Part 1 – A Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment - IUCN

IUCN Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment
Annex 2: A Rapid & Participatory Assessment
Methodology
The Rapid Participatory Biodiversity Assessment methodology used enabled assessment teams
to gather key information on biodiversity and related ecosystem services in the study area and
ground truth these findings through a series of field missions in selected landscapes surrounding
local community settlements. The RPBA methodology’s main advantage lies in its straightforward
approach to gathering scientific information on natural resource used by local communities,
through their active engagement in the process.
1. Scoping and Secondary Data Gathering
RPBAs draw substantially on secondary information. This information was gathered and analysed
for key issue areas and information gaps. This analysis then informed the focus of the
assessment field missions which sought to test and ground truth these initial findings. Data
gathering during the scoping stages involved:
Initial scoping interviews
In preparation for the field reconnaissance mission, IUCN carried out a pre departure consultation
exercise in Vientiane involving a mixture of email exchanges, phone conversations and face to
face meetings with the following stakeholders
1. Mr. Bounkong Souvimonh Coordinator, Agrobiodiversity Project, National Agriculture and
Forestry Research Institute
2. Mr. Hongthong Sirivath, Project Coordinator, Village Focus International Laos
3. Mr. John Dingley, Senior Technical Adviser, UXO Lao
4. Mr. Patrick Brandelard, Belgian Project Coordinator, Lao-Belgian Village Development
Programme
5. Mr. Phillip Miller, Country Director, Concern Worldwide
6. Mr. Richard Jackson, Manager, Social and Community Relations-Asia, Oxiana/LXML
(Vientiane HQ)
7. Mr. Rob Kelly, Manager, Village Focus International Laos
8. Mr. Rob Solomon, Project Director, World Concern Lao PDR, Salavan
9. Mr. Roger Mallot, World Wide Fund for Nature. Laos
10. Mr. Serge Verniau, Representative, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in
Laos
11. Mr. Somsanouk Phommakhot, Department of Environment, Water Resources and
Environment Agency
12. Mr. Troy Hansel, Wildlife Conservation Society, Laos
13. Mr. Vongxay, Sustainable Forestry and Rural Development project
14. Ms. Bernadette Wardle, Environment Manager, Oxiana/LXML (Vientiane HQ)
15. Ms. Mr. Phetsamay Douangmalalay, Project Officer, Village Focus International Laos
16. Ms. Tu Anh Vu, Agriculture Biodiversity Officer, United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization in Laos
These discussions provided an opportunity to briefly explain the current IUCN assessment; they
also yielded important information on the project area including:
• Information on organisations working in the assessment area
• Secondary information on the biodiversity and the socio-economic situation in or around
the assessment area
• Other important stakeholders to contact
These exchanges continued on the side of the official stakeholder forums held in Salavan and
Sepon.
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