Group 3: Eastern Plains Dry Forests Location: Roberto

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Group 3 Eastern Plains Dry ForestsLocation
Roberto

• Facilitators
• 1. Mr. David Emmet
• 2. Mr. Jonathan Cook

• 1. Ms. Amalia Maling
• 2. Mr. Masphal Kry
• 3. Mr. Nick Cox
• 4. Mr. Simon Mahood
• 5. Mr. Sovanny Chhum
• 6. Dr. Sovuthy Pheav
• 7. Mr. Warren Brockelman

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Lower Mekong Dry Forests Eastern Cambodia

• 21 July 2009

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Core Values (1)

• Critically endangered/threatened species
• Giant and white-shouldered ibis adjutants
• Slender-billed, white rumped, red-headed vulture
• Asian elephant
• Wild cattle (banteng, gaur)
• Wild cats (tiger, clouded leopard)
• Primates (e.g. yellow-cheeked gibbon)

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Core Values (2)

• Important range of habitats
• Largest contiguous block of deciduous/dry
  dipterocarp forest in SE Asia
• Dry/seasonal evergreen forest
• Seasonal wetlands
• Open grasslands
• Riparian forests
• Upland evergreen forests (dry season refugia)

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Core Values (3)

• Broad range of ecosystem services
• Carbon sequestration
• Watershed regulation for Mekong tributaries
• Ecotourism
• Cultural/traditional values
• Livelihoods for local communities, e.g.
• Food (agriculture), NTFPs, timber, fisheries,
  etc.

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Development and Other Non-Climate Changes
(Present/Planned)

• Mining (small and large-scale, gold/bauxite)
• Economic land concessions
• Agriculture (large-scale rubber, biofuels
  small-scale rice, cassava)
• Roads ( secondary effects such as forest
  clearance, wildlife trade, invasive species)
• Hydropower (2 major dams planned)
• Migration (expected from lowland areas )

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Potential Impacts from Climate Change

• Increased temperatures throughout year
• Longer dry season
• Greater variability in timing of rainfall
• More extreme events (droughts/floods)
• Potential changes in fire regimes

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Potential Indicators for Monitoring Impacts of
Climate Change (1)

• Species
• Gibbons range extent of evergreen forest
• Ibis and stork presence/absence extent of
  seasonal wetlands
• Carnivores, e.g. dhole/leopard range overall
  ecosystem stability and impacts on prey species
• Other, e.g. amphibians/invertebrates
  shorter-term fluctuations (population explosions)

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Potential Indicators for Monitoring Impacts of
Climate Change (2)

• Habitats
• Forests
• Dry dipterocarp, semi-evergreen, evergreen
• Monitor extent and type through remote sensing
• Monitor tree mortality, recruitment, and growth
  through permanent plots on elevational transects
• Permanent waterholes
• Map location
• Monitor annual changes
• Fire monitoring
• Dry season duration
• Rainfall fluctuation

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Potential Indicators for Monitoring Impacts of
Climate Change (3)

• Ecosystem services
• Human livelihoods for local communities
• Crop yields
• Planting times
• Location/extent of agricultural land in existing
  villages
• Changing importance/values of different NTFPs
  e.g. fish/frogs/honey/resin/bamboo
• Local market surveys at set times of year
• Watershed regulation
• Flow regimes for small rivers within watershed

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ADAPTATION STRATEGIES DRY FORESTS

• 1. Review of national protected areas to assess
  viability and coverage of conservation values
  when taking climate change into account
• CI document for Cardamoms can be replicated and
  expanded partners include REDD team in FA,
  government adaptation team in MoE, WWF, WCS,
  development NGOs,
• 2. Review suitability of land, taking climate
  change into account develop a diverse climate
  resilient landscape, e.g., for agriculture,
  including new crops.
• Potential for WWF to expand existing work

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• 3. Ensure the permanence of wetlands across the
  landscape review locations and permanence of
  wetlands, expand wetlands if necessary to ensure
  they remain permanent even in times of reduced
  rainfall and longer dry seasons
• WWF, WCS, Birdlife, FA, MoE
• 4. Assess potential for adaptation by local
  communities conduct studies to assess existing
  adaptation strategies used by local communities.
• WWF, WCS, FA, other

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• 5. Ensure dry season refugia for wildlife
  (evergreen forests) are protected and accessible
  to wildlife increased protection, reduced
  logging, maintain/develop corridors
• FA, MoE, WWF, WCS, Birdlife
• 6. Fire management in an effort to reduce forest
  loss pilot study, assessment of positive and
  negative effects, expand to protected areas as
  appropriate

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• 7. Ensure effective management of freshwater for
  livelihood needs throughout the year ensure
  water access during dry season by expanding
  existing small reservoirs, improving irrigation,
  water containers, diverse and intensified crops
  and livelihoods integrate into existing
  commune-level planning processes
• Development NGO, other