Myanmar Protected Areas: Context, Current Status ... - Istituto Oikos

LAMPI ISLAND
Site ID 17
Locality Tanintharyi Region (Boke Pyin Township)
Coordinates N 10° 50’, E 98° 12’
Size (km²) 205
Altitude (m. asl) 0 – 455
Myanmar category National Park
IUCN category II
Site Governance Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division
Boundaries Demarcated
Year gazetted 1996
Protection level Total
Main purposes Conservation
Habitat
Evergreen Forest (Typical), Mangrove Forest, Beach and
Dune Forest, Sea Grass Beds, Coral Reefs
Key resources Coral Reefs, Mouse Deer and Salone Ethnic Groups
Legend of topographic maps
Head Quarters
Ranger Post
Towns
Protected Areas
State/Region Boundaries
Roads
Water areas
Rivers
Elevation
5.800 m. asl
0 m. asl
Legend of satellite maps
Water Depth Vegetation Density
Deep
Shallow
High
Low
SITE DESCRIPTION
Lampi Island Marine National Park encompasses a section of
the Myeik Archipelago including Lampi Island, several smaller
islands and the seas around them. The sea between Lampi
and the mainland is on average 12 m deep and nowhere
deeper than 24 m. Lampi island is generally hilly and rises
steeply from sea level up to 455 m. The majority of the coast is
rocky, presenting also sandy beaches, bays and inlets. Lampi
island has two major perennial rivers and many small seasonal
streams. Lampi habitats are mostly intact, and if measures are
put into place soon, the representativeness and key attributes
of this vast island ecosystem can be conserved at this site.
Lampi is an ASEAN heritage site, an Important Bird Area (IBA)
and a designated Myanmar ecotourism site.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Evergreen forest is the major forest type of the site. Mangrove
and beach & dune forests are also present at the site. Coral
reefs fringe the islands. Seagrass beds are present especially
in the east side of the island.
MANAGEMENT
In 2009 the MEP project initiated consultations among the
different stakeholders aimed at launching the process for a
participatory development of the management plan to ensure
50 51
THREATS
• Housing & Urban Areas
• Fishing & Harvesting Aquatic Resources
• Hunting & Collecting Terrestrial Animals
• Logging & Wood Harvesting
• Wood & Pulp Plantations
• Garbage & Solid Waste
For a detailed list see chapter 3.
LAND USE
• Residential (4 villages inside and 1 outside)
• Industrial (fish factory in War Kyunn)
• Fishing
• Temporary and permanent cropping
the involvement of local communities and the incorporation
of their needs and aspirations. It has also supported field
surveys to gather scientific data on the naturalistic and
cultural features of the area, to enable participatory planning
and management of natural resources.
STAFF / RESOURCES
The planned staff will include 25 people but none has been
assigned yet.
Istituto Oikos and BANCA have supported the construction of
a field camp at Makyone Galet village on Bo Cho Island which
is very near to the southern coast of Lampi island. The camp
includes a basic office and a rest house and is equipped with
1 motorboat, 3 GPS, 2 binoculars, 1 laptop, 1 printer, camping
equipment, field guides.
TOURISM
At present there is no tourist accommodation on Lampi Island
or on the other islands inside the marine national park, and
visitors are not allowed to spend the night on these islands.
Therefore, visitor opportunities to Lampi are limited to sailing
cruises including diving opportunities. The few boats allowed
to bring tourists in the Myeik Archipelago belong to Myanmar
or Thai companies which have license from Myanmar Ministry
of Hotel and Tourism.
RESEARCH
Myanmar Protected Areas
Surveys to Lampi were conducted by FAO in 1983, WCS
in 1995-96) and Ecoswiss in 2006-7. Since 2008 Istituto
Oikos and BANCA have been conducting field research on
several topics.
In the Myeik Archipelago, marine biological surveys were
conducted by the Department of Botany and Zoology of
Moulmein (Mawlamyine) University. The Department of
Marine Science at Mawlamyine and Myeik Universities also
conducted marine biological studies