Through its programme in Asia, IUCN aims to promote regional links with global and national policies and foster collaborative efforts through an ecosystem approach.

The Phatam Protected Forests Complex (PPFC), which is shared by Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and supported by grants from ITTO, is one such example. On 21 February, the Royal Forest Department of Thailand will host a field trip to the PPFC in the workshop, which covers some 173,000 ha and comprises four existing protected areas, namely Phatam, Kaeng Tana, and Phu Jong Na Yoi National Parks, and Yot Dom Wildlife Sanctuary, as well as the proposed Buntrik-Yot Mon Wildlife Sanctuary.

"The Phatam Protected Forests Complex in Ubon Ratchathani Province in Northeastern Thailand has been selected as a pilot project for transboundary biodiversity conservation because there is an increasing pressure on biodiversity from trade in plant parts and animal poaching across the borders," said Yongyut Trisurat, Faculty of Forestry at Kasetsart University.

IUCN's Jackson explains: "The outputs of this timely workshop will feed directly into the IUCN World Parks Congress with its theme of 'Benefits Beyond Boundaries' echoing the concept of transboundary conservation."

The World Parks Congress to be held in Durban, South Africa next September will be the largest gathering of protected area experts in the world.


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