Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

The extensive coastline accommodates 500,000 ha of brackish and freshwater swamp- land supporting essential ecologi- cal functions and habitats for aquat- ic organisms such as fish, prawns and other aquatic fauna and flora [ ] 163 Survey reveals biodiversity pressure points In the three targeted zones, species conservation is systematically carried out, focusing on the critically endan- gered spoon-billed sandpiper, Gur- ney’s pitta and Baer’s pochard. For habitat conservation, a Ramsar site in GOM has been partially designated in Mon State. In an integral approach to conservation of species, habitat and development of education and community livelihood activities have also been initiated with a co-manage- ment approach. As part of the habitat conservation and livelihood initiatives for the rural communities, BANCA conducted a sociobiological survey in Kelatha Wildlife Sanctuary in Mon State. The survey was carried out in March 2016 by diversified professionals in the field of forestry, ornithology, mam- mology, socio-economy, herpetology and insectology. The survey identified the socioeconomic status of the com- munities surrounding the sanctuary as well as the ecosystem services rendered by the sanctuary for those communities. The original area of 25 km 2 was designated by the Forest Department as a sanctuary in 1947. Due to the change of use of 44.81 acres for a Prison Department housing complex and mining area for Taung Zun quar- ry mine, the present area now stands at 5,548,473 acres. Although the whole area of the sanctuary is legally under the management of the Forest Department, it is thriving under the care of orchard farmers and monastic institutions. The whole area is planted with fruiting trees, although very few natural forest trees remain. The survey revealed that eight vil- lages with a total population of 25,075 people surrounding the sanctuary are dependent on it for clean spring water and the opportunity to harvest fruit. In addition, the survey record- ed the presence of 69 species of birds, 17 species of mammals, 72 species of butterflies, 12 species of beetles and six species of dragonfly, as well as 14 species of herpetofauna and 98 spe- cies of trees. It also revealed examples of Thawka-gyi (Amherstia nobilis), a species thought to be extinct in the wild, together with Thawka Lay (Seraca indica) in the scattered area of natural forest in the sanctuary. BANCA is endeavouring to carry out further surveys on Thawka-gyi with regard to its distribution, com- position and evaluation of ecosystem services rendered by the sanctuary for the communities depending on the Kelatha Wildlife Sanctuary. Durian fruit Myanmar T he Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) is a local non-profit organization that has operated biodiversity conservation activities throughout Myanmar since 2011. In conducting conservation activities within a local context, particularly with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, it is successfully networking with other organizations. Currently, BANCA is targeting several conservation zones, the first of which comprises the coastal area of the country in Gulf of Mottama (GOM) in Mon State, Meinmahla Kyun in Ayeyarwady Delta, and Nanthar Island in Rakhine State. The Southern Sundiac area of Lenya’s proposed Nature Reserve comprises the second conservation zone and the Dry Zone of central Myanmar zone three. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation