Author : Chanthaphone Phon-Asa

Summary : The study assessed the conditions of the Namtan watershed in Sayaboury, Lao PDR. Interpretation of aerial photographs was done to get the land use trend before and after 1990.

The Namtan watershed has an area of 174.5 km2. The watershed has a pearshaped basin with an elevation ranging from 360 to 1,186 m. The mean slope is 36 percent and it is characterized by the wet and dry monsoon tropical climate. The rainfall is about 1,320.9 mm with 92.55 percent falling during the rainy season and 7.45 percent during the dry season. The mean temperature is about 25.9°C and humidity is about 75 percent. Soil is clay-sandy loam with moderate depth and is yellowish red to brown. The drainage density is about 0.005/ha. About 60.75 percent of the Namtan watershed is covered by forest, mainly mixed deciduous. It serves as livelihood source for local people. Shifting cultivation and tea plantation are present inside the watershed.

Before 1990, the state owned all forestlands and resources. The thrust of the government was to fully utilize the country’s forest resources for economic development. Forest management projects and/or activities appeared less systematic. After 1990, Protected Area was established and the Forest Law was approved by the country which provided more responsive forest management policies and practices. Minimal cutting was allowed to meet the housing needs of the communities living within the watershed.

Dense forest increased by about 0.97 percent after 1990. Rugged terrain and poor accessibility could have limited the practice of shifting cultivation and cutting of trees on these areas. Shifting cultivation area decreased by 22.7 percent after 1990. Spare forest area decreased by 6.64 percent. Shrubland increased by 7.93 percent. These changes may have been due to stricter policies and enforcement of the decrees on forest conservation.

Poverty alleviation activities such as improving rice/crop production, and strengthening the existing and/or establishing key forestry institutions could be important components of forest management policies and strategies of Lao PDR.

Lowland agroforestry system and use of computer-based technologies such as Geographic Information System could be beneficial for the Namtan watershed. Major stakeholders may need to be actively involved in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of forest management projects.