Parks

Lao Protected Area System

With some of the largest protected areas and one of the world’s 32 biodiversity hotspots, the Annamites Mountain Range, Lao PDR has an exceptional range of natural landscapes and globally important habitat for conservation. Lao PDR has three ecosystems of international biodiversity significance:

Wet evergreen forest: The wet evergreen forest ecosystem high significance and biodiversity importance because of four factors: (a) wet evergreen forest ecosystems are particularly rich with high proportions of phylogenetically distinctive taxa; (b) the wet evergreen forest ecosystem have very minor representation globally with a very small total global area; (c) Lao PDR accounts for a highly significant proportion of the global range of wet evergreen forest (only Vietnam is more important); and (d) wet evergreen forest ecosystems are under tremendous threats. PAs with significant wet evergreen include Khoun Xe-Nong Ma, Laving Laverne, and Xe Xap.

Indochina karst: The second ecosystem of high global biodiversity importance that occurs in Lao PDR includes the massive karst formations of Central Lao. Their rugged terrain provides a unique degree of protection that allows for endemic species. This habitat is best represented in Hin Nam No and Phou Hin Poun national parks.

Montane forests: Another significant forest ecosystem occurring in the Greater Annamites is montane forests. Their significance to global biodiversity conservation is high because they in general have high representation of species with restricted ranges. Some important montane areas occur in Nakai Nam Theun NP and Yord Nam Mo-Phou Sam Soum NPA.