Dong Phou Vieng

Habitat: Forest types include evergreen, mixed deciduous, dry dipterocarp forest. Elevation ranges from 200 - 600 m with peaks up to 1,254 m.

Access: Dong Phou Vieng is accessible from
National Route 9.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Name

Dong Phou Vieng. Abbreviated: DPV

Status

Established by PM Decree, 7 July 1995 (western part, 53.000 ha)
Extended by PM Decree 579, 21 May 1998 to a total of 197.000 ha

Location

Latitude: 1607’ - 1644’ N
Longitude: 10551’ - 10632’ E

Map Sheets

Scale I: 50,000

6142 II

6242 III

6242 II

6342 III

6141 I

6241 IV

6241 I

6341 IV

6241 III

6241 II

6341 III

Scale I: 100,000

E 48-117

E 48-128

E 48-129

E 48-141

E 48-142

Scale I: 250,000

NE 48 - 15

NE 48 - 16

Scale I: 1.000.000

E 48

Province

Savannakhet

Districts

Phin
Xepon
Nong

Perimeter

Boundaries

In the southwest of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA the western boundary runs along aroad leading from Ban Khe-Tai to Ban Bok. It continues along the Xe Kamouak until the mouth of Houay Ketxan.

The northern boundary runs along the Houay Ketxan and the Xe Chon till Ban Kammakon. Here it turns south still going up the Xe Chon and then crossing the mountains till it reaches the Xe Banghiang. It goes up the Xe Banghiang and then proceeds first along the mountain slopes and then along the Xe Pon till Ban Dong.

The eastern boundary follows the road No. 4 from Ban Dong south to Ban Theum and then the trails leading east till it reaches Houay Patou near Ban Lapit. It follows Houay Patou till it enters the Xe Lanong. Then the boundary runs along the Xe Lanong till it meets again with the Road No. 4 near Ban Along-Nam. It follows the road No. 4 south till it reaches the provincial boundary between Savannakhet and Salavan provinces. Here the boundary turns east.

The southern boundary of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA is formed by the provincial boundary west of road No. 4 and by the rivers Xe Tanouan and Xe Banghiang till it reaches Ban Khe-Tai.

Area

As decreed: 1970 sq. km
2200.76 sq. km (calculated by the Forest Cover Monitoring Project MRC/GTZ)

Proposed
Extensions

Access

The main access is by road No. 9, which runs close to the northern boundary. Starting from this road in Muang Phin, road No. 23 leads through the western part
of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA and passes the southwestern NBCA boundary near Ban Tat-Hai. From this road another one leads to Kaeng Samatae.

In Ban Dong in the east starts road No. 4 running south. In some stretches it forms the NBCA boundary. Parting from this road, several trails lead to the villages inside the NBCA. Some paths even cross the NBCA.

Besides by road, Dong Phou Vieng NBCA is accessible also by boat, as the Xe Banghiang crosses the NBCA.

Stakeholder
Villages and
Population

Due to lack of information and the fact that the Land and Forest Allocation has not yet been implemented in most of the area, it is only possible to distinguish two types of villages:
Villages situated inside Dong Phou Vieng NBCA
II. Villages situated in the surroundings of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA

The population data were collected by the State Planning Committee of the National Statistical Centre for the National Population Census 1995.

District

Inside Dong Phou Vieng NBCA

In the surroundings of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA

Total number of persons

Villages

Persons

Villages

Persons

Phin

4.766

7.146

11.912

Xepon *

1.251

2.438

3.689

Nong

1.052

1.190

2.242

Total

7.069

10.774

17.843

For Xepon District the population data are not complete. The NBCA staff listed village names, which could not be found in the lists of the National Population Census of 1995.

Principal Local
Resource
Uses
Ethnic
Composition

District

Ethnic Group

Inside Dong Phou Vieng Villages NBCA

In the surroundings of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA

Total number of persons

Villages

Persons

Villages

Persons

Phin

Katang

3.858

1.631

5.489

Makong

806

725

1.531

Xuay

102

Phutai

4.790

Xepon *

Makong

1.017

966

1.983

Tri

234

578

812

Phutai

894

Nong

Makong

1.052

1.190

2.242

2. BRIEF HISTORY

Management History:
Since October 1996, the Forest Management and Conservation Programme (FOMACOP), a joint undertaking of the Government of Lao PDR (GoL), the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, the Global Environmental Facility, and the Government of Finland through FINNIDA, has been assisting the Lao government in the Management of Dong Phou Vieng NBCA.

3. ECOLOGY

Physical
Features

Major mountains:
Phou Lapeung – Nua (1122 m above sea level)
Phou Dotouy (1254 m above sea level)
Extended river banks of Xe Banghiang and Xe Lanong
Rapids

Elevation

200 m - 600 m asl. with peaks up to 1254 m asl.

Climate

Dong Phou Vieng lays in the Southeast Asia monsoon climate. During the winter (November – February), when the sun is to the south of the equator the climate is under the influence of the cold continental high pressure region over China. The winds are clockwise around the high and come from the northeast over Southeast Asia. This is the Northeast Monsoon, characterized by cold dry air and infrequent light rain.

For the summer (May – August), the sun is to the north of the equator and heats the land mass beneath to a degree that causes an extensive low pressure region called Intertropical Convergence Zone and the Monsoon Trough. Warm winds from the southwest carry moisture from the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand to the part of the trough in the Lao PDR region where vertical convection causes rainfall, large amounts during the height of the monsoon season. This is the Southwest Monsoon. The air is warm and humidity high.

Main Forest
Types

Deciduous Dipterocarp Forest
Semi – evergreen Forest
Mixed Deciduous Forest

Forest Cover
This calculation was realized by the Forest Cover Monitoring Project (FCMP) MRC / GTZ. It is based on interpretation of 1996/97 Landsat TM with the NBCA boundaries as shown on topographical maps 1:100 000 provided by the FOMACOP project. Verification with the original documents has not taken place. Therefore the data might be only approximate.

Forest Code

Area / ha

% of Total Area

Evergreen / Mixed, Continuous Cover, High Cover Density (11, 17)

12.565

5,7

Evergreen / Mixed, Continuous Cover, Medium Cover Density (12, 18)

71.765

32,7

Evergreen / Mixed, Mosaic (13, 19)

27.019

12,3

Deciduous Continuous Cover (20)

12.591

5,7

Deciduous Mosaic (22)

16.807

7,6

Regrowth (40)

1.154

0,5

Evergreen Wood and Shrubland (61, 63, 65)

39.973

18,2

Grassland

506

0,2

Mosaic of Cropping (81, 82)

33.426

15,2

Agricultural Land

4.268

1,9

Grand Total

220.076

100,0

Other Habitat
Features

Recorded

Vertebrates

Vertebrate Class

No. of species

Key species

Mammals

Birds

186

Reptiles

Amphibians

Fish

100 - 300

4. EVALUATION

Principal Contributions to the NBCA System

Biodiversity
Values

Exceptional aquatic diversity
Shrub / rhododendron vegetation
Significant populations of: Gibbon, Douc Langur, Gaur, Giant-Muntjak, Dhole, Jackal, Tiger, Pangolin
Two herds of elephants
Three species of hornbills: Oriental Pied Hornbill, Great Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill
Two species of vultures: White-rumped Vulture, Red-headed Vulture
Economically important, apparently endemic calanoid crustacean species, not yet identified.

Watershed
Values

Many tributaries to the Xe Banghiang and Xe Lanong, which are crossing the NBCA
Watershed for the Xe Chon, which originates in Dong Phou Vieng NBCA and flows along its western boundary with many tributaries entering it from Dong Phou Vieng NBCA.

Cultural
Values

Security
Values

Recreation &
Tourism
Values

Authentic indigenous Lao Teung culture with strong spiritual ties to the land
Five different "Lao Teung" languages are spoken, of which at least two are in danger of extinction.
Several spiritual forests
Indochina War relicts
Part of the Ho Chi Min Trail
Ruins of a bridge destroyed by the Americans

Principal
Threats

Reasons for
Extensions or
Excisions

Hunting and capture of animals
International animal trade encouraging the poaching of animals from the NBCA, especially:
reptiles ( pythons, King cobra, other snakes and turtles)
pangolins
Destructive fishing methods:
explosive fishing
chemical fishing
electrical fishing
Human population increase
Expansion of paddy fields

5. CURRENT MANAGEMENT

Contact

Mr. Pouthavong Sitthidet
Forest Management and Conservation Programme (FOMACOP)
National Biodiversity Conservation Area Management Sub-Programme
Savannakhet, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR; Tel. / Fax: 041 – 212 971

Staffing

Staff is from the Province Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO) of Savannakhet Province and the District Agriculture and Forestry Offices (DAFO) of Phin, Xe Pon and Nong districts.

Men

Women

Total

PAFO Savannakhet

DAFO Muang Phin

DAFO Muang Xe Pon

DAFO Muang Nong

Short term staff

Total

Buildings

One room in the office building of the Forest Management and Conservation Programme, Savannakhet
Field stations including offices and dormitories in Muang Phin and Keang Samatae

Equipment

Two 4WD vehicles
Seven motorcycles

Organization

Current

Management
Priorities

Training of staff
Development of procedures for

Patrolling
Monitoring
Participatory management of natural resources by the local villagers

Other
Management
Opportunities

Development of sustainable practices for NTFP use by the local villagers
Development of small scale enterprises
Development of tourism based on the tourist values of

◦ Landscape

◦ Authentic indigenous cultures

◦ Historical war relicts

Participation of local villagers in monitoring of

◦ Wildlife populations

◦ Habitat changes

◦ Trends in NTFP presence

◦ Trends in NTFP use

◦ Trends in fish population seize

◦ Fishing with destructive methods by outsiders

◦ Poaching

Documentation of the indigenous knowledge
Stabilization of slash and burn agriculture

Other
Project
Initiatives

CIDSE: Phine Self-help Rural Development Project
DAMIEN Foundation Belgium Support of National Tuberculosis Program (Phine district)
Handicap International: Capacity building of UXO LAO for the clearing of UXO operations (Phine and Nong districts)
Norwegian Curch Aid: Integrated Rural Development Program.

6. REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS

Baird, I.G. (1998). A Preliminary Assessment of the Aquatic Resources of the Dong Phou Vieng Biodiversity Conservation Area, and its Proposed Expansion Area, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR. In: Rapid and Participatory Biodiversity Assessments (BIORAP) in Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area, Final Report, WWF –Thailand Project Office, p. 69 - 82
Caffery, B. (1998). Conservation and Development. Final report of the period of consultancy from 28.9.1997 to 11.6.1999. FOMACOP (76 pp.)
Chan-ard, T. (1998). Preliminary Survey of Amphibians and Reptiles in Dong Phou Vieng Reserved Forest, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR. In: Rapid and Participatory Biodiversity Assessments (BIORAP) in Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area, Final Report, WWF –Thailand Project Office, p. 93 – 97.
Falke, M. (1999). The Geological Conditions of Dong Phou Vieng National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Savannakhet Province (4 pp.).
National Statistical Centre, State Planning Committee (2000). Population Census Results 1995, Savannakhet Province, Districts: Phin, Xe Phon and Nong (These data, which are available normally only on diskette, have been printed out for Dong Phou Vieng NBCA).
Thonongto, S. (1998). Status of Birds in Dong Phou Vieng National Protected Area, Lao PDR. In: Rapid and Participatory Biodiversity Assessments (BIORAP) in Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area, Final Report, WWF –Thailand Project Office, p. 89 – 92.
Rapid and Participatory Biodiversity Assessments (BIORAP) (1998) in Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area Final Report, WWF – Thailand Project Office, 97 pp.
Steinmetz, R. (1998). A Survey of Habitats and Mammals in Dong Phou Vieng National Biodiversity Conservation Area, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR. In: Rapid and Participatory Biodiversity Assessments (BIORAP) in Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area, Final Report, WWF –Thailand Project Office, p. 22 – 43.
Steinmetz, R. and Baird, I.G. (1998). Participatory Biodiversity Assessment of Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area, Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR. In: Rapid and Participatory Biodiversity Assessments (BIORAP) in Dong Phou Vieng Protected Area, Final Report, WWF –Thailand Project Office, p. 44 – 68
Wagenbreth, I., Sithideth P. and Tonlaontha, K. (1999). Dong Phou Vieng National Biodiversity Conservation Area: Population Census Data 1995 (10 pp.).