs (such as frogs, rattan, wildlife,
medicinal plants)?
• If yes, how much more or less time/
effort?
• Why do you think this has changed?
• Do you still collect NTFPs in the
same area or a different one?
• Are there resources being used now
which weren’t previously? Why?
• How do you harvest NTFPs (e.g. fish)?
Have the methods you use changed?
• Have the numbers of people harvesting
NTFPs, logging or collecting wildlife
changed?
• Have there been any changes in the
quality or quantity of water in
waterways?
• Have there been any problems with
livestock in the area? Have any
livestock been lost?
• Have any of the indicator species
(Appendix 11) been seen?

Other Methods
Walked Transects
Walked transects are a very good way to monitor changes in your
project area, but they can be difficult and time consuming to carry out.
The best way to carry out these transects are before the projects starts,
during project implementation and after the project has been completed.
During the project, surveys should be done every three months.
Walked transects are permanent, marked routes where surveys are
carried out in the same way every time. To make the data gathered
during this time useful, some rules need to be followed. Transects should
be done over the:
• same amount of time (1 km per hour), over the
• same distance (2 or 3 km) using the
• same route as followed previously, during the
• same time of day and year in the
• same way by the same observer (if possible), using the
• same methods/data sheets
Recommended Reading:
More information on undertaking a walked transect
are available in Biodiversity Monitoring System
Manual (see the Resources chapter).
For specific information on surveying NTFPs,
look at Methodology for Collecting Environmental
Information for Supporting Baseline Monitoring
and Evaluation of Project Impacts and Forestry
Resource Centre NTFP Training Manual No.1 (see
the Resources chapter) as these provide information
on assessing NTFPs.
SNV can also provide more advice on collecting
information on NTFPs.
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Case Study 15
Monitoring of
NTFPs and
optimising
productivity
Photo Documentation
This involves taking photos of a certain area to
measure change over time. This means that a
permanent point needs to be found and marked
(for example, by erecting a post with a flat top)
so as a camera can be placed upon it and a
photo taken of the same area (e.g., section
A community-based ecosystem management
project in the western Himalayan district
of Humla, Nepal, aimed to promote the
sustainable use of medicinal and aromatic
plants through creating economic incentives
for local people. Although people in the
region had a lot of experience in collecting
plant products for local and commercial
use, there was no way for them to know if
indigenous harvesting practices were optimal
in terms of productivity and conservation
impact. The project undertook participatory
research to identify the best harvest intervals
and collection methods for four commercially
harvested medicinal plants over a five-year
monitoring period. While the monitoring
period was designed to assess the outcomes
of various harvest intervals, the project
team also developed a rapid assessment
method to find the best harvest interval using
indigenous knowledge from the local people
engaged in the project. The monitoring plan
showed that harvesting patches of certain
plants every five years optimized yields and
maintained the populations of those plants
for future harvesting.
Source: Ojha, H. and Bhattarai, B. (2003) 22
22 Ojha, H. and Bhattarai, B. 2003. Learning to Manage a Complex Resource: A Case of NTFP Assessment in
Nepal. International Forestry Review 5(2), 118-127.

of forest, portion of a stream) every 3, 6 or 12
months. This will show how an area changes
over time, such as how an area you planted
with native trees regrew, or what effect livestock
have had on an area of forest over time.
Re-establishing Natural Areas
If you are finding areas in your project site
which have become degraded due to your
project - for example, livestock have eroded
the side of a river, or an infrastructure project
has caused erosion - you may wish to plant
native plants back in the area (revegetation).
The best approach to revegetation is to plant
local native species. Local native plants are
those that occur naturally in the area and they
are more likely to provide the appropriate food,
shelter and nesting materials for insects, birds
and animals.
Revegetation is undertaken for a number of
reasons, including:
• to establish wildlife habitat
• to establish buffers to protect native forest
• to link patches of isolated forest
• to establish shelterbelts for livestock or crop
protection
• to control run-off and erosion
• to manage problems such as salinity and
waterlogging
• to establish commercial tree plantations
It is much better to preserve existing forest and
manage it well than try to re-establish it after
it has been cleared. If an area is cleared, it is
best to wait between 6 to 12 months to see if
natural regeneration is going to occur as it is
the cheapest and most effective method of reestablishing
areas.
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The key to successful revegetation is good
planning. Your first step should be to decide
on the aim or purpose of your project.
Revegetation projects may have a number
of aims and these will determine which plant
species you decide to select and which
revegetation methods to use. Where possible,
you should try to match your revegetation
efforts to the local landscape. Choose species
that suit the soil type and geography of your
land. For example, you will need to use
different plants if you are revegetating a hillside
compared to a strip of land along a waterway.
Appendix 12 shows 15 plants which are native
to Lao PDR and are ideal for revegetation.
Information on where these plants are found,
what areas they prefer to grow in, their rainfall
and soil preferences, ways to propagate
them, etc, can be found on information sheets
(monographs) put out by NAFRI and the
DANIDA Tree Seed Project. NAFRI operates a
seed bank and will be able to put you in touch
with people who have locally sourced seed
supplies.

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Creating an
Eco-Office
There are many ways for
NGO offices to reduce
both their use of natural
resources and their costs.
A wealth of office audit
and planning tools exist on
the internet to help groups
design an eco-office that
meets their needs.
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118
Creating an Eco-Office
There are many ways for NGO offices to reduce both their
use of natural resources and their costs. Practices that
can be focused on include those that will reduce paper
and energy use, and generation of wastes such as plastic
bags. A wealth of office audit and planning tools exist on
the internet to help groups design an eco-office that meets
their needs. Useful on-line guides produced by Australia’s
National Centre for Sustainability can be sourced through
the Resources chapter). Some of the actions that can be
taken to reduce natural resource use in offices are below.
Energy (equipment)
• Purchase new equipment with high
energy-star efficiency rating (Web:
http://www.energystar.gov.au and
http://www.energyrating.gov.au).
• Switch off computers at night –
standby still uses power.
• Use the power saving function in the
“Display” settings of your computer
(screen savers are no longer
necessary on most computers).
• Use stickers and posters to remind
your staff to save energy.

Energy (heating & cooling)
• Minimise the hours of operation for
heating and air-conditioning systems –
do not leave them on 24-hrs a day.
Ensure all windows and doors are
closed during heating or cooling.
• Use outside conditions where possible
– keeping doors and windows open
can be quite comfortable when the
temperature is between 19-26 degrees.
• Insulate areas to be heated and cooled, and
avoid heating/cooling areas that are rarely
or never used.
• Use fans rather than “power hungry”
air-conditioners where appropriate.
Solar power can reduce
energy costs and
environmental damage
Energy (lighting)
• Turn off lights when they are not
needed. Labelling light switches will
make this easier for staff to switch off
unnecessary lights.
• Replace incandescent globes with
compact fluorescent (energy saving)
globes. These are a little more
expensive but last a lot longer and
use much less energy.
• Place workstations over lit areas, or
similarly, position lights over existing
workstations.
• Consider using light sensors,
especially in outside areas to avoid
leaving lights on overnight.
• Maximise the use of natural light
where possible (open windows, install
skylights).
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Paper
• Use recycled paper for printers, especially
when printing drafts. Although there is not a
great deal in Lao PDR, try to source
recycled paper from Thailand (try a large
shopping centre). Ask local shops to stock
recycled paper.
• Set up duplex printing on computers/
printers as the default option where the
option is available. If you are buying a new
printer, ensure that it can print double-
sided.
• If your printer doesn’t double-side, do it
manually by printing “odd pages” then
turning them over and printing “even
pages”. It takes a little more time but saves
a lot of paper.
• Use the double-sided facility on
photocopiers and make sure staff know
how to use it.
• Actively discourage the unnecessary
printing of e-mails.
• Have a “one use” paper tray next to printers
and on desks.
• Make pads & scrap books from once-used
paper.
• Encourage electronic document storage
and only use hard copies when necessary.
Waste and Recycling
• Implement a recycling system, particularly
for paper. Divide waste into different bins
labelled:
• Plastic Bags
• Plastic Bottles
• Cans
• Paper

In the kitchen:
Energy: Fridges
• Service periodically, particularly the motor
and seals.
• Check temperature settings using a
thermometer. Fridges should be set to
around 3-5 degrees C and freezers set
to -15 to -18 degrees C.
• Defrost when necessary.
• Keep coils at rear clean and clear and
locate fridges away from heaters and direct
sunlight.
Place bins somewhere easily accessible in
your office. Contact Vientiane Capacity
Development Organisation (Ph: 021 244
346) for the collection of plastics and paper.
Alternatively, contact Mr Vomkot (Ph: 021
314 012) or the Asia Paper Mill Factory Co.
Ltd. (Ph: 021 314 961) for paper recycling.
• Recycle or re-fill printer cartridges.
• Recycle electronic equipment (computers,
faxes etc). Try to buy new hard-drives rather
than new computers.
Hot / Boiling Water
• Ensure hot water pipes are properly
insulated. Check that your hot water service
is set to between 50 – 65 degrees C.
• Install AAA-rated shower heads and
aerators on taps – reduced flows translates
to lower heating costs.
• Boil only the water you need for tea and
coffee – use a kettle for small numbers of
people and an urn for larger offices.
• If you have an urn, install a timer, and make
sure it’s turned off over night and on
weekends.
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Other Kitchen Considerations
• Minimise the use of disposable cups and
plates. Buy re-usable cups, plates and
cutlery for meetings and use them for other
meetings.
• Use a compost bin (or even worm farm) for
kitchen scraps.
Transport
Cars
• Avoid the use of cars, as they burn a lot of
fossil fuels. If you have only a short
distance to travel, walk. Alternatively, or to
travel longer distances, use a motorbike as
they require less fuel. The best option is a
bicycle, as it makes you fit as well!
• Where possible, use public transport or car-
pool to travel long distances or when
traveling to and from work.
• Take public buses to field sites, rather than
cars, and ask field staff to collect you from
the station.
Litter
• Dispose of litter, including cigarette butts,
responsibly.
• Stop staff and if possible neighbours
burning plastics and other rubbish. Separate
the rubbish as mentioned in the Waste and
Recycling section. Compost food scraps
and garden waste.

Airplanes
• Flying has one of the greatest effects on climate change and the
use of fossil fuels. Wherever possible use other forms of
transport such as overnight buses and trains.
• Offset your carbon credits. To see what organisations do this, go to:
Web: http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/carbon_offset_wind_credits_
carbon_reduction.htm
Source: National Centre for Sustainability (see the Resources chapter, page xx)
Case Study 16
Implementing
an eco-office
in
Champasak
Province
GAPE (Global Organisation for People and the
Environment) has developed a number of strategies
for maintaining their environmental ideals, both
in the field and in the office. Their office is very
different to other INGO offices in that:
• No air-conditioners are installed.
• They don’t use insecticides or mosquito
coils.
• They don’t use chemicals to clean their
office, just plain soap (or environmentally
friendly chemicals bought from Thailand).
• They compost food scraps in the garden .
• They separate their trash (i.e. cans,
plastics).
• They don’t have a car, but use motorbikes to
visit their field sites.
• Foreign staff have a salary cap of US$1,500
per month, which leaves more budget for
project outcomes.
• Some things which staff are taught:
• Turn off lights when not in use.
• Double side all documents when printing/
copying, or print on recycled paper.
• Don’t buy wildlife in villages and take food
and drink to the field, rather than relying on
food from villages.
Source: GAPE (2006)
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123

Benchmarking
and Measuring
NGO Progress
“
enables
NGOs to monitor how
successfully, at both the “Benchmarking
country level and the project
level, they are integrating
environmental and
conservation objectives

9
126
Benchmarking and
Measuring NGO
Progress
This section outlines the ways NGOs can benchmark their
progress in relation to Chapter 5 (Table 6). Benchmarking
is very important as it enables NGOs to monitor how
successfully, at both the country level and the project
level, they are integrating environmental and conservation
objectives.
Table 6: Benchmarking NGO progress
Benchmark
level
1
Milestones Indicators
High Level Commitment to
Implementing Environmental
Guidelines and Follow On
• Country director/senior
management team adopts
guidelines.
• Staff capacity building strategy
developed and implementation
started.
Create Eco-Offices
• Eco-office policy adopted.
• Eco-audits of major offices
undertaken.
• Eco-office plans adopted and
implemented.
• The number or percentage of staff
aware of the organisation’s adoption
of the environmental guidelines.
• Number and percentage of staff
trained to use the environmental
guidelines.
• Number and percentage of staff
implementing environmental
guidelines.
• The number and percentage of the
organisation’s offices that have
completed an eco-audit.
• Change in paper and energy use.
• Savings generated.

Benchmark
level
Milestones Indicators
2 Country Programs Reviewed to
Consider Lao PDR Conservation
Priorities
• Ecoregion concept integrated
into project plan.
3
• National Protected Areas and
environmentally sensitive areas
maintained and protected along
with other priority areas such as
Important Bird Areas.
Environmental Risk Management
• Environmental management
system developed to enable
systematic screening,
assessment and mitigation of
environmental risks.
• All projects subjected to
environmental risk screening in
both design and implementation
phases.
Country Programs Aligned
• Country sector programs and
project planning aligned with
relevant ecoregion visions and
plans.
• Systematic use of Root Cause
Analysis to identify and focus on
common social and economic
drivers that directly generate
both environmental and
livelihood outcomes.
• MoUs made with conservation
NGOs and government agencies to
protect important habitats within a
specific ecoregion.
• Support given to National Protected
Areas if project is operating in that
area.
• Environmentally sensitive areas
identified and Important Bird Areas
protected. Projects do not
negatively impact those areas.
• Number of specific conservation
and sustainable use plans
developed and implemented for
major NTFPs within the project
area.
• Number of site assessments, or at a
minimum desk top study, completed
to identify key environmental sites
and habitats of key species within
the project area.
• Number of programs that are
aligned with relevant ecoregion
visions and plans.
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128
Benchmark
level
4
Milestones Indicators
Demonstrable Project Benefits
• Project reviews show
intervention resulted in a
sustainable concrete
decrease in pressure on
environmentally sensitive or
important locations and assets
(e.g. threatened or
internationally important native
species)
• The strength of measures put in
place to protect key habitats and
locations.
• Decrease in the rate of habitat loss.

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129

Resources

132
0
Resources
National Policies and Overviews:
Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and Action Plan to 2010.
2004.
2003, Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and Science, Technology and
Environment Agency (STEA). Lao PDR Biodiversity Country Report.
Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, (MAF Lao PDR National Forestry
Strategy, 2020,)
General Environmental Management Guides:
United Nations Environment Program. 2004. Environmental Impact
Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment: Towards an
Integrated Approach.
[Web: http://www.unep.ch/etu/publications/textONUBr.pdf]
Australian Agency for International Development, Canberra. 2003.
Environmental Management Guide for Australia’s Aid Program.
[Web:http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/pubout.cfm?ID=2297_1393_1917_
9648_6600&Type]
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo. 2004.
Guidelines for Environmental and Social Considerations.
[Web: http://www.jica.go.jp/english/about/policy/envi/index.html]
Canadian International Development Agency. 1996.
Manual on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. The Canada Fund
and Mission-Administered Funds.
[Web: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/acdicida.nsf/En/REN-218131251-
PH9]

Technical Resources General:
D.L. Robinson, Macroeconomics for Sustainable Development Program Office
and WWF. Washington DC.
Assessing Root Causes [of Biodiversity Loss]: A User’s Guide.
[Web: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/rcuser.pdf]
E. Dinerstein, G. Powell, D. Olson et al. WWF US, Washington DC. 2000.
A Workbook for Conducting Biological Assessments and Developing
Biodiversity Visions for Ecoregion-Based Conservation. Part 1: Terrestrial
Ecoregions.
R. Abell, M. Thieme, E. Dinerstein and D. Olson. WWF US, Washington
DC. 2002. A Sourcebook for Conducting Biological Assessments and
Developing Biodiversity Visions for Ecoregion Conservation. Volume II:
Freshwater Ecoregions.
G. Borrini-Feyerabend (ed.). IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 1997.
Beyond Fences: Seeking Social Sustainability in Conservation. Volume 1:
A Process Companion.
G. Borrini-Feyerabend (ed.). IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 1997.
Beyond Fences: Seeking Social Sustainability in Conservation. Volume 2:
A Resource Book.
R. Margoluis and N. Salafsky. Island Press, Washington DC. 1998.
Measures of Success: Designing, Managing and Monitoring Conservation
and Development Projects.
Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV). Strategic Environmental
Analysis (SEAN). A planning tool for community based Natural Resource
Management. [Web: http://www.seanplatform.org].
Lao PDR Biodiversity Assessments:
Lao PDR Science, Technology and Environment Agency and Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry. 2003. Biodiversity Profile for Luang Namtha
Province.
A.W. Tordoff, R.J. Timmins, A. Maxwell, H. Keavuth, L. Vuthy and K.E. Hourt
(eds.). WWF. 2005. Biological Assessment of the Lower Mekong Dry
Forests Ecoregion.
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K. Ounekham and S. Inthapatha. Department of Forestry, Birdlife International in
Indochina and the Wildlife Conservation Society Lao Program. 2003. Important
Bird Areas in Lao PDR.
Lao PDR Conservation Plans:
Draft. Lao PDR Science, Technology and Environment Agency. 2004.
Conservation Action Plan for the Saiphou Luong [the “Annamite
Mountains”].
M.C. Baltzer, N. Thi Dao and R.G. Shore (compilers). WWF. 2001.
Towards a Vision for Biodiversity Conservation in the Forests of the Lower
Mekong Ecoregion Complex.
M.C. Baltzer, N. Thi Dao and R.G. Shore (compilers). WWF. 2001.
Towards a Vision for Biodiversity Conservation in the Forests of the Lower
Mekong Ecoregion Complex: Technical Annex.
Invasive Weeds, Pests and Diseases:
Global Compendium of Weeds. A comprehensive list of all plants that have
become known weeds in one or more countries.
[Web: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/biglist.html]
Global Invasive Species Database.
Contains a selection of known invasive weeds, pests and diseases.
[Web: http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/]
Creating Eco-Office Guides:
Green Office Guide and Toolkit.
Produced by Australia’s National Centre for Sustainability.
Web: http://tool.ncsustainability.com.au/public_resources6.html#1]
Green Office Guide: How to start greening your office.
Produced by Egeneration.
[Web: http://www.egeneration.co.uk/centre/modules/green_office/12_getting_
started.asp]
Environmental Communication and Social Marketing:
L. Robinson and A. Glanznig. Humane Society International, Sydney. 2004.
Enabling EcoAction: a handbook for anyone working with the public on
conservation. A good introductory guide to participatory and values based
communications and informal education.
[Web: http://wwf.org.au/publications/enabling_ecoaction/]

Monitoring:
NORDECO and DENR. DENR Manila and NORDECO Copenhagen,1998.
Biodiversity Monitoring System Manual.
D. McKone, P. Phaengsintham. Department of Forestry Lao PDR and IUCN.
Form A (page 33) and Checklist B (page 38). 1996.
Methodology for Collecting Environmental Information for Supporting
Baseline Monitoring and Evaluation of Project Impacts.
B.A. Byers. African Biodiversity Series, No. 4. Washington, D.C. Biodiversity
Support Program. 1996. Forestry Resource Centre NTFP Training Manual
No.1. 2000. (Only in Lao language) Understanding and Influencing.
M. Hedemark. Department of Environment and Conservation/United Nations
Development Program OPS-PNG. 1997. Behaviours in Conservation and
Natural Resource Management. Instruction Manual for Training Local
Observers in Long-Term Biological Monitoring. Lak Conservation Area,
Papua New Guinea.
Further Reading:
Ambler, J. 2000.
Attacking Poverty While Improving the Environment: Towards Win-Win
Policy Options.
Paper produced for the EC/UNDP Poverty and Environment Initiative. UN
Development Program, New York.
[Web: http://www.undp.org/pei/pdfs/PEIPhase1SummaryPaper2.pdf]
Blomley, T. and Franks, P. 2001.
Biodiversity Conservation Within the Context of Decentralised
Governance: Towards Institutional Landscapes.
CARE.
Bouahom, B., Glendinning, A., Nilsson, S. and Victor, M. (eds.). 2005. Poverty
Reduction and Shifting Cultivation Stabilization in the Uplands of Lao PDR:
Technologies, approaches and methods for improving upland livelihoods.
Proceedings of a workshop held in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, January 27-30,
2004. National Agriculture and Forestry Research. Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Buck, L. E., Geisler, C. C. Schelhas, J. and Wollenberg. E. 2001. Biological
Diversity: Balancing Interests Through Adaptive Collaborative
Management.
Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia.
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Franks, P., and Blomley, T. 2004.
Fitting ICD Into a Project Framework: A CARE Perspective.
In: T. O. McShane and M.P. Wells (eds.). Getting Biodiversity Projects
to Work: Towards More Effective Conservation and Development. Columbia
University Press, New York.
Global Invasive Species Programme. 2004.
Tropical Asia Invaded: The Growing Danger of Invasive Alien Species.
GISP, Cape Town, South Africa.
[Web: http://www.gisp.org/publications/invaded/gispAsia.pdf (9MB)]
Hughes, R. and Flintan, F. 2001.
Integrating Conservation and Development Experience: A Review and
Bibliography of the ICDP Literature.
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIIED), London.
Larson, P.S., Freudenberger, M., and Wyckoff-Baird, B. 1998. WWF Integrated
Conservation and Development Projects: Ten Lessons from the field 1985-
1996.
World Wildlife Fund, Washington DC
McShane, T. O. and Wells, M.P. (eds.). 2004. Getting Biodiversity Projects to
Work: Towards More Effective Conservation and Development.
Columbia University Press, New York.
Sayer, J. and Campbell, B. 2004.
The Science of Sustainable Development: Local Livelihoods and the
Global Environment.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
United Nations Development Programme and European Community Poverty
and Environment Initiative reports and papers.
[Web: http://www.undp.org/pei/peppapers.html]
Wollenberg, E., Edmunds, D. and Buck, L. 2000.
Anticipating Change: Scenarios as a tool for adaptive forest management.
Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia.
[Web: http://www.cifor.cgiar.org]
Wood, A., Stedman-Edwards, P. and Mang, J. (eds.). 2000.
The Root Causes of Biodiversity Loss.
Earthscan, London.

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Glossary

140
1
Glossary
Acidification: The process of soils turning more acidic (with a pH less than 7).
Soil which does not have enough calcium or magnesium.
Adaptive Management: A process that integrates project design, management,
and monitoring to provide a framework for testing assumptions, adaptation and
learning. It was originally developed to manage natural resources on a large
scale.
Alien (introduced/exotic/non-native): A species, sub-species or variety
occurring in an area outside its known natural range as a result of intentional or
accidental dispersal by human activities.
Aquaculture: Growing fresh or saltwater fish, shrimp, shellfish or water plants in
special ponds.
Biodiversity: The variety of life forms: the different plants, animals and
microorganisms, the genes they contain, and the ecosystem they form. It is
usually considered at three levels: genetic diversity, species diversity and
ecosystem diversity.
Biological control: Using predatory insects or animals to stop other insects or
animals eating food plants.
Botanical pest control: Plants or parts of plants used to kill insects.
Buffer zone: An area around some area of land that keeps the land separate
and safe.
Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of one kind of animal (including
humans) or plant that an area can contain or support over the long-term or for
an unlimited time.
Closed-system: A chemical or biological system that exchanges no matter
or energy with the outside environment. A system with no unnatural inputs (a
natural input being things such as sun, rain, soil, etc.) and no unnatural outputs.
Compact: To push down on something and make it hard. For example, tractor
tyres compact the ground and can make it too hard for plants to grow.
Companion planting: Growing plants with other plants to enhance growth
and/or keep insects away.
Conceptual Model: A diagram of a set of relationships between certain factors

that are believed to impact or lead to a desired outcome - the foundation of
project design, management and monitoring. It is developed in two stages – an
initial conceptual model and a project conceptual model. It is the first part of a
complete project plan.
Conservation: Doing things to stop Earth’s natural resources from being lost,
wasted or destroyed by the harmful effect of human activities.
Corridor: A narrow or wide piece of land covered with natural vegetation that
joins one area of land with another and allows wildlife to move safely between
them (see Figure 5).
Degradation: To reduce the character or quality of something. Environmental
degradation involves reducing the ability of an area to continue its normal
processes.
Disturbance: To change the usual and natural condition of something.
Diversity: Having many different kinds of things or people in one place.
Ecological: Pertaining to the relationship between living things and their
environment.
Ecologically sustainable use: Actions or projects which do not harm or destroy
the natural balance of life. The ability to leave natural resources undamaged and
the environment in good condition for future generations.
Ecoregion: A large area of land or water that contains a geographically distinct
assemblage of natural communities that:
a) share a large majority of their species and ecological dynamics;
b) share similar environmental conditions and;
c) interact ecologically in ways that are critical for their long term
persistence.
Ecosystem: The relationship among all the living things in an area and the
physical environment in which they live.
Encroachment: To slowly move in and take over more and more of an area.
Environment: The land, seas, air, climate, plants and animals that create
the conditions and surrounds in which people, animals and plants live. The
environment is everything that surrounds us and influences us, including things in
nature (e.g. fish, trees, rain, subtle energies etc.).
Environmental flows: Water released in a waterway, not as a result of direct
runoff, and without the effects of regulation, diversion, or other works of humans.
The natural water regime in a waterway. In a waterway which has been altered,
timed increases in water flow are necessary to maintain fish migration and
spawning and many other natural processes.
Environmental sustainability: Managing and protecting ecosystems to maintain
both their economic productivity and ecological function, maintaining the
diversity of life in both human-managed and natural systems, and protecting the
environment from pollution to maintain the quality of land, air and water.
Environmentally sensitive: An area of the natural environment that is more
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likely to be disturbed than other areas of the natural environment by a given
external process. It is usually easier to disturb or destroy than other areas.
Erosion: The way soil and rock are worn away or carried away by water or wind.
Severe erosion can cause landslides, rock falls and mudslides.
Exploitation: To take and sell something for profit, especially a natural resource.
Exotic species: Plants and animals that people have taken from one place and
put in a new place where they are not usually found.
Fauna: Animal life in a particular region or period.
Fertiliser: A substance that people put on or in soil to get more nutrients to
plants so that they grow better. Organic Fertilisers are made from things that
were once alive. They are made from animal, vegetable and mineral substances.
Chemical Fertilisers (or inorganic) are made up of elements such as nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium, which plants need. However, chemical fertilisers do
not contain nutrients, bacteria and soil-building elements that make soil healthy
as well as fertile. Too much chemical fertiliser can make the soil less fertile.
Flora: Plant life in a particular region or period.
Fodder: Coarse food made up of entire plants or the leaves and stalks of a
cereal crop.
Food Chain: The simplest representation of energy flow in a community.
At the base is energy stored in plants, which are eaten by small organisms,
which in turn are eaten by progressively larger organisms. The food chain is an
oversimplification in that most animals do not eat only one type of organism.
Food Web: All the connected or linked food chains within an ecological
community.
Genetic: The gene is the very small part of every chromosome in every plant,
animal and bacteria. This diversity of this information makes all animals of the
same species different. If the amount of animals and plants in an area is too
small, this diversity is reduced, increasing the susceptibility to local extinction.
Habitat: The place where an animal, plant or insect lives in nature. Habitat
includes all things that a living thing uses to get food, find a mate, make a house
and hide from an enemy.
Harvesting: The gathering of cultured or uncultured natural resources from land
or water.
Herbicide: A poison that kills plants. Some are selective, in that they only kill
certain plants, while others can stop all plant growth. Residual herbicides (e.g.
Agent Orange) stay in the soil and should be avoided. Herbicides can also kill
animals and cause birth defects.
Hydrological cycle: Also known as the Water Cycle. The way that water
becomes a gas and rises to become clouds, then gets cold and falls to the
ground as rain, then becomes a gas again and the cycle continues. The amount
of water on the Earth is always the same. Water evaporates from oceans, seas,
lakes and rivers (as well as plants and animals) and rises up to make clouds.

The water then forms into drops of rain (or fog, snow and hail) as it cools which
goes into rivers, lakes and seas, as well as underground. Many things such as
dams, logging, etc can disrupt this (see Figure 6).
Indicator Species: An animal or plant that is sensitive to change. If the species
usually lives in an area and it suddenly disappears or suddenly appears in
an area where it was not before, then it may be a sign that conditions have
changed.
Integrated pest management: A sustainable approach to managing pests
by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that
minimises economic, health and environmental risks.
Invasive species: An alien species, which colonises natural or semi-natural
ecosystems, is an agent of change, and threatens native biodiversity.
Key species: Species of elevated conservation concern.
Keystone species: A species necessary for the survival of an ecosystem.
Linkages: Connections between the natural environment.
Macro-organisms: The larger living parts of the natural environment, such as
plants, animals and insects.
Micro-organisms: The very small living parts of the natural environment, such
as bacteria and fungi.
Mitigation measure: Any specific action taken to eliminate, reduce or control
the adverse environmental effects of a project.
Monitoring: Identifying and developing information on environmental
components likely to be affected when a project is implemented in order to
compare actual effects to those which were anticipated during environmental
screening. Monitoring provides useful information to judge the environmental
effects of subsequent projects.
Native: Those plants, animals and insects that naturally belong to a place. Also
called indigenous.
Natural resources: Anything that is part of the environment and that people can
use to make things or can sell to make money.
Non-renewable: The things that are gone for a long time once they are
used. Energy from petroleum, natural gas and coal in non-renewable. Natural
resources are generally called renewable but can become non-renewable if the
time they take to regenerate or regrow is longer than our lifetime. Hydroelectricity
is generally renewable energy, but big hydroelectric dams destroy large areas
of forest and farmland and these can not be used again so may be viewed as
non-renewable.
Non-timber forest product (NTFP): A good derived from forests of plant or
animal origin other than timber and firewood.
Overgrazing: A problem caused by having too many plant-eating animals on
land where there is not enough food for them so that the animals eat too many
of the plants and cause the land to be degraded. Overgrazing can cause erosion
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and desertification.
Pesticide: A poisonous chemical used to protect crops, gardens, homes and
people from unwanted insects, animals, bacteria or fungi. There are four groups
of pesticides; organochlorines, organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids.
Pesticides can also kill and harm people. Alternatives include biological control,
botanical pest control, companion planting and integrated pest management.
Pollutants: The harmful effects on the environment caused by human activity,
especially by industry and agriculture. These include dirty, dangerous and/or
poisonous substances that make an area unhealthy.
Poverty line: The level of income below which one cannot afford to buy the
resources one needs to live.
Protected area: A geographically defined area which is designated or regulated
and managed to achieve species conservation aims.
Recyclable: To make something that is no longer useful or wanted into materials
which can be used again.
Regenerate: To make again. Plants can naturally grow again if part of the plant
or their seeds are still present and the environmental conditions are correct.
Regrowth: When a plant regenerates, it makes new growth where it was
damaged or destroyed.
Renewable: Something we can use many times because it will grow again or
because it is part of nature, like the solar energy we gain from the sun.
Revegetate: To replant a cleared area which once had plants on it.
Riparian: All things that are near rivers.
Road kill: Animals which are killed on roads, usually by vehicles.
Salinisation: The build-up of salt in soil or water. This can kill animals and stop
plant growth. Usually caused on agricultural land by underground water bringing
dissolved salts to the top layers of the soil (possibly because irrigation water
raises the underground water level).
Shelter Belts: Trees and/or shrubs planted in rows or groups to provide shelter
and to act as a windbreak to protect crops or livestock.
Silviculture: Growing, planting or caring for trees as a part of forestry.
Species: One of the groups into which scientists divide all living things.
Members of the same species can breed together because they have the same
basic characteristics.
Sustainability: The sustainability of an activity is measured by its ability to leave
natural resources undamaged and the environment in good condition for future
generations.
Sustainable development: Using resources to make peoples lives better
without making things worse for people or other animals or plants in the future.
Sustainable development is distinct from economic development. Sustainable
development needs to be based on renewable resources.
Vegetation: All plants that grow in a place.

Waste Products: Things that people don’t want and they throw away.
Waterlogged soils: Soil that is completely wet and there is no place for air
between the soil particles.
Watershed: A ridge between two different river systems. An area where all
small rivers can go into one big river, also called a catchment or river basin.
Watershed management makes sure that people who live upstream do not take
too much water, or pollute the water, for the people living downstream.
Waterways: All natural channels which carry water, such as creeks, rivers and
streams.
Weeds: Plants growing in a place where they are not wanted.
Wetland: A low area of land that is covered by shallow water and plants for at
least three consecutive months a year. These include swamps, shallow lakes,
marshes, estuaries, bogs and flood plains. Wetlands help stop floods and
provide habitat for a large variety of plants and animals. They are also able to
recharge the groundwater and clean polluted water.
Wildlife: All non-domesticated animals which have a backbone.
Wildlife Corridors: See Corridors.
Figure 5: Three wildlife corridors joining two isolated
natural areas
Source: IUCN (2006)
Source: Adapted from
Lao PDR Biodiversity
Country Report (2003)
and Environment Words,
A Dictionary in Plain
English.
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Figure 6: The hydrological/water cycle
Source: [Web: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/
earth/groundwater/images/groundwater.gif]
Rain and Snow
(Precipitation)
Ground Water
Infiltration
Water Table
Water Vapor
Transpiration
Evaporation
Lakes and Streams

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Appendices

150
2
Appendices
Appendix 1: Training Techniques for Field Staff
and Villages
To make the learning process fun, participative and inspiring, a range
of adult learning techniques and tools are available that use games and
learning by doing. An example of such activities is shown in Table 7.
For villagers, a suggested overall
communication aim should be to firstly highlight
the direct and indirect beneficial link between
protecting local natural areas and important
native species, and securing their livelihoods,
and secondly that NTFPs are finite and will runout
unless carefully managed.
An example of the former is the free service
that native predators give to reduce the
damage done by rats to rice stores and growing
rice. There is therefore a need to secure
habitats for native predators (field staff could
use the WCS poster as an example of the
above process).
Posters show how native
animals can act as an
alternative to chemicals
and trapping to reduce
pests.
Source: WCS (2005)

Table 7: Teaching techniques for adults
Format
Lecture
Lecture/ discussion
Guided Discussion
Small Group Discussion
Case Study
Role Play
Games/ simulations
Skit
Interviews
Brain-Storming
Worksheets/ handouts
Source: Environmental Education: A Training Guide for Practitioners
Recommended Reading
A very useful handbook on environmental
communication and education is Enabling EcoAction:
a handbook for anyone working with the public on
conservation, jointly published by Humane Society
International, WWF and the IUCN. It brings together
useful ideas on social change and promotes a values
driven approach that is participative, communitydriven
and focuses on enabling collective action for
change. See the Resources chapter.
Description
Delivery of information from speaker to group.
Delivery of information from leader involving group
interaction.
Group interaction directed toward goal determined by
leader.
Group interaction with varying levels of leadership and
content focus.
Group solution to identified problem situation.
Acting out “real life” situations in a protected, risk free
environment; no script or rehearsals for the activity.
An extended role-play or structured, experiential activity
with specific roles that allows participants to learn from
their own experience.
Similar to role plays except that all the parts are prescripted
and rehearsed by the participants.
One or more people ask questions of a guest speaker
or a panel of speakers. The questions may not be
predetermined.
A moderator presents a topic and asks for suggestions.
All offerings are recorded, within a time limit. Following the
brainstorming, the suggestions are discussed in detail.
Tasks are explained and completed by individuals or
groups, in writing.
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152
Appendix 2: Links between Poverty and the
Environment
Situation
Best land is used for
export agriculture.
Increased herbicide
and pesticide use
to increase crop
productivity.
Shrinking forest cover
due to logging, fires or
shifting cultivation.
Reduction in nontimber
forest products
(NTFPs).
Fish unable to migrate
upstream due to
barriers.
Source: Adapted from AusAID (2003) 23
Impacts
Marginalisation of the
poor, increased poverty,
environmental degradation,
less natural resources
available.
Pollution of soil and
waterways, reduction in
health of local villagers.
Degradation and reduction
of natural resources.
Deforestation and over-use
of resources.
Reduced fish spawning and
reduced fish numbers.
Strategies
23 Environmental Management Guide for Australia’s Aid Program 2003.
Australian Agency for International Development, Canberra. [Web:
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/pubout.cfm?ID=2297_1393_1917_9648_6600&Type]
Encourage fair distribution
of benefits, promote local
villager participation in
project design and decision
making, ensure any water
and sanitation issues are
addressed.
Provide biological controls,
use organic herbicides and
pesticides.
Implement community
based forest management,
help maintain or establish
protected or spiritual areas.
Help maintain or establish
protected or spiritual areas.
Implement fish ladders,
compensate or support
villages.

Appendix 3: Policies and Laws
for Managing Conservation in
Lao PDR
1 The National Social Economic Development Plan (National Growth
and Poverty Eradication Strategy - NGPES).
For an electronic copy of this document, visit the Lao National
Committee for Energy. Web: http://www.poweringprogress.org/ngpes/
images/NGPES%20document_new.pdf
2 National Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and Action Plan to 2010
(NBSAP).
For an electronic copy of this document, visit:
Web: http://www.biodiv.org/doc/world/la/la-nbsap-01-en.pdf
Biodiversity Action Plan to 2010: Program 7, Objective 1,
Ensure continued and effective international and regional cooperation
with international governmental and non-governmental
organisations in the conservation of biodiversity
• Increase bi-lateral and multi-lateral cooperation,
which is of mutual interest.
• Promote co-operation, share information
and exchange experiences.
• Enhance international collaboration in
research related to biological diversity.
• Ensure that projects and programs related
to the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity are included in the respective
donor portfolios.
• Ensure that impacts on biodiversity are
considered as part of the planning cycles for
internationally supported projects and
programs.
• Ensure that opportunities to increase the
level of technology transfer relevant to
biodiversity conservation are included in
donor programs and projects.
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3 National Forestry Strategy to 2020
Copies can be obtained from:
Secretariat for Forestry Strategy Implementation
Department of Forestry
Attention; Mr. Sousath SAYAKOUNMANE
Phone and fax: 219512
E-mail: sousath@hotmail.com
4 Decree on the Implementation of the
Environmental Protection Law
(2002) Chapter 1, Article 2 (4):
• “All development projects, including state and
private owned, shall have an environmental
impact assessment before the establishment and
operation of those projects. They shall also have
method and protecting or mitigating measures to
protect social and natural environment that can be
approved by the government.”
• “The owners of the development project shall
have an obligation to bear the cost incurred in any
process of environmental impact assessment.”
Chapter 2, Article 7:
• People wishing to conduct Environmental
Impact Assessments (EIA) must be
• An established company under Lao PDR
law.
• Registered in Lao PDR.
• Experienced in EIA evaluation.
• Well known and internationally
established.
• Must not have caused any damage or
negative impacts to the environment.
• Have knowledgeable staff.
• Have sufficient capital, equipment, tools
and vehicles to undertake EIAs.
• Present EIA reports in Lao language.

Appendix 4: WWF’s Global
Priority Ecoregions in Lao PDR
Lao PDR contains four global
priority ecoregions that are
important for global and
national nature conservation
efforts. The location of the
Lower Mekong Dry Forests,
The Greater Annamites
Ecoregion (Saiphou Luang),
The Northern Indochina
Subtropical Moist Forests and
the Mekong River are shown
on the map below.
25 WWF Indochina Program. [Web: http://www.panda.org/asiapacific]
Chapter 5, Article 16:
• Individuals who have caused
disasters or damage to
the environment shall be
responsible to mitigate the
environmental effects and to
restore the environment.
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156
The Lower Mekong Dry Forests
are very important for global
biodiversity conservation and are
internationally recognised for the
variety of large mammals that
inhabit this area. This area contains
the largest remaining tracts of
open, seasonally dry woodlands
in southeast Asia, and spans the
political borders of Cambodia, Lao
PDR and Vietnam. This area is under
serious threat from over exploitation
of flora and fauna, spread of
agriculture and human settlement
and unplanned development.
The Greater Annamites Ecoregion expands
across the long chain of mountains known
as the Annamite Range 25 . This area marks
the eastern boundary of the Lower Mekong
watershed and forms a significant part of
the border between Lao PDR and Vietnam.
The Annamites are critical to the Vietnamese
and Lao cultures and have been identified
as one of the world’s most important regions
for biodiversity conservation. Degradation of
the Annamites watershed impacts directly
on the Mekong River, and the livelihoods of
millions who depend on downstream fishing,
farming and other economic activities along its
floodplains and deltas.

The Mekong River is the largest river in
Southeast Asia and supports one of the most
productive and biologically diverse inland
fisheries in the world. The Mekong starts in the
mountains of Tibet and travels through China,
Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and
Vietnam before reaching the South China Sea.
The variety of habitat provided by the Mekong
River and associated rivers supports between
1,200 to 1,700 different types of fish.
The Northern Indochina Subtropical Moist
Forests are subtropical forests occurring
in mountainous terrain and include a broad
range of habitats from drought-deciduous
savanna woodlands to montane evergreen
forests. These subtropical forests cover parts of
China, Myanmar, Vietnam and Lao PDR. Large
areas of original forests have been converted
to grasslands and savannas due to human
disturbance. The largest protected areas of this
type of habitat are found in Lao PDR.
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158
Appendix 5: Lao PDR network of National
Protected Areas and Important Bird Areas in
Lao PDR
Lao PDR network of
National Protected Areas
A system of protected
areas aimed to
conserve environmental
biodiversity in Lao PDR
is central to the National
Biodiversity Strategy
and Action Plan. The
National Protected
Area system 26 was
established in 1993
through the Prime
Minister’s Decree No.
164 which defines its
three main objectives as:
1. protection of forests, wildlife and water
2. maintenance of natural abundance and
environmental stability
3. protection of natural beauty for leisure and
research
Protected areas in Lao PDR are home to
many villages and communities and protected
area legislation provides for and promotes
sustainable use of the environment by these
communities.
26 Southammakoth S. & Craig I. 2001. Fact sheets: National Bio-diversity Conservation Areas (NBCAs) in Lao
PDR. Vientiane. Lao-Swedish Forestry Program. page145.

Important Bird Areas
(IBA)
In Lao PDR there are
the 27 Important Bird
Areas (IBA) identified
as internationally
important areas for
bird conservation
by the Department
of Forestry, BirdLife
International and the
Wildlife Conservation
Society (WCS) 27 .
These areas cover
over 2.3 million
hectares or 10% of
the total land area of
Lao PDR and at least
6 IBAs are outside the
country’s protected
area system.
Recommended Reading
The following websites give an overview of SEA
and ways to undertake it:
• http://www.sea-info.net/
• http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
aboutus/512398/830672/?version=1&lang=_e
27 Ounekham K. & Inthapatha S. 2003. Important Bird Areas in Lao PDR. Vientiane: Department of Forestry,
BirdLife International in Indochina and WCS Lao Program.
[Web: http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/iba_laos/indexlao.html]
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160
Appendix 6: Stages of Strategic Environmental
Assessment
Screening
Consider the availability of background infomation, as well as the purpose,
objective and indicators for SEA.
Scoping
Design the scope of the environmental report and to what level of detail it
will be examined. Statutory environmental bodies should be consulted.
Assessing Enviromental Effects
Assess the likely effects on the environment of the plan.
Where there are major negative effects as a result of the plan, information
needs to be provided on how these will be reduced, prevented or offset.
Public Consultation on
Environmental Report and Plan or Program
The environmental report is a key output to SAE and should be available for
consultation at the same time as the draft plan. After consultation responses
have been taken into account in the plan.
Monitoring and Remedial Action
Monitor the environmental effects of implementing the plan.
This allows any unforeseen negative effects of the plan to be recognised and dealt
with.Monitoring also enables future predictions to be made more accurately and
provides baseline information for future planning.
(Source: Web: http://www.trl.co.uk/trl_sea/content/main.asp?pid=230,
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/aboutus/512398/830672/832858/?lang=_e.

Appendix 7: Blank Project Cycle form
(Use with Chapter 5)
Step 1: Clarify your group’s Mission
A: Generally, what does your project aim to achieve over the long term?
B: How do you hope to achieve this?
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162
C: What sector will your project be involved in?
D: Who will be your project partners?
Government Agency:
Provincial and District Offices:
Village Names:
Community Leaders:
Donor/s:
NGO/s:
Other:
Water
Infrastructure
Health
Education
Emergency Aid
Tourism
Other
Agriculture and Natural
Resource Management
• Livestock
• Plant and Crop
• Non-timber Forest
Production (NTFP)
• Aquaculture and
Fisheries

Step 2: Design a Conceptual Model Based on
Local Site Conditions
2 A: What existing information do you have about your project site?
2 B: Draw the set of relationships between factors which impact or lead
to your project outcome.
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164
2 C: What do government officials and local communities regard as
threats and opportunities in your project area?
2 D: Are there any Biodiversity Priority Areas in or around your project
site?

Step 3: Develop a Project Management Plan
3 A: What is your project’s long-term goal?
3 B: What are your project’s specific objectives?
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166
3 C: Using the table opposite, identify the activities to be carried out in
order to achieve the objectives.
3 D(1): From your answers in Step 1C, determine which project
sector is related to each activity. Add this to the project sector
column in the table opposite.

C Table 2. Identifying environmental risk and mitigation options for project activities.
Success
Mitigation Measures
(based on Chapter 6)
Risk
Priority
Risk
Level
Likelihood
Level
Maximum
Impact
Level
Sector Activities Project Sector Environmental Risk
(based on Chapter 6)
Environmental Guidelines
Note: If your Risk Level is Serious or higher, you must implement mitigation measures to lower your impact. If mitigation cannot be done, look at changing your activities.
Note: Ensure all of the risks stated above relate to your project activities
167

168
3 D(2): Determine the environmental risk level. Using the list in
Chapter 6, identify environmental risks associated with your
activities .Add this to the environmental risk column of your table.
The mitigations measures can be dealt with later.
3 D(3): Using the Maximum Impact table, consider the potential
environmental risk for each activity. Add this to the Maximum
Impact Column in your table.

3 D(4): Using the likelihood table, determine the likelihood of the
worst case scenario occurring for each activity. Add this to the
Likelihood level column in your table.
3 D(5): Using the scores from the Maximum Impact Column
and the Likelihood Level Column in your table, determine the
corresponding Level of Risk using the Level of Risk Table.
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170
3 D(6): Using the Risk Priority table, determine if the risk is
acceptable or not and add this to the Risk Priority Column (new
column in the table) in your table.
3 D(7): Determine the mitigation measures for the environmental
risk. Using the list in Chapter 6, identify mitigation measures that
will eliminate or minimise the environmental risks associated with
your activities. Add this to the mitigation measures column of your
table.

Step 4: Develop a Project Monitoring Plan
4 A: What groups will be interested in the results of your project and
what information do they require?
4 B: What monitoring strategies will you use?
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Step 5: Implement Project Management and Monitoring Plans
5 A: When will you start and finish your management plan?
5 B: When will you start and finish your monitoring plan?

5 C: How often will you analyse your data (project outcomes and
monitoring results) and communicate your results?
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174
Step 6: Analyse Data and Communicate Results
6 A: For each environmental risk identified (step 3C), have your
mitigation measures been successful? What worked and what didn’t
work?
6 B: Has Monitoring for Environmental change been successful (Step 4
B)? What worked and what didn’t work?

6 C: What practices have you implemented to make your project office
environmentally sound (Step 3 D)?
6 D: Using chapter 9 (Benchmarking and Measuring NGO Progress)
how well is your project integrating environmental and conservation
objectives?
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176
6 E: How have you communicated the results to the project partners you
identified in Step 1 D?
Step 7: Use Results to Adapt and Learn
7 A: How will you adapt your project, based on your mitigation and
monitoring results?

Appendix 8: Project Design Environmental Quick Reference Guide
Table 8: Potential environmental impacts of project sectors in Lao PDR
Climate
Change
Waste &
Pollution
Effects of
Natural
Disasters
Introduction
of Weeds
& Diseases
Air
Quality
Soil
Quality
Water
Quality
Use of Native
Species
Habitat
Quality
Project Design
Agriculture and Natural
Resource Management:
• Livestock
• Plant and Crop
Production
• Non-Timber Forest
Products
• Aquaculture and
Fisheries
Water
Infrastructure
Health
Education
Emergency Aid
Tourism
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178
Appendix 9: Equipment Needed for Monitoring
Environmental Change
Some basic equipment is needed to undertake environmental
monitoring. These include:
• Notebook and pencils
• Binoculars
• Watch
• Compass
• Camera
• Field guides (not absolutely necessary, but very helpful.
These include:
• The Mammals of Thailand and Indochina (published in Thai and
Vietnamese). Parr J. IUCN, WWF, World Bank. Available from
Asia Books in Thailand
• Identification Field Guide for Birds (published in Thai), 2003.
Svengsuka B., Pravongviengkham S., Bounmala S., Ponthalith
C., Phongsa K. and Ounmany S. National University of Lao PDR,
WCS Lao PDR Program, Birdlife International in Indochina.
Available from WCS and some bookshops in Talat Sao
• A Guide to the Birds of Thailand (published in English), 1991.
Lekagul B. and Round P.D.
• Snakes and other Reptiles of Thailand and South-east Asia
(published in English), 1998. Cox M.J., Van Dijk P.P.,
Nabhitabhata J. and Thirakhupt K. Available from Asia Books
in Thailand
• The Mammal Tracks of Thailand (published in Thai and English),
1997. Kanjanavanit O.
• Photographic Guide to the Turtles of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
and Cambodia (published in Thai and English), 2001. Stuart
B.L., Van Dijk P.P. and Hendrie D.B.
• Survey Form: Turtles of Lao PDR. 2006. WWF Laos, Greater
Mekong Program. Available from WWF Laos
• Checklist of Lao Plant Names, 2003. Callaghan M.
Available from Mike Callaghan, Ecolao

Appendix 10.: Indicator Species
English Names
Scientific Name Lao Name
Lao Name Indicator for
SE
A
A (Steep terrain)
DF,EF
ກວາງ
ຟານ
ເຍືອງຜາ
ໝີຄວາຍ/ໝີໝາ
ທະນີ
EF
C,R
ກະຮອກດຳໃຫ່ຍ
ເໝັ້ນ
Kwaang
Faan
Nyuang phaa
Mii khwaay & Mii maa
Thanii keem
Kahook dam nyay
Mean
Cervus unicolor
Muntjiacus sp.
Naemorhedus sumatraensis
Ursus thibetanus and Ursus malayanus
Hylobates sp.
Ratufa bicolor
Hystrix brachyura and Atherurus macrourus
ນົກກົກ/ນົກແກງ
ນົກໃສ່
ນົກເປັດນ້ຳ
ນົກຍາງ
Nok kok nok keeng
Nok xay
Nok pet nam
Nok ngang
Family Bucerotidae
Family Alcedinidae
Family Anatidae
Pavo muticus
LR
LR
UF
UF
ເຮັ້ຍ
ແລະ ແລນ
ກະປອມທົ່ງ
ເຕົ່າຫລວງ
ເຕົ່າຄຳ
Hia and Leeng
Kapom thong
Taw luang
Taw kham
Varanus salvator and Varanus bengalensis
Physignathus cocincinus
Cuora galbinifrons
Cuora trifasciata
UF
UF
ເຕົ່າເພັກ
ເຕົ່າເດືອຍ
Taw peth
Taw dueay
Indotestudo elongata
Manouria impressa
Mammals:
Sambar deer
Muntjak
Serow
Bears (2 species)
Gibbons (5 species)
Giant Squirrel
Porcupine (2 species)
Birds:
Hornbills (5 sprecies)
Kingfishers
Duck (14 species)
Green Peafowl
Reptiles:
Monitors (2 species)
Indochinese Water Dragon
Indochinese Box Turtle
Chinese Three-striped
Box/Golden Turtle
Elongated Tortoise
Impressed Tortoise
Fish:
Java barb
Goonch
ປາປາກ
ປາແຂ້
ປາເຄິງ
ປາຊວຍ
ປາແກງ
Pa Pak
Pa Key
Pa Kung
Pa Soy
Pa Keng
Barbonymus gonionotus
Bagarius yarrelli
Hemibagrus wyckioides
Henicorhynchus siamensis
Cirrhinus molitorella
Siamese mud carp
Mud Carp
Environmental Guidelines
“Note: Fish - Pa Soy, Pa Pak and Pa Keng are migratory species so if there is infrastructure blocking parts of the river then these species be reduced in number over time as they
will not be able to migrate and breed. All the indicator fish species listed are bottom feeders so they will be affected by sedimentation and pollution.”
179

180
Appendix 11: The Cause and Effect of
Environmental Degradation
Water
Algal blooms in
waterways
Reduced
underground
water
Reduced above
ground water
(less water in
rivers, streams
or wetlands)
Aquatic plants
sick and dying
or a change in
the smell, taste
or colour of the
water
Fish or frogs
dying in
waterways
Fish numbers
reduced
Effect Possibly caused by
• Increased nutrients in
the water
• Increased irrigation
from wells
• Increased water use for
personal use or industry
• Increased irrigation
• Increased water used
• Water diverted from
upstream sources
• Pollution from leaking
sewage or waste sites
• Pollution from faecal
contamination
• Pollution from fertiliser
and/or herbicide use
• Poisoning from
pollutants
• Lack of oxygen in the
water
• Increased fishing
pressure
• Reduced fish habitat
• Phosphates in fertilisers leaching into waterway.
• Sewage and grey-water contaminating water.
• Increased demand for water.
• Increased demand for water.
• Increased demand for water.
• Increased demand for water.
• Increased demand for water from upstream users.
• Dams or mini hydro constructed.
• Canals diverting water.
• Broken pipes.
• Direct inflow from the community.
• Waste dumps or inappropriate landfills.
• Livestock waste (grazing alongside waterways).
• Human waste.
• Over use or inappropriate use of fertilisers/
herbicides.
• Phosphates in fertilisers.
• Oil or fuel spills from machinery/industry.
• Sewage and grey-water.
• Chemicals from herbicides and pesticides.
• See Algal Blooms.
• Increased fishing or more effective fishing methods.
• Destructive fishing methods used.
• Fishing occurring during fish breeding season.
• Catching fish which are too small to reproduce.
• Destructive (explosives, poisons, gill nets) fishing
methods used.
• Removal of logs, sticks and other natural debris
from waterway.
• Straightening of rivers or streams.
• Removal of vegetation alongside waterways.
• No conservation zones where fishing is seasonal
or stopped completely.

Soils and Crops
Observation Effect Possibly caused by
Erosion
Landslides and
rock falls
Salinisation
Crops fail
Crops eaten or
damaged by
native animals
Exotic plants
taking over
farmland
Exotic animals
(including
insects)
reducing crop
yields or NTFPs
Desertification
• Removal of plants on
slopes (hillsides), but
also on flat land
• Increased livestock
numbers
• Increased water flow
• Irrigation on
inappropriate soil types
• Over use or long-term
use of irrigation or water
-logging of soils
• Removal of plants on
lowlands
• Depleted nutrients in
soils
• Soils compacted
• Lowered water-table
• Too many soil nutrients
• Increased pest attack
• Misuse of fertilisers
• Native animals using
farm land
• Introduced plants
• Introduced animals
• Reduction of water table
• Logging (legal or illegal).
• Clearing for farming (slash and burnagriculture)
infrastructure or plantations such as rubber.
• Movement of livestock along waterways,
reducing bank stability.
• Removal of plants on steep slopes.
• Climate change.
• Water brings dissolved salts to the topsoil.
• Logging (legal or illegal).
• Clearing for farming.
• Crops rotated too frequently.
• Plantations reduce soil nutrients
(e.g. Eucalypts).
• Heavy machinery used.
• Plantations reduce water table.
• Over use of fertilisers.
• Seasonal or climatic changes.
• Reduced predator numbers (see Forests,
NTFPs and Wildlife Section).
• Fertilisers applied too readily on crops/plants.
• Reduction of natural habitat (especially for large
animals such as elephants) from logging,
encroachment by infrastructure or farms.
• Accidental introduction (from livestock faeces,
livestock feed, farming equipment, vehicles,
people, etc.).
• Intentional introduction (for new crops or grass
species).
• Accidental introduction (from vegetables or
other plants, equipment, vehicles, people, etc.).
• Intentional introduction (animal for biological
controls).
• Increased demands for water from upstream
users.
• Plantations planted upstream.
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182
Forests, NTFPs and Wildlife
Observation Effect Possibly caused by
Reduced NTFPs
(more time/
effort needed to
collect them)
Increased
logging
Increased
wildlife trade
New plants not
seen before
taking over
forests
New animals
(including
insects) taking
over forest
Reduced
predator
numbers
Reduced animal
numbers
• Over harvesting of
NTFPs
• Livestock eating or
trampling NTFPs
• Destruction of forest
close to village
• Increased access to
forests and/or
protected areas
• Increased need/want
for timber
• Increased access to
forests and/or
protected areas
• More effective hunting
methods
• Introduced plants
• Introduced animal
• Increased hunting
pressure
• Reduced amount of
habitat for predators
• Predators poisoned
• Increased hunting
pressure
• Reduced amount of
habitat
• Too many people using/selling resources.
• Livestock densities too high.
• Logging taking place.
• Infrastructure being built.
• Livestock degrading forest.
• Better roads and/or bridges.
• Legal or illegal logging takes place.
• Better roads and/or bridges.
• Use of traps, guns, cross-bows, etc.
• Accidental introduction (from livestock, livestock
feed, equipment, vehicles, people, etc.).
• Intentional introduction (for new crops or grass
species).
• Accidental introduction (from livestock, livestock
feed, equipment, vehicles, people, etc.).
• Intentional introduction (animal for biological
controls).
• Increased need for food or increased wildlife
trade.
• Villagers hunting predators to take revenge for
livestock loss.
• Increased habitat loss from logging, fire,
conversion of forest for infrastructure / farming.
• Intentional poisoning.
• Accidental poisoning of water or the animals it
preys on.
• Increased need for food or increased wildlife
trade.
• Villagers hunting animals to take revenge for
loss of crops or natural resources.
• Increased habitat loss from logging, fire,
conversion of forest for infrastructure or
farming.
• Roads cut off wildlife corridors, stopping wildlife
movement.

Disease
Observation Effect Possibly caused by
Diseases,
sickness or
death rates
increasing in
humans and
other animals
• Pollution from leaking
sewage or waste sites.
• Pollution from faecal
contamination.
• Broken pipes.
• Direct sewage inflow from the community.
• Waste dumps or inappropriate landfills.
• Livestock waste (grazing alongside waterways.
• Human waste.
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Appendix 12: Tree Species Useful for revegetation and Restoration
Use
R, In
Type
Doc.
12
Fur, Pl, H, Mu, Id, N Fix, Fa,Co
Deciduous
Ecology/Climate/Zone
Everywhere
Everywhere
Central, south,
lowland, -500m
Upland areas (800m+)
Central, south,
lowland, -500m
Below 600-700 m, with
distinct dry season
Central, south,
below 400-500m
600m+, north,
Annamite highlands
-500m
Lao Name
ໄມ້ເກດສະໜາ
ເປືອກບົງ
ໄມ້ກະຍຸງ
Lao Name
Mai Ked Sa Na
Phuak Bong
Mai Kha Nhoung
21
Co, Fur, Id
Ai, Co, V, Fur, B, F,Fue
ໄມ້ຈຳປາປ່າ
ໄມ້ແຕ້ຮໍ່
Mai Cham Pa Pah
Mai Te Ho
Species Name
Aquillaria crassna
Persea gamblei
Dalbergia
cochinchinensis
Paramichelia baillonii
Sindora siamensis
33
41
Fur, P, Fl, Co, H, Pl, V,Mc, Mu,
Po, Dye, M, Sd
Co, O, R, M, Rs, B, Pu, Fa, Po
ໄມ້ສັກ
Mai Sak
Tectona grandis
45
Deciduous
ໄມ້ຍາງ
Mai Nhang
Dipterocarpus alatus
23
Co, Fur, Fue,
ໄມ້ແປກສາມໃບ
Mai Paek Sam Bai
Pinus kesiya
35
N fix, Fur, H, Pl, V, Mc, Id, P, Mu,
T, F, H, Fa, Po
Fur, H, Id, Mc, Mu, Co, Po, Rs,
V, Ai
Pu, Co, O, Bf, Ch, Fl, Fur, H, Mu,
B, Ai, Pl, V, Fue, M, Fod, Sc, Dye
Fur, V, Pl, Fl, Mc, Co, Po, Rs, B,
T, M, Rl, O
Fur, Pl, Co, H, V, R
Deciduous
ໄມ້ແຕ້ຂ່າ
Mai Theka
Afzelia xylocarpa
4
Deciduous
-500m
ໄມ້ດູ່
Mai Dou
Pterocarpus
macrocarpus
Gmelina arborea
36
-500m
ໄມ້ຊໍ
Mai So
26
Central, south,
lowland, -500m
Central, south,
lowland, -500m
-500m
ໄມ້ແຄນເຮືອ
Mai Khaen Heua
Hopea odorata
27
Evergreen
ໄມ້ບາກ
Mai Bak
Anisoptera costata
10
Fur, Pl, H, Mu, Mc, Id, Fl, Id, Co,
Po
Co, Po, Fur, B, Rs, H, Dye, M, F
ໄມ້ຍົມຫີນ
Mai Nhom Hin
Chukrasia tabularis
20
-500m
ໄມ້ແດງ
Mai Daeng
Xylia xylocarpa
49

Ai Agricultural implements
B Boats
Bf Bee forage
Ch Charcoal
Co Construction, timber
D Drink
Dye Dye
F Food
Fa Fallow soil improvement
Fb Firebreak
Fe Fence posts
Fl Flooring
Fod Fodder
Fue Fuel wood
Fur Furniture
G Green manure
Gum Gum
H = Handicraft or carving
I = Insecticide
Id = Interior decorating
Lf Living fence
M Medicine
Mc Marine construction
Mu Musical instruments
Mush Mushroom culture
N fix Nitrogen fixing
O Ornamental or shade tree
P Parquet
Pac Packing cases
Pb Particle board
Pl Plywood
Po Poles
Pois Poison
Pu Pulp
R Resin
Rc Railway carriages
Rl Reclaiming degraded land
Rs Railway sleepers
S Soap
Sc Silkworm culture
Sd Ship decks
Ss Slingshot ammunition
T Tannin
V Veneer
Wb Wind break
Environmental Guidelines
185

186
Acronyms
DANIDA Danish International Development Agency
DSC District Steering Committee
ICD Integrated Conservation and Development
IUCN International Union for Conservation and Nature
(or the World Conservation Union)
Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic
NAFRI National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute
NGO/INGO Non-Government Organisation/
International Non-Government Organisation
NTFP Non-Timber Forest Product
PVP Participatory Village Planning
VDC Village Development Committee
WCS World Conservation Society
WWF World Wide Fund for Nature
NBSAP National Biodiversity to 2020 Action Plan
NGPES National Growth and Poverty Emergency Strategy
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment
WFP World Food Program
NPA National Protected Area
IBA Important Bird Area
AusAID Australian Government Overseas Aid Program
IPM Integrated Pest Management
FCZ Fish Conservation Zone
GAPE Global Organisation for People and The Environment
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
GDP Gross Domestic Product
XEFOR Xekong Sustainable Forestry Project (WWF Project)
UNDP United Nations Development Program
CPD Conservation Projects with Development
ICD Integrated Conservation Development
DPC Development Projects with Conservation

Inside Back Cover