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Saturday, February 7, 2026
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Laos Partners with European Union for New Forest Conservation Project

This Week

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Laos, and the European Union have launched a EUR 1.6 million (nearly USD 1.9 million) forest protection project, titled Guardians of Lao Nature: Protecting Nature, Empowering Communities. 

The three-year initiative aims to enhance conservation efforts while strengthening the role of local communities in managing natural resources.

The project focuses on improving the management of protected areas by encouraging collaboration between government agencies, civil society organizations, and communities living near these conservation zones. 

It builds on the success of the Ecosystem Conservation through Integrated Landscape Management in Laos (ECILL) program and centers around the Forest Development Village model. This model enables villagers to work directly with protected area and wetland authorities to protect forests, wildlife, and wetlands.

Laos faces persistent forest degradation, with data from the 2018 National Forest Survey showing a decline in forest cover at an average rate of 0.36 percent per year. The main causes of this decline are agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, unsustainable logging, and shifting cultivation practices.

The initiative will focus on Nam Et–Phou Louey National Park, Borikhamsay, and Savannakhet provinces from 2025 to 2028. WCS and the Department of Forestry will collaborate with local stakeholders to improve forest management planning at the village level, strengthen civil society networks, and ensure long-term, sustainable conservation.

By connecting conservation efforts with local livelihoods and governance, the project seeks to reduce pressure on Laos’ forests and raise awareness of their economic and environmental importance for future generations.

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