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Northern Annamites (Viet Nam, Laos)

Northern Annamites

Country: Viet Nam and Laos

Provinces/Districts: Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, and Quang Binh (Viet Nam); Xiengkhuang, Xaysomboun SR, Borikhamxay, Savannakhet, Khammuane (Lao)

Straddling the border between Lao PDR and Viet Nam, this biodiversity conservation landscape covers one of the most biologically important regions of the Annamite mountain range. It represents a large area of the Northern Annamites Rainforests ecoregion which is considered to be of global importance for biodiversity conservation. Because of the rugged nature of the mountains most of the area is inaccessible; thus the habitat is relatively intact and biologically under-explored.

Some of the important protected areas in the landscape include Vu Quang and Pu Mat nature reserves in Viet Nam. Vu Quang and Pu Mat are contiguous with the Nam Theun Nakai national biodiversity conservation area (NBCA) complex in Laos. These, together with the adjacent Khammouane Limestone NBCA to the west and Hin Nam No NBCA to the south forms a large transboundary protected areas complex.

The landscape harbors important populations of Globally Threatened species such as the Sao La, Francois' langur, Red-shanked Douc Langur, Owston's Civet, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Crested Argus, Indochinese Box Turtle, and Chinese Three-striped Box Turtle. The landscape also supports small, but ecologically important populations of Asian Elephant in Laos. Although the area is considered to be a Level 1 Tiger Conservation Unit, tiger densities are low because of hunting.

Key Conservation Issues and Threats to Biodiversity
The hydropower projects planned within this landscape will undoubtedly have some effect on the connectivity among the protected areas, and will affect the movements and ecology of several species of mammals. Loss of habitat will also affect the birds and mammals that occur at low population densities.

Hunting remains a major threat in this landscape. Most forests, even though appearing intact, are stripped of wildlife. Shifting agriculture is widespread especially in Lao. In Viet Nam, immigration of people from the lowlands into the mountains is resulting in an expansion of permanent agriculture and thus, fragmentation of the remaining submontane forests.

Impacts of the GMSEC
Only the extreme southern part of the biodiversity conservation landscape falls within a GMSEC, but R2 (N) highway will bisect the Khammouane Limestone NBCA, Nakai Nam Theun Corridor and the Nakai Nam Theun NBCA. Its zone of influence will include the entire nature reserve, and extend into the Nam Theun Extension that links Nakai Nam Thuen with Pu Mat Nature reserve in Viet Nam.

There are eight dams planned or in various advanced stages of implementation within the landscape, and another 2 within 10 km of it, creating the potential for impacts on biodiversity in the region.