Biocultural Diversity in Action: The Paiwan Kuskus Tribe’s Forest-Based Industries in Pingtung, Taiwan

The Indigenous Paiwan Kuskus Tribe, located in Mudan Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan, has an estimated 600-year history based on archaeological evidence. The Pingtung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency has long supported the tribe through forest and resource surveys, tribal mapping, and documentation of traditional practices in farming, fishing, hunting, and settlement. In 2021, the Branch co-organized Resilience Assessment Workshops (RAWs) with the Kuskus community, engaging elders, the village head, the community development association, and the youth association. The workshops identified key challenges—such as the need to strengthen ecological stewardship by weaving Indigenous knowledge with modern technologies, water scarcity, illegal logging and poaching, and natural disasters affecting farming and livestock—and helped shape solutions focused on conserving and using local resources, promoting traditional knowledge, improving governance, and enhancing family livelihoods and welfare.

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COLLABORATING FOR THE MARINE FAUNA IN PLAYAS DE VILLAMIL

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, different local actors in the province of Guayas the canton of Playas Villamil, including citizens, volunteers, officials of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, and the Fundacion Juvimar “Juntos por la vida marina” joined forces to rescue the marine fauna that was stranded in the National Recreation Area Playas de Villamil and did not receive help due to the confinement that stopped all activities. Since then, the initiative has continued and strengthened its work in favor of the conservation of marine-coastal species.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas: A Story of Conservation, Development and Resilience

Sri Lanka, though small in size, is part of a global Biodiversity Hotspot due to its rich biodiversity and increasing threats from habitat encroachment, unsustainable resource use, pollution, and invasive species. While 28% of the country is covered by Protected Areas (PAs), many critical ecosystems exist outside these zones. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Environment and UNDP, with funding from the GEF, implemented a co-management approach in Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) landscapes with high biodiversity and ecosystem service value outside formal PAs. The approach engaged public and private sectors, along with local communities, to conserve biodiversity while sustaining the ecological and socio-economic benefits essential to surrounding populations. It promoted inclusive and sustainable management practices, balancing conservation with responsible resource use, and enabling collaborative agreements between communities and the government. This approach is vital to safeguard Sri Lanka’s unique biodiversity.

Twenty-Year Collaborative Construction Journey of Cycad Yam

“Cycad Yam” derives its name from the villagers living around the Sichuan Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve, who collected high-quality yam seeds growing in the reserve as germplasm resources for artificial propagation under the guidance of staff from the Protection Center. Traditional digging activities by villagers around the reserve are restricted by the reserve’s relevant laws and regulations, leading to conflicts between ecological conservation efforts and villagers’ livelihoods. Through introduction and cultivation, technical support, and industrial upgrading, a “reserve + community” joint construction model has been established. This initiative provides both ecological and economic benefits, achieving a win-win outcome for ecological conservation and rural revitalization, boosting income for approximately 300 households, and establishing Cycad Yam as a characteristic industry promoting common prosperity in the local area.

Empowering Children as Community Conservation and Climate Action Champions in Cameroon

Cameroon’s ecosystems face threats from deforestation, species loss, habitat degradation and climate change. Children and youth, among the most affected, are rarely included in conservation and climate initiatives. Voice of Nature (VoNat) empowers children aged 10–18 across four regions to become community conservation and climate action champions. The program integrates environmental education, storytelling, citizen science, and traditional knowledge, enabling children to conduct ecological studies, monitor biodiversity, document climate impacts, and lead awareness campaigns using arts, media, and community outreach. Over 10,000 children have been trained, fostering community-wide behavioral change, reviving traditional storytelling, strengthening partnerships with schools, families, and local leaders, and reducing destructive practices such as bush burning, hunting, deforestation, and waste dumping. This participatory approach transforms youth into active conservationists and climate leaders while promoting sustainability.

Promoting hygiene and quality for fishery and aquaculture value chains

The Global Programme “Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture,” implemented by GIZ, aims to enhance sustainable fisheries in multiple countries. Key challenges addressed include food spoilage, overfishing, lack of infrastructure, and inadequate quality assurance. The program provides targeted training on hygiene practices, thorough value chain analysis, and develops guidelines to ensure knowledge application. Partnerships with local authorities enhance compliance, introducing first sale certificates for improved traceability. Hygiene and quality control plans guide systematic checks across the value chain, from production to distribution, reducing post-harvest losses and increasing value chain actors’ incomes. The program promotes sustainable fisheries management, ensuring fish products meet hygiene standards and increasing consumer trust.

Adaptive Management for Conservation and Sustainable Development in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park

The Nakai-Nam Theun National Park (NNT NP) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is a remarkable natural area, forming a vital part of the biodiverse Annamite Mountains ecoregion and encompassing approximately 4,700 square kilometers. Originally established as a National Biodiversity Conservation Area in 1993, it was formally transformed into a National Park in 2019 under Prime Minister’s Decree 36/PM. This transformation and its ongoing management are intrinsically linked to the Nam Theun 2 (NT2) Hydropower Project, which has provided annual funding to the park since its commercial operations began in 2010, serving as a critical offset for the project’s environmental impacts.

"Fall in Love with Mt. Gyeryongsan, Adorned with Blooming Iron Flowers" (Gyeryongsan National Park Eco-Tourism Program)

The role of national parks as spaces for responding to the climate crisis is becoming important. Ecotourism programs within these parks are being reimagined as tools for sustainable use management, supporting both park conservation and local sustainability. These initiatives present a hopeful vision for the future of parks and their surrounding regions through collaborative local engagement.

The Hakbong-ri pottery kiln site in Gyeryongsan is a culturally significant heritage location, showcasing Korea’s ceramic tradition from the 14th to 16th centuries. As a large-scale excavation site of Buncheong ware with iron-brown underglaze, it reflects a remarkable revival of the style during its mid-16th century decline.

This program was designed to foster responsible stewardship of national parks and local heritage sites. It encourages citizens—including local residents—to recognize the site’s value through systems thinking that connects individuals, the park, and the broader community, while fostering active regional partnerships.

Nature United’s Emerging Leaders Initiative

Nature United, The Nature Conservancy’s Canadian affiliate, supports community-led, land-based programs that connect Indigenous youth to their cultures and territories. Through the Emerging Leaders initiative, Nature United works with Indigenous partners to strengthen youth programs by supporting planning and evaluation, building learning exchanges, and developing long-term funding strategies. These efforts aim to ensure that youth have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to be future leaders in their communities and on the land. By focusing on Indigenous values and priorities, the initiative helps nurture the next generation of leaders who are grounded in culture, community, and a deep connection to their territories.

From Dependency to Co-creation: Advances Geo-heritage Protection through Characteristic Industries and Community Participation

Nestled in Heilongjiang Province, Wudalianchi Geological Park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve famed for its 14 volcanoes, expansive lava fields, five interconnected lakes, and numerous mineral springs. This “natural volcano museum” showcases world-class volcanic geo-heritage, premium therapeutic mineral water, and a unique health rehabilitation ecosystem. To address challenges like high population density and local dependence on natural resources, the park adopted a people-centered approach. It promotes sustainable development by creating specialty industries and engaging communities in conservation. This strategy has raised local incomes, turning residents into active conservation partners, and successfully balancing ecological protection with economic growth, proving that “green mountains are gold mountains.”

Co-producing an integrated landscape and seascape approach in the Indigenous Amis Makotaay Gangkou Village, Hualien County, Taiwan

As the government agency responsible for conserving Taiwan’s terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity, our Branch has long collaborated with the Indigenous Amis Makotaay (Gangkou) Village in Hualien County, beginning with terraced landscape restoration in 2009 and biodiversity monitoring in 2016. Building on this foundation, in 2021 we partnered with National Dong Hwa University to conduct community-based resilience assessment workshops, aiming to gain a comprehensive understanding of sustainability challenges facing the Gangkou landscape–seascape. These workshops identified 43 priority issues requiring urgent action. In March 2022, we co-established the Gangkou Forest-River-Village-Ocean Initiative (Gangkou ILSA), along with its cross-sector, multi-stakeholder platform and action plan. Since then, the Initiative has advanced ocean-friendly farming, restored coastal wetlands, strengthened community-based ocean and forest patrols, documented Amis knowledge and culture, and developed innovative youth-led eco-tourism.