Forests and Livelihoods in Laos

Protecting Forests, Protecting Livelihoods in Laos

In Laos, located in the interior of the Indochina Peninsula, recent economic development projects have led to deforestation, threatening the livelihood of rural people who depend on the blessings of nature. Earth Tree supports the independence of Laotian villagers through the activities of JVC (Japan International Volunteer Center) because we share their attitude of “not giving what is lacking, but thinking together about how we can make it”.

JVC’s goal
To enable villagers appropriately manage and use their common resources.

JVC supports the self-reliance of rural villagers in Sekong Province so that they can assess the value of their village’s common natural resources (forests, land, rivers, etc.) and to address unjust expropriation by foreign countries.

Earth Tree’s Goal
To share with Japanese society the knowledge and expreience obtained from the villagers’ sustainable “life without deprivation”.

We learn about the challenges that “development” poses to developing countries and the connections with our consumer lifestyles. Together we think about them as common global issues.

Activities by JVC in Laos
To enable villagers to independently manage and use natural resources

Support for determining village boundaries, mapping, and registering with the government

Assisting in the demarcation and mapping of village boundaries and their registration with the administration. Providing training to residents and administrators on residents’ rights to natural resources.

Introduction of a Common Resource Management System

JVC establishes community forests and fish protection areas as required by each village and cooperate to create rules for their use.

Advocacy activities

JVC makes recommendations to the relevant administrative agencies, such as presenting best practice examples of common resource management and calling for improvements to be made to development projects that go too far.

Activities of Earth Tree

i. Through debriefing sessions and newsletters, we disseminate what is happening in Laos and JVC’s activities.

ii. EarthTree holds workshops at schools and communities to learn about the connection between the destruction of the natural environment in Laos and our lives in Japan, and to think about it as our own.

iii. With an eye on forest issues in Japan and global environmental issues, we will organize study sessions and lectures, while networking with other organizations related to forest conservation and satoyama, and conducting field work such as walking in nearby forests.

Local Partner

JVC, Japan International Volunteer Center (https://ngo-jvc.net)

Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) was established in 1980 to provide relief to refugees in Indochina and is an international cooperation NGO that has been providing support in 10 countries and regions in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. JVC provides training and other learning opportunities for people living in rural areas that are exposed to rapid change so that they can improve their lives by utilizing local resources and wisdom.

In 2022, JVC moved its activities to the southern province of Sekong and started a new project focusing on activities related to common resources such as land and nature. “Community Forests” and “Fish Protection Areas” were established as a mechanism to conserve the forests and rivers in the village.

JVC People in charge of Laos project