Conservation

Protected Area Management Division

Management of the Lao protected area system is coordinated by and under the authority of the Protected Area Management Division (PAMD) of the Department of Forestry (DOF), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) (formerly the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry). All protected areas have management units at the local level, with staff allocated from provincial and district forestry and conservation sectors. National parks and wildlife sanctuaries typically have at least 15 staff, including rangers and law enforcement professional, while national, provincial and district protected areas may have less staff depending on the area’s size, government staff availability, and budget. PAMD works in coordination with the Department of Forest Inspection (DOFI) to apprehend illegal wildlife and wood trade, as well as many other government and non-government organizations on a variety of issues and areas related to protected area.