On 13-16 February 2021, Nam Theun 2 hosted H.E Ms Florence Jeanblanc-Risler, the French Ambassador to Laos, along with the Lao representatives of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The delegation was welcomed by Nam Theun 2’s top management with the CEO Mr Olivier Didry, the COO Mr Stephane Lemasson and the CFO Ms Siree Sittiratanarangsee present.
The Ambassador’s main objective was to experience the rich biodiversity of the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park and to learn more about the conservation efforts that are being implemented.
After visiting the area of Chinese Swamp Cypress or Mai Hing Sam which is listed as endangered species, Ms Florence discussed about the current challenges to save the national protected areas in Laos with conservation players such as: IUCN which is holding its general congress in this September in France, Association Anoulak which has been working on biodiversity conservation in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park for more than 7 years, and GIZ which is also pushing up Hin Nam No National Park to be listed in UNESCO world heritage.
Did you know?
Chinese Swamp Cypress or Mai Hing Sam (Scientific name: Glyptostrobus pensilis) in Laos was listed as critically endangered species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2006. This species occurs along streams and seasonal inundated areas at altitude between 500 – 700 m ASL. Chinese Swamp Cypress population found and natural range overlaps only three nations (China, Vietnam and Laos), and within these ranges naturally occurring populations are now only known from Laos and Vietnam. The Nakai-Nam Theun National Park supports the only stand of Chinese Swamp Cypress known in Laos and after NT2 reservoir impoundment, a minimum of 468 individual trees were submerged. Therefore, the restoration project of the tree population is one of the Company’s commitments of the biodiversity management. NTPC is targeted to grow at minimum of 50 individual trees to be mature. Since 2007, the germination trail was conducted in collaboration with the University of San Francisco, the National University of Laos, Nakai DAFO and the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park Protection Authority, and since then 4 seedlings were planted in Nakai Plateau and now those trees are approximately to 4 meters tall.