Japan lends weight to forest mgt in Laos

The government of Japan has provided grant assistance of more than 475 million yen (about 4,6 million EUR) for the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Forest Information Management Programme in Laos.

The money will be channelled into the programme via the Ministry of Planning and Investment, with funding coming from the Japanese government’s Grant Aid for Environment and Climate Change, after being donated in March 2010.

As a critical part of this programme, the Forest Resource Information Centre officially opened yesterday at the Forest Inventory and Planning Division in Vientiane after the building was completed last year.

The project runs from April 2010 until March 2013. It will next focus on interpreting satellite images to create maps that compare forest cover in 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. It will involve both data collection in the field and checking the correct interpretation of new and existing maps, Dr Silavanh said. A database is being developed and officials are being trained in information management and storage, which will be used in the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation through the REDD+ project, he added.

Please click here to read the original news item published in Vientiane Times from LaoFAB.