The Project Area is over 166,000 ha of forest

• complex mosaic of Deciduous, Semi-evergreen, Evergreen and Bamboo forests
• diverse landscape rising from 60 m to 750 m in altitude

It is located within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and contains two important eco-regions:

• Annamite Range Moist Forests
  • high levels of local endemism among Evergreen forest species
• Lower Mekong Dry Forests
  • crucial for the survival of many species typically found in lowland deciduous forests

Prior to the Project

The forests and their species and the communities that rely on them were under substantial threat of deforestation and degradation:

• conservation management was severely constrained by insufficient, irregular and declining funding
• competition with other land-uses
• Deforestation rates and logging were increasing
• Species were being lost (e.g. Tiger) or suffering population declines

This project generates an array of sustainability outcomes, beyond just carbon not being released from the project area’s carbon stocks

Preserved forest areas provide the basic needs and traditional cultural identity for over 2,500 households (about 12,500 people)

Part of the Bunong people’s ancestral homeland, the forest is a key source of income and central to their spiritual beliefs

It strengthens tenure rights and reduces landlessness of Seima forest communities, through legal and planning support for

• indigenous communal land titling
• participatory land-use planning
• land-use agreements

Sustained investment in supporting land titling for all indigenous communities protects their livelihoods and land rights, forming a strong basis for cooperation

Project’s Approach

A holistic approach with 4 direct interventions:

• strengthening legal mechanisms and political support
• direct law enforcement
• strengthening community natural resource management
• developing alternative livelihoods

Effective law enforcement is essential, underpinning all other activities.

Unplanned deforestation of culturally significant forest is prevented with ongoing patrolling reducing

• illegal land conversion
• logging
• unsustainable non-timber forest product harvesting

This patrolling reduces the loss, degradation, or disturbance of ecologically functional habitats

Patrolling has also reduced wildlife poaching and removed thousands of snares responsible for indiscriminate killing of numerous species of global conservation concern

Biodiversity

The project area is habitat for 41 globally threatened vertebrate species (4 critically endangered and 14 endangered) and 11 plant species.

It contains globally or regionally outstanding populations of Asian Elephants (over 100 individuals), primates, wild cattle, carnivores and birds like the Giant Ibis and Green Peafowl.

Considered of high importance for long-term Tiger reintroduction, the project area only recently, prior to the project, lost Tigers from the area.

Community

The project supports alternative livelihoods by providing income generation and skill development opportunities:

• literacy and numeracy education for increased off farm options
• establishment of the Jahoo Gibbon Camp ecotourism enterprise
• community savings groups
• market garden development.

Agricultural extension and infrastructure support plus extensive enhanced agricultural and livestock productivity training increases food security and incomes.

Want to know more about this Project?

Information about the project has been sourced from the publicly available documents provided here:

https://registry.verra.org/app/projectDetail/VCS/1650

All images are either representative stock images, images supplied by the project, or sourced from the Verra VCS Project Database