Story | 14 Jul, 2016
Rising illegal wildlife trade threatens natural World Heritage sites, warns IUCN
The rise in demand for products derived from animals and plants, such as elephant tusks or precious wood, is causing an increase in illegal logging and poaching in natural World Heritage sites. The World Heritage Committee, which holds its annual meeting this week in Istanbul, today discussed…
Story | 14 Jul, 2016
New plant survey finds unique flora in karst hills of southeast Cambodia
In June, a team led by American botanist Andrew McDonald set out into the karst hills of southeast Cambodia to survey the rare and endemic plants that grow in this unique environment. The team has already identified at least one plant species previously unknown to science belonging to the…
Story | 14 Jul, 2016
The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and IUCN Thailand are inviting representatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to participate in a training course on “Project development, proposal writing and effective project implementation for biodiversity conservation in Thailand”.
Story | 13 Jul, 2016
Forest conservation in Quang Tri: what can be done?
In Quang Tri province, Viet Nam, not far from the Lao border, one side of the valley is a nature reserve, and on the other a 130-hectare community-managed forest. The community forest looks in reasonably good condition, with no clearing and not much bamboo re-growth. When asked, the village…
Story | 13 Jul, 2016
A collective voice: helping farmers become communicators
The expression “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” or the equivalent in Vietnamese “Con khóc mẹ mới cho bú” (the mother breast-feeds the baby only when it cries) reflect the belief that to get attention you have to raise your voice. Farmers in Vietnam often say they lack sufficient capital,…
Story | 12 Jul, 2016
DNA surveys offer hope to Viet Nam's Critically Endangered turtles
Advanced environmental DNA techniques are being used extensively in Viet Nam as researchers continue in their efforts to track down selected species of Critically Endangered reptiles. The methods have been successful in detecting the rare cave salamander (Proteus anguinus) in Montenegro, a…
Story | 12 Jul, 2016
Tackling Ha Long Bay’s polystyrene plague
From a distance, the scattered beaches of Vietnam’s iconic Ha Long Bay appear pristine. But as you get closer you realize that the picturesque World Heritage Site is engaged in a battle to prevent itself from drowning in trash.
Story | 10 Jul, 2016
Flooded forest fires: a major threat to the Tonle Sap
The Tonle Sap is described by Cambodians as the heart of their culture and national economy. Globally, it is known as the heart of Cambodia’s freshwater fisheries, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and one of the most productive wetland areas in the world. The flooded forests and…
Story | 08 Jul, 2016
Drought and illegal fishing in Balot: addressing new challenges
In late June, IUCN met the Balot community protected area (CPA) committee (located in the Boeung Chhmar Ramsar site) to discuss progress with the EU-funded IUCN/FACT project to strengthen community fisheries in three sites in the Tonle Sap. The meeting raised two new challenges: extreme weather…
Story | 07 Jul, 2016
Thai communities share lessons about agricultural and water management practices
Keeping the balance between development and conservation can be a challenge in highly urbanised areas such as Bangkok and nearby provinces. In June, IUCN organised a study visit for community members from Bang Kachao, an area just South of Bangkok, Thailand, to build their capacity on…