Mekong - U.S. Partnership
LMI Monthly News Feed – September 2013
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APEC Stakeholders Highlight Importance of NGOs in Combating Illicit Trade
From September 23-25, anti-corruption authorities, law enforcement agencies, private sector organizations and NGOs met in Bangkok, Thailand for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Pathfinder Dialogue with ASEAN (Association of South East Asia Nations) and the Pacific Islands Forum Partners on Corruption and Illicit Trade. The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to network and discussed…
Fighting Forest Degradation through Watershed Reforestation in Thailand
On September 21, the USAID-funded the Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) program partnered with the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden and other Thai organizations to plant 15 native species of 5,000 trees on a degraded hillside that was threatening the water supply within the Mae Sa-Kog Ma, a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve near Chiang Mai…
USAID’s PEER Program Looking for Researchers in LMI Countries
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is exploring new opportunities to use science and technology to meet the world’s development challenges. As part of its science and technology strategy, USAID is supporting various mechanisms to leverage the investments that other U.S. government agencies make in scientific research and training. In this context, USAID,…
Ensuring Gender Equality in Climate Change and REDD+ in Lao PDR
From September 9-13, the USAID-funded Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (LEAF) program, in partnership with Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (WOCAN) and the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) carried out the first training in a regional series to provide state forestry agencies and women constituencies with guidelines and…
Senior U.S. Official Pledges USG Support for Wildlife Law Enforcement
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, William Brownfield who heads the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) paid a visit to ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) and the Thai Government on September 9, 2013 and gave clear and strong support for counter wildlife poaching and trafficking initiatives in Southeast Asia, including those developed under…
ASEAN Youth Volunteers Supporting Conservation Efforts in Malaysia
The ASEAN Youth Volunteer Program (AYVP), jointly funded by ASEAN and the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID/RDMA), was officially launched on August 12. The five-week program is providing 100 volunteers with experience in knowledge driven volunteerism and community engagement while developing ASEAN awareness and regional identity. The inaugural program focuses on the theme of environmental conservation.…
Survey Identifies Wildlife Crime Offenders in Vietnam
Since April 2013, Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), a partner of the USAID-funded Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking (ARREST) Program, has surveyed 550 business establishments in Hanoi and found more than 80 violations of wildlife protection laws. During August 19-23, ENV surveyed an additional 233 businesses and found 13 offenses. Most violations were identified…
NEWS: Thailand Launches Elite Wildlife Ranger Team
BANGKOK: Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) launched an elite environmental enforcement unit this week that is currently undergoing specialized training to tackle wildlife poachers and traffickers nationwide. The special unit, called "King Tigers", was developed and is being trained by DNP in collaboration with the United States-sponsored "ARREST" Program. The new…
Supporting Vietnam’s National REDD+ Fund
With support from the USAID-funded LEAF program, the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) organized a national consultation workshop in Hanoi on August 27 to discuss the establishment of a National REDD+ Fund. Over 70 participants representing government departments, international donors and provinces implementing REDD+ discussed the design of a proposed National Fund, including aspects related…
Building Regional Capacity of Future Climate Change Leaders
From August 5-16, 2013, LEAF, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, held a two-week regional Climate Change Curriculum Development Training Workshop in Bangkok. Professors from 12 Southeast Asian universities and three U.S. universities tested collaboratively-developed climate change modules and teaching materials for basic climate change, land use planning, forest carbon measurement and monitoring, and…
LEAF Climate Change Curriculum Development Workshop
The Lowering Emissions in Asian’s Forests (LEAF) program is working with universities across the region to create climate change curriculum in REDD+ and related climate change fields. The US Forest Service (USFS) works with LEAF to provide strategic technical support by engaging a team of US forestry education specialists and academics to work with universities…
