According to the decrees, which are now available in the Lao National Gazette, the decision to establish the two parks is in line with the National Green Growth Strategy, which the government endorsed in January. The government believes the parks will enable researchers to use the areas as an outdoor classroom to study the relationship between biodiversity in the parks and the protection of nature. In addition, the government wants to use the parks as visitor attractions. This will create jobs and income opportunities for people who live in surrounding areas. According to the decrees, the Nam Et–Phou Louey Park comprises 414 hectares and lies within Huaphan and Xieng Khuang provinces. The Nakai-Nam Theun Park consists of 427 hectares and is situated in Khammuan and Borikhamxay provinces. The decrees authorise the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to supervise the administration of the parks, with the funding for this to come from different sectors. These include the government’s own budget, and money sourced from international organisations and development projects that are stakeholders in the parks. The decree also authorises the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to set up an administration team comprising both public and private sectors. According to information from the Nam Theun 2 hydropower scheme, the project will allocate US$1 million a year to finance the protection of the Nakai Nam Theun Park. The park serves as a source of water for the Nam Theun 2 dam. Under the National Socio-Economic Development Plan for 2019, the government plans to create the Nam Et–Phou Louey Park and Nakai Nam Theun Park as models that other parks in Laos can refer to the conservation of the parks and their usage as tourist sites will help the government to maintain economic growth and protect natural resources sustainably. Over the past few decades, economic growth has been based on the exploitation of natural resources, which economists view as being an unsustainable development policy. The government has now endorsed the National Green Growth Strategy, which aims to keep development on a sustainable path. Tourism is seen as being one of the key drivers of green growth. (Access from Vientiane Time)
by Ekaphone Phouthonesy
