Blog | 14 Jul, 2017
Blog: Restoring forests for the future of Himalayan mountain communities
Driving along the winding hill roads of the Indian state of Uttarakhand from Dehra Dun to Pithoragarh, one cannot fail to be impressed by the magnificent Himalayan scenery. The forests and mountains of the Himalayas have been tremendous assets to Uttarakhand, shaping the daily life and…
Story | 30 Jun, 2017
Advancing Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction into Sustainable Development
Ecosystems Protecting Infrastructure and Community (EPIC), funded by the German government’s BMU’s International Climate Initiative (ICI), aims to document the role of – and improve – ecosystem management for disaster risk reduction (DRR). This concept is also referred to as Ecosystem-based…
Story | 26 Jun, 2017
New tools to assess vulnerability of wetlands in the Mekong
From June 19 to 21, IUCN staff, partners, and local officials from the Xe Champhone and Beung Kiat Ngong Ramsar sites in Lao PDR gathered in Champhone District for a training on the use of a new series of tools to assess the vulnerability of the areas’ wetlands. The…
Story | 01 Jun, 2017
Towards a solid ‘Mediterranean Wetlands Alliance’
After a first workshop held in October 2016, in which participants discussed the potential need, added value and main focus of the creation of a possible Mediterranean Wetlands Alliance. Malaga is hosting the second Mediterranean Wetlands Alliance Meeting on June 1st, 2017.
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 | 29 May, 2017
IUCN Pakistan under its Mangroves for the Future (MFF) Programme organized a two-day training workshop and seminar in collaboration with HEJ/ International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) on "Eco-Disaster Risk Reduction and Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change from 24…
Story | 22 May, 2017
Tapping into sustainable tourism to safeguard biodiversity
As the sun rises and the flooded forests of Cambodia’s Stung Seng wildlife sanctuary come alive with the chattering and whooping of endangered monkeys with their elegant silvery-grey fur, fishermen from the Phat Sanday commune make their way towards the lake to set their nets for the day.
Story | 16 May, 2017
Conserving wetlands in Myanmar: Gulf of Mottama is Myanmar’s fourth Ramsar site
Myanmar is home to an extraordinary diversity of wetlands, which include mountainous wetlands; large freshwater marshes and lakes; and coastal mangroves, mudflats and coral reefs. These ecosystems support fisheries, provide clean water, store carbon and protect local people from the impacts of…
Story | 04 May, 2017
Working together to build MPAs for long-term marine resources management
Our oceans, coasts and wetlands are crucial for our survival. Mangrove forests, for example, sequester massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and protect coastal communities from cyclone storm surges, while coastal wetlands and coral reefs provide breeding and nesting grounds for…
Story | 12 Apr, 2017
What are mangroves worth? There’s no easy answer
Our existence depends on flows of goods and services delivered by a stock of natural resources – our ‘natural’ capital. But as we have degraded the planet’s ecosystems, we’ve lost huge stocks of this natural capital and we are starting to feel the pinch.