Restoring Forests and Livelihoods through Community-Led Action in Lao PDR
In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), forests are a cornerstone of rural livelihoods and national socio-economic development. Nearly 70% of the population resides in rural areas and depends heavily on forest resources for food, income, and ecosystem services such as water regulation and soil protection. However, over recent decades, the country has faced significant forest degradation driven by shifting cultivation, illegal logging, forest fires, and the expansion of commercial agriculture.
These pressures have led to declining biodiversity and reduced availability of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), directly affecting the food security and income of forest-dependent communities. In protection forest areas in particular, degraded land continued to expand despite national conservation efforts.
In response, the Government of Lao PDR has strengthened its policy framework for forest restoration and green development, setting ambitious targets to restore approximately three million hectares of degraded forestland and increase national forest cover to 70 percent of total land area. Central to this strategy is the promotion of community-based forest management models that integrate forest rehabilitation with livelihood improvement.
Against this backdrop, the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), in partnership with the Department of Forestry (DoF) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, launched the project “Integrated Village-Driven Forest Rehabilitation and Livelihood Improvement in Viengthong District, Bolikhamxay Province” (AFoCO/025/2021) in September 2021.
The project was designed to develop and demonstrate a Village-Driven Forest Restoration Model (ViDFoRM) that is technically sound, economically viable, and socially acceptable for degraded protection forest areas. Its core objective is to restore forest ecosystems in the Phou Khene Protection Forest while simultaneously improving the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities through non-timber forest products and community-based plantation activities.
From Policy to Practice: Applying the Village-Driven Forest Restoration Model
Phou Khene Protection Forest, located in Viengthong District of Bolikhamxay Province, covers more than 12,000 hectares and serves as a critical buffer zone for biodiversity conservation. Prior to the project, large portions of the forest had been severely degraded due to shifting cultivation and the rapid expansion of cassava and other commercial crops.
Through the application of ViDFoRM, the project introduced an integrated approach combining forest protection, forest restoration, and livelihood improvement. Over the project period, ten surrounding villages actively participated in restoration activities, supported by village forest restoration groups and protection teams responsible for planting, maintenance, fire prevention, and community patrols.
Key interventions included the following:
- Enrichment planting
- Assisted natural regeneration
- Seedling production through village nurseries
- Forest fire prevention
- Community-based monitoring
In parallel, livelihood components were promoted through:
- Rubber plantations
- NTFP production
- Technical training on sustainable forest-based income generation
Forest Restoration and Community Participation Observed on the Ground.
As the project approaches completion, AFoCO and the Department of Forestry (DoF) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry convened the 6th Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting and conducted a field monitoring mission from 6 to 10 January 2026 in Vientiane and Viengthong District.
During the meeting, participants reviewed progress across the project’s major outputs, with particular attention to forest restoration achievements and livelihood-related activities. The review confirmed that key restoration targets had been achieved and that the project has now transitioned into a maintenance and management phase.
Following the meeting, the ODA team visited major restoration sites within the Phou Khene Protection Forest from 8 to 9 January to observe field-level implementation. The team assessed planting conditions and maintenance practices in both enrichment planting areas and assisted natural regeneration zones.
The field visit confirmed that the project successfully achieved its cumulative forest restoration target of 3,000 hectares, consisting of 400 hectares of enrichment planting and 2,600 hectares of assisted natural regeneration. These results demonstrate that degraded protection forests can be effectively rehabilitated through active participation of local communities and sustained management efforts.
Livelihood Improvement through Rubber Plantations and Seedling Production
The ODA team also visited rubber plantations and village nurseries in Namyang and neighboring villages to assess livelihood improvement activities. At the nursery sites, the full rubber seedling production process was observed in operation.
Rubber seeds are first planted and grown for approximately six months to produce rootstock. Buds from improved rubber varieties are then grafted onto the rootstock. The grafted seedlings are managed for an additional six months under controlled conditions before being transferred to plantation sites. Once planted, rubber trees require a maturation period of approximately two years before latex production becomes possible.
This production cycle represents a medium- to long-term income strategy rather than an immediate source of revenue. Local community members, particularly women, actively participate in seedling production and plantation management. The District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO) provides technical guidance and training, enabling villagers to independently manage nursery operations and plantation activities.
From an economic perspective, rubber seedlings and related products have relatively high market value, with seedlings valued at approximately 30,000 kip or more per unit depending on management conditions. These activities have become an important forest-based income source while reinforcing the link between forest restoration and livelihood development.
Environmental Education and Community Awareness
Community engagement was further highlighted through a visit to a primary school in Namyang Village, where students and teachers participated in tree-planting activities within the school compound. This initiative promoted environmental awareness and introduced forest restoration concepts at an early age.
The activity demonstrated that forest restoration efforts extend beyond technical interventions and contribute to strengthening environmental education and community ownership among younger generations.
Toward Sustainability and Replication
Through the implementation of AFoCO/025/2021, Lao PDR has established a practical model linking forest restoration with community participation and livelihood improvement. The Village-Driven Forest Restoration Model (ViDFoRM) demonstrates that degraded protection forests can be rehabilitated through locally adapted approaches that generate both ecological and socio-economic benefits.
As the project enters its final stage, AFoCO and the Department of Forestry reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring sustainability beyond project completion. Lessons learned from the Phou Khene Protection Forest are expected to contribute to national forest policy development and serve as a replicable model for other protection forest areas across Lao PDR and the wider Mekong region.
By aligning national forest policy with community-led action on the ground, the project represents a meaningful step toward restoring forest ecosystems, strengthening rural livelihoods, and advancing Lao PDR’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
PROJECT OVERVIEW – AFOCO/025/2021
Integrated Village-Driven Forest Rehabilitation and Livelihood Improvement in Viengthong District, Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR
Project Duration & Budget : 1 September 2021 – 31 August 2026 / US$ 1,099,840 (AFoCO: US$ 993,440; National: US$ 106,400)
Implementing Agency : Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Lao PDR
Project Sites : Phou Khene Protection Forest, in Viengthong District, Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR
Contributed by Ms. Sungmin Kim (Assistant Program Officer)