On February 4, 2025, representatives from Nam Theun 1 Power Company Limited (NT1PC), led by Mr. Bounnhang Phengsouvan, Government Relations Advisor, and the NT1PC team, attended a meeting to report on patrol and inspection work conducted during the last six months of 2024 in the Nam Theun 1 watershed area in Pakkading District, Bolikhamxay Province. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Sonexay Phommavong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry of Bolikhamxay Province. Also in attendance were representatives from relevant offices, including the Head of the National Park Management Division; representatives from the Nam Theun Watershed Management Secretariat; the Provincial Forest Inspection Division; the Head of the Patrol Inspection and Law Enforcement Group; the Provincial Military Command; representatives from the WCS and WCA projects; the patrol implementation team; the Deputy Governor of Pakkading District; the District Agriculture and Forestry Office; and the National Park Unit.
NT1PC’s involvement stems from its Concession Agreement with the Lao government, which emphasizes the importance of forest and biodiversity protection within the watershed. The company provides financial support to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for forest and biodiversity management patrols within the Kading National Protected Area. These patrols are crucial for preventing illegal logging, encroachment, destruction of forest resources, aquatic animals, and wildlife, as well as other prohibited activities that may negatively affect the environment and the conservation of aquatic and wildlife resources in the area.
The meeting focused on reports from the three patrol groups operating in designated areas within the Nam Theun 1 watershed, covering three key areas: Nam Mued, Pak Xard, and Pak Xuang. The leader of patrol implementation team for each area presented their findings, outlining both successes and challenges encountered during the past six months. Reported challenges included slash-and-burn farming by villagers within the protected area, poaching using traps and firearms, illegal logging of valuable timber, and the presence of livestock, which is strictly prohibited. Internal challenges were also noted, including resource allocation, consistency in implementation, and the need for greater transparency in certain activities, making it difficult for patrol teams to act.
To improve the effectiveness of patrols, several suggestions were put forward. These included providing technical training for patrol members in areas such as data collection; establishing stricter monitoring of confiscated timber; requiring tourists to obtain permission from relevant authorities (in particular, the Provincial-Level Nam Theun 1 Watershed Management Steering Committee) before entering the protected area; and raising awareness of protected area regulations and laws among the public and government employees. Crucially, participants emphasized the need for timely allocation appropriately resources to ensure the smooth operation of the patrol teams. The report highlighted the ongoing commitment of NT1PC and its partners to the sustainable management and protection of the Nam Kading National Protected Area.