CEPF funded more than $ 2 million for biodiversity conservation in Indochina

Nearly one year after the first deadline for receiving the Letter of Request for Funding, the Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) in Indochina has granted more than US $ 2 million to 14 civil organizations in the region to carry out activities. biodiversity conservation.

So far, out of 166 requests for grants, 19 projects have been approved, of which 8 have been implemented in Cambodia, 5 in Vietnam, 1 in Laos, 1 in Thailand. and 4 projects at the regional level.

' The CEPF grant program has built a solid foundation right in the first year of operation in Indochina, ' said Jack Tordoff, CEPF's Director of Funding. ' We are really happy to see so many letters of sponsorship submitted by domestic organizations, demonstrating the concern and capacity to implement biodiversity conservation activities has increased. significant in local organizations in this area . '

CEPF began implementing a $ 9.5 million five-year investment plan in Indochina since June 2008 by selecting BirdLife International as its regional implementation team. Based on the ecosystem profile developed with the participation of many stakeholders, CEPF's investment strategy in the region focuses on the northern limestone plateau corridor (between Vietnam and a male part). China) and biodiversity conservation corridors along the Mekong River and major branches (running through Cambodia, Laos and Thailand).

Srepok River in Cambodia is at risk of being affected by hydroelectric dam construction projects.(Source: 3SPN)

' Many freshwater habitat areas are seriously threatened in Indochina, so we are happy to have funded a number of domestic organizations of Cambodia and Vietnam to research and raise awareness. on freshwater biodiversity values , 'said John Pilgrim, Manager of CEPF's BirdLife International Regional Implementation Team in Indochina. In Cambodia, 3S Rivers Protection Network has been funded to raise awareness of the community about the potential impacts of hydropower projects built on Srepok, Sesan and Sekong rivers. In Vietnam, the project of the Center for Water Resources Conservation and Development (WARECOD) has been approved to improve the capacity of local people living in areas near the Nang River, Tuyen Quang province to carry out the work. Research on aquatic species in the area.

CEPF is a joint initiative of the French Development Agency, the International Conservation Organization, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. The basic goal of the program is to involve civil society organizations in biodiversity conservation.

Detailed information is available on www.cepf.net or www.birdlifeindochina.org/cepf. The updated list of sponsored projects is available at http://cepf.net/grants/project_database/indo-burma and interactive maps of funded project locations are posted on http:/// birdlifeindochina.org/cepf/Project-database

Contact press information:
Tran Thanh Huong, BirdLife International - Indochina Program;
N6 / 2 + 3, Lane 25, Lang Ha, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: +84 (0) 4 3514 8904, extension 28; mobile: +84 (0) 989 532 642;
email: huong@birdlife.org.vn; website: www.birdlifeindochina.org/cepf