Story | 30 May, 2017
Tanguar Haor: A wetland in the hands of the people
After almost a century of exclusive ownership by wealthy elites, Tanguar Haor is finally back in the hands of the people who rely on it. A 10-year initiative of the government of Bangladesh, supported by IUCN and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, has recently drawn to a close.…
Story | 25 May, 2017
International Day for Biodiversity: Nature-based tourism integrated plan needed for Bangladesh
A well-managed ecosystem provides an important foundation for many aspects of tourism. Tourism revenue, in turn, can contribute to the maintenance, protection and conservation of key wildlife populations – which is why the theme of this year’s International Day of Biodiversity (IDB), announced…
Story | 21 May, 2017
Banning vs. legalise and regulate in forest management
Two years ago, on a field survey in Bac Kan Province in Viet Nam, we heard about a farmer who needed 30 stamps to get a permit to harvest a single Styrax tonkinensis tree that was growing on his land. Even though the tree was on land that was designated as plantation forest and the farmer had a…
Blog | 05 Apr, 2017
Blog: Tanguar Haor − The Beginning of a New Era
From 2006 to 2016, the Government of Bangladesh, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and IUCN, has managed Tanguar Haor, a Ramsar site, together with local communities. Just recently, the government has decided to continue to support the co-…
Story | 05 Apr, 2017
CEPF launches two new calls for proposals in Indo-Burma hotspot
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) has launched a call for proposals for projects in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Viet Nam and parts of Southern China. A separate call for proposals for projects in Myanmar has also been issued simultaneously.
Press release | 03 Apr, 2017
Enhancing regional cooperation to protect and restore Indo-Burma wetlands
The importance of regional cooperation took centre stage at the first Steering Committee meeting and inception workshop for the Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI), held on 29 and 30 March in Bangkok, Thailand.
Story | 27 Feb, 2017
Local communities empowered to protect nature in Viet Nam
Da Nang City, the third largest city in Viet Nam, is taking important initiatives to protect nature. Known as the most livable city in Viet Nam, Da Nang is remarkable not only for its policy to become an environmental city by 2020 but also for the fact that its local communities also take a …
Story | 02 Feb, 2017
On the occasion of World Wetlands Day on February 2, IUCN is announcing the launch of a regional project to enhance the resilience of wetlands in Lower Mekong countries. Funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation,…
Story | 02 Feb, 2017
MFF/FAO joint report: New low-cost mechanism for investing in mangrove protection and restoration
Mangroves for the Future (MFF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have designed a new low-cost mechanism that enables investors to promote mangrove conservation and restoration through provision of funding to local communities.
Story | 19 Jan, 2017
Viet Nam’s forestry policies and business models
A new report explores the results of Viet Nam’s policies on protecting and restoring forests, with a special focus on the country’s efforts to implement sustainable forestry models.