The one-week Biodiversity Conservation and Community Development Workshop in Lao PDR came to successful end on August 10, with 30 young plant researchers and S & T workers from research institutions and universities of Lao receiving certificate of completion. 

The workshop is aimed at popularizing knowledge of biodiversity conservation, improving capacity of field investigations and data analysis, so as to improve capacity building and set a base for talent training of biodiversity conservation and community development. 

Through the lectures, “we have a better understanding on background and status quo, existing and potential threats and how to conserve biodiversity in southeast Asian countries”, said trainees at the workshop. 

The workshop concerned the ways and means to investigate plants and animals in the field, to set up sample plots and long-term monitoring plots, use of infrared cameras, plant specimen colleting, making and identification, etc. A systematic introduction to identification of turtles and birds was also available. 

“With training of software R, we are able to better analyze field data in the future”, said trainees. 

The workshop also introduced the production and utilization of medicinal and edible wild plants in Lao. It made a detailed introduction to propagation and keeping of resource plants.  

With biodiversity conservation and community development in Xishuangbanna as a case study, it stated some effective measures in conservation and development. 

The workshop is composed of indoor courses and field practices. The trainees had a better understanding by combining indoor lectures and outdoor practices. 

“We will spread our training notes to our colleagues and use our knowledge to conserve the precious biodiversity in Lao and achieve sustainbale community sustainable development”, said a trainee representative at the closing ceremony.