Habitat: The entire area is comprised of rugged hills, usually well above 1,000 m with the highest peak at 2,052 m. Vegetation is mainly mixed deciduous and evergreen forest with bamboo groves.
Access: Difficult access from Xieng Tong district.
Introduction:
Nam Et - Phou Louey (pronounced “naam et poo loo-ee”) National Protected Area (NPA), located in the north east of Lao PDR, is one of twenty NPAs declared in decree 164/PMO, 1993. With an area of 5,959 km2 it is one of the largest in Lao PDR and covers 7 districts and three provinces (Houaphan, Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang provinces). The NPA is mostly hilly or mountainous and is the source of many rivers. It is named after its two main features, the Nam Et River and Phou Louey Mountain (“Forever Mountain”). The area has primary forest remaining in many areas, a high level of biodiversity, and a number of endangered species including tiger, gaur, Sambar deer, and white-cheeked gibbon. visit: Namet
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Name
Nam Et. Abbreviated: NET
Status
Established by PM Decree 164, 29 October 2024
Location
Latitude: 20º09' - 20º50' N
Longitude: 103º21' - 103º53' E
Map Sheets
Map Sheets Scale I :100,000
Scale I :200,000
Scale I :500,000
Provinces
Houaphan
Districts
Viengthong
Xam Neua
Xiang Khor
Houa Meung
Boundaries
The northern boundary is formed by the Vietnamese border, and, alomg sections of its western boundary is contingous with Phou Loei NBCA.
Area
as decreed: 1,915 km²
(in combination with Phou Loei NBCA, directly adjacent to the western boundary: 3880 km²)
Perimeter
km
Proposed
Extensions or Excisions
Based on vegetation cover maps, Nam Et should be reduced in size by excising some 500 km² mainly in the east and the Vietnam border regions.
Access
Xop Neua, a centrally located district center, can be reached by 4WD-vehicle on a rarely used seasonal road from Sam Neua (112 km) and on an all-weather road from Muang Hiam (65 km).
Stakeholder
Villages and
Population
No. of villages by type
District
Villages
I
II
III
IV
Persons
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
TOTAL
.
.
.
.
.
.
Note: Only small villages within the NBCA.
Principal Local
Resource
Uses
The predominant land use is shifting-cultivation
Ethnic
Composition
2. BRIEF HISTORY
1993
NBCA declared
3. ECOLOGY
Physical
Features
The entire area is comprised of rugged hills usually well above 1,000 m (65%) with the highest peak at 2,052 m. Most streams drain to the Nam Et, the remainder to the Nam Peun.
Elevation
500 - 2052 m
Climate
Main Forest
Types
The forested area is about 72%, with 10% dense/mature forest:
Mixed decidous forest 69%
Evergreen forest 3%
Other natural vegetation 19%
Other Habitat
Features
The vegetation is generally a mosaic of old shifting cultivation fallow, bamboo groves.
Recorded
Vertebrates
Vertebrate Class
No. of Species
No. of Key Species
Mammals
-
-
Birds
-
-
Reptiles
-
-
Amphibians
-
-
Fish
-
-
Notes:
Survey Efforts
low
4. EVALUATION
Principal Contributions to the NBCA System
Biodiversity
Values
The flora and fauna have not been fully surveyed
Nam Et has comparatively little dense forest but still ranks high in its importance for representative coverage mainly due to its size in a geographical sub-unit where few other NBCAs have been identified.
The Nam Et and its tributaries are reportedly teeming with fish even close to long existing villages.
Watershed
Values
Cultural
Values
Security
Values
Recreation &
Tourism
Values
Principal
Threats
Shifting cultivation
Reasons for
Proposed
Extensions or
Excisions
5. CURRENT MANAGEMENT
Contact
Staffing
Organizational
Structure
Buildings
Equipment
Financial
Support & Training
Currently no full-time donor support
Current
Management
Priorities
- Establishment of settlement control
- Reduction of severe shifting cultivation practices in some areas
- Re-Examination of boundaries
- In-depth biophysical and social surveys
Other
Management
Opportunities
Other
Relevant
Project
Initiatives
- Lao-American Drug Control Project
6. REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS
Anon. (1993). Reconnaissance Survey Report.
IUCN (1995). Protected Area Fact-Sheets. Annex 3 to the mid-1995 status report on Protected Area system planning and management in Lao PDR. Vientiane.
IUCN (1998). Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Community Development in Nam Et and Phou Loei NBCAs, Lao PDR. 3rd revision of project proposal: 30 pp. Vientiane.
Wildlife Conservation Society (1995). Report on Management Options Reconnaissance.
