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Annual report 2023–2024
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Chapters Lao PDR issues first national guidelines on forest fire prevention and management
  1. Foreword
  2. Message from the Executive Director
  3. The year that was – RECOFTC by numbers
  4. Working towards impact: Our vision, our approach
  5. Ensuring forest landscapes provide climate solutions
  6. Lao PDR issues first national guidelines on forest fire prevention and management
  7. Rooted in science, grounded in local knowledge
  8. Inclusive, community-led, tech-enabled: CBFiM builds resilience in Viet Nam’s Central Highlands
  9. Securing rights and inclusive governance
  10. Thirty-four community forest groups renew 15-year agreement, a first in Cambodia
  11. Shifting norms, strengthening governance
  12. Shaping the future through climate-responsive forest planning
  13. Bringing gender to the forefront of forestland planning in Lao PDR
  14. Community forests established and revitalized for sustainability
  15. Supporting growth of forest landscape-related businesses
  16. Nature-positive approaches for sustainable avocado production
  17. Scaling success in forest livelihoods
  18. Building consensus for responsible land investment in Myanmar
  19. Securing finance for sustainable forest landscapes
  20. Community funds protect forests and empower local action
  21. Municipality steps up to finance community priorities
  22. Grassroots leadership secures water access for 200 households in Nepal
  23. Generating evidence for influence
  24. Strengthening forest governance and equity through evidence
  25. Strengthening spatial literacy with technology for improved land management
  26. Engaging the public on forest landscape issues
  27. Young Indonesians rethink forest livelihoods
  28. Communities lead forest patrol and protection through new management plans
  29. Our Board of Trustees
  30. Partnerships
Participants attending the Training-of-Trainers on community-based fire management in Bokeo, Lao PDR, December 2023
Ensuring forest landscapes provide climate solutions

Lao PDR issues first national guidelines on forest fire prevention and management

The Department of Forestry has strengthened national forest governance with practical guidance for fire prevention and suppression.

On 23 July 2024, Lao PDR’s Department of Forestry at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry issued the country’s first technical guidelines on forest fire prevention and suppression. This marks a critical step towards improving forest resilience in the country, providing a national standard to reduce fire risks, especially during the dry season.

The guidelines were developed with technical and coordination support from RECOFTC through our Community-based Fire Management (CBFiM) project, national partners and key stakeholders. They align with the Prime Minister’s Order No. 11/NA (2023) and directives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, promoting more consistent and effective fire prevention practices across the country.  

The guidelines set out clear and practical steps for preventing and responding to forest fires, including identifying high-risk zones, creating firebreaks and coordinating efforts across multiple administrative levels. They also offer guidance on implementation and fire data reporting, helping ensure that communities and forest officials apply consistent and technically sound approaches.

To support implementation, the Department of Forestry has distributed the first edition of the guidelines to provincial and district agriculture and forestry offices. By promoting standard practices and drawing on local knowledge, these guidelines are helping to bridge gaps between technical policy and community action.  

RECOFTC’s work is made possible with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Government of Sweden.