The Babbler 36 - December 2010
Feature
Critical ecosystems in Indochina BirdLife’s role as the regional implementer for the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot is at the halfway stage. Here we discover the issues and the inroads being made into conservation in the region. these biodiverse areas which hold especially high numbers of unique species. Many encompass priority areas in multiple countries and each one faces extreme threats having lost at least 70% of its original habitat. The degradation of critical ecosystems is no less a threat for the estimated two billion people who live in these fragile places. Healthy ecosystems provide important services for human well being, such as clean air and water, soil regeneration and flood and climate control, as well as food, medicines and raw materials. Of the 34 so far identified, CEPF is focusing on biodiversity hotspots in developing countries. Hotspots in places such as California, Western Australia and Japan don’t receive support from CEPF as they are (or should be) well funded by their respective national governments. So far CEPF has invested in 18 hotspots and has developed strategies to invest in a further three; in total the hope is to invest in at least 25 hotspots. In the Indochina Region of the Indo-Burma irdLife has been working on conservation and investment strategy for the Hotspot, the regional strategy developed by this for a very long time!”, says region on behalf of CEPF. Seven years later, Jonathan Eames, Programme we are the main donor for conservation in the BirdLife involved extensive consultation with other stakeholders, including civil Manager for BirdLife in Indochina and head region.” of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund CEPF’s mission (see box) is to engage civil society groups, governments and academics. The developed profile then went through (CEPF) Regional Implementation Team. “For society in the conservation of the world’s consultation and was approved by CEPF’s us, it all began in 2003, when we prepared the biodiversity hotspots. It has identified 34 of donor council in May 2007.
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“It reflects a consensus among regional stakeholders about what the conservation priorities are”, says Jack Tordoff, Grant Director at CEPF. It identifies three broad areas for funding focus: i) The conservation of Globally Threatened species ii) Important sites, especially the Northern Highlands Limestone corridor which covers parts of northern Vietnam and south-west China and the Mekong river and its major tributaries and iii) Mainstreaming biodiversity into development plans and policies in sectors such as mining, tourism and hydropower. “Within the Indochina region CEPF grants are currently being made in four countries: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and the hope is that China will follow”, says Tordoff. BirdLife’s role has been to act as the Regional Implementation Team (RIT). In every region CEPF identifies a civil society group working in that region which has a good network and good overview of the conservation issues of the region. “The RIT role is a key one selected through a competitive process; BirdLife bid alongside other organisations and it was felt that BirdLife had the experience and was the 4