Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) is the solution to reduce illegal logging. Copyright: GIZ/Bart Verweij

Iconic EEA Outreach Bus bringing environmental edutainment to rural communities throughout Laos. Copyright: GIZ

Karst cliffs, several hundred meters high, are a striking feature of Hin Nam No’s landscape. Copyright: Ryan Deboodt

Karst landscape of Hin Nam No National Park, Khammouane Province, Laos. Copyright: Ryan Deboodt

Local people sustainably harvest Non-Timber-Forest-Products in the Controlled Use Zone of Hin Nam No. Copyright: GIZ/Lucas Wahl

A high-level passage connected to Xe Bang Fai Cave's main passage, Hin Nam No. Copyright: Ryan Deboodt

Based on a multi-stakeholder approach, we work together to improve the regulatory and institutional framework for the conservation and the sustainable use of forests and biodiversity in Laos.

The project “Protection and Sustainable Use of Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity (ProFEB) is promoting innovative solutions for the sustainable use of forest and the protection of biodiversity under 4 Outputs:

Under Output 1 the Government of Laos is negotiating a partnership agreement with the EU on forest law enforcement, governance and trade (FLEGT). The agreement sets out the legal obligations and the measures to be taken by both parties to combat illegal logging and improve governance in the forestry sector.

Under Output 2 and 4 collaborative management and sustainable development of Hin Nam No National Park in Central Laos is strengthened. This includes supporting for Green Listing and nomination of the park as part of South-East Asia’s first ever natural transboundary World Heritage site, in partnership with Vietnam. It also includes upscaling collaborative management as a model for protected area management in Laos, and fostering intersectoralcollaboration on combatting illegal wildlife trade.

Under Output 3 we create an Environmental Education and Awareness (EEA) quality standard for Laos in order to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaborations on EEA in Laos

The project promotes inclusive multi-stakeholder processes for the sustainable use of forest resources and the protection of biodiversity in:

• setting up better framework conditions for the implementation of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade – Voluntary Partnership Agreement (FLEGT-VPA) between Laos and the EU.
• strengthening collaboration, technical and administrative capacities for the transboundary World Heritage nomination of Hin Nam No National Park of Laos in partnership with Vietnam
• supporting the establishment of the Environmental Education and Awareness Laos (EEAL) Alliance and developing the requisite capacities for carrying out effective environmental education and awareness measures of its members.
• improving the cooperation between the Lao Government, ODA partners and local people for combatting effectively illegal wildlife trade.

• The Voluntary Partnership Agreement negotiations between the EU and the Lao Government are well advanced. Cooperation structures have been established between the ministries involved, which are used for participatory steering of the processes. Active involvement of the private sector and civil society is facilitated by the Lao authorities. Great progress has been made with respect to the development of the legal prerequisite such as the timber legality definitions.
• The protected area Hin Nam No was recently designated as national park. The Nomination of the park as part of a transboundary natural World Heritage site together with Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam is well underway. All required baseline studies have been completed and the technical chapters of the nomination dossier are finalised. To bring the management of the Lao side of the future World Heritage site up to an international standard, Laos has initiated the Green Listing-process of Hin Nam No, leveraging on the collaborative management model which has successfully been piloted in Hin Nam No since 2014.
• Through the introduction of environmental communication structures and processes at national and local levels, in coordination with cooperation partners, ProFEB has improved media coverage on environmental issues along with the implementation of the National Strategy on Environmental and Climate Change Education and Awareness (NSECEA). In an exemplary cooperation arrangement, local civil society, academic and government agencies are jointly implementing environmental education measures.

Hin Nam No is Laos’ third National Park!

The project “Protection and Sustainable Use of Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity (ProFEB), supported by the BMZ, aims at providing innovative solutions for the sustainable use of forest and the protection of biodiversity.  With the project’s support, Hin Nam No Protected Area has successfully been upgraded to a national park in January 2020 by prime ministerial decree and is acclaimed for its outstanding biodiversity and geological features. This endorsement is a major pillar for a successful nomination of Hin Nam No as a transboundary extension to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park of Vietnam.  If the nomination proves to be successful, Hin Nam No and Phong Nha-Ke Bang will become the first transboundary natural World Heritage site in Southeast Asia.

“I am very happy that Hin Nam No has now become a National Park! Being a National Park, this would protect the best of our natural heritage, our stunning landscapes, extraordinary wildlife and forests. The declaration of the area as a UNESCO World Heritage site will give an additional major impetus for developing nature tourism or ecotourism in Khammouane, with the potential to raise income for the population, while supporting women in particular.” Said Mr. Khamkeo Latthayord, Hin Nam No National Park Director.