Effective Implementation of Payments for Environmental Services in Lao PDR Research Reports ISSN 2202-7432 THE ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE NAM MOUANE – NAM GNOUANG CATCHMENT Research Report No. 5 October 2014 Xiong Tsechalicha1, Yiakhang Pangxang2, Saysamone Phoyduangsy3 & Phouphet Kyophilavong4 The project ‘Effective Implementation of Payments for Environmental Services in Lao PDR’ is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The reports produced within this project are published by the Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University, Canberra, 0200 Australia. The reports present work in progress being undertaken by the project team. The views and interpretations expressed in these reports are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to any organization associated with the project. Because these reports present the results of work in progress, they should not be reproduced in part or in whole without the authorization of the Australian Project Leader, Professor Jeff Bennett (
[email protected]). 1Centre for Environmental Economics & Policy, University of Western Australia 2,3,4Faculty of Economics and Business Management, National University of Laos Abstract The main objective of this Research Report is to overview the environmental, economic and social condition of the Nam Mouane – Nam Gnouang catchment. This Research Report identifies threats to forest wildlife and forest cover arising from current management practices and suggests possible management actions to achieve environmental improvements. These include reducing the expansion of shifting cultivation into undisturbed forests by improving agricultural productivity of slash-and- burned; reducing poaching/ hunting of forest wildlife through increased patrolling and the collection of snares.