Fauna & Flora International

About Us

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) acts to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, are based on sound science and take account of human needs.

FFI works in around 40 countries, worldwide, including four in the Asia-Pacific region

Vietnam

The Vietnam Programme began in 1997 with a focus on limestone karst, and while most sites are still karst, or other mountainous areas, the programme has evolved. Today, it has expanded into a multifaceted programme, heavily focused on threatened and/or endemic primates (flagship species) but also rare or endemic trees, REDD+ and marine conservation.

Cambodia

The Cambodia Programme began in 1996 with a focus on the Cardamom mountains landscape, but since the programme has grown. Since 2000, FFI has been working with the Cambodian Crocodile Conservation Programme (CCCP) which it co-founded with the Government of Cambodia's Forestry Administration and concerned local communities with the explicit aim of saving the Siamese crocodile from extinction in the wild.

As of 2020, the Cambodia programme has grown, emphasising endangered flagship species, the creation of Marine Protected Areas or Marine Managed Areas, and the establishment of the country’s first Master’s programme in biology / conservation.

What We Do

FFI works in to conserve eight Critically Endangered or Endangered primates in Vietnam, and five Critically Endangered or Endangered species in Cambodia.

FFI works both on specific and targeted, species conservation actions, and more generally to protect important habitat and landscapes, through setting up and/or helping to manage and protect national parks and reserves. Out actions are tailored to each site, and the local context, but our work can be generalised, as follows:

• Education: At our all sites we try to raise awareness and build interest and ‘connection’ with wildlife, for local stakeholders, both the government and the local people. We do this though meetings, awareness raising materials and schools programmes. The latter focusses on building understand about the value of local wildlife, to local children (the next generation of decision makers), and what we can all do help protect it. FFI makes and provide books and support to curriculum development. In Cambodia, in partnership with the Royal University of Phnom Penh, FFI established Cambodia’s first Master of Science degree in biodiversity conservation in 2005, which has trained over 250 Cambodian nationals to date and provides much needed vocational courses to natural resource management professionals from the NGO and government sector.
• Monitoring: Understanding what is in and happening in the forest, and these things change over time, is critical to our conservation planning, adaptation and action. We monitor both the key species and also the threats facing them, using SMART.
• Research: We also support a number of scientific research projects, across our sites, which also help us to build a better picture of what is happening, why and what we need to do (our interventions) to improve the chances of species surviving, long term. We study things like diet (feeding ecology), habitat quality and use, land use change, and population viability (genetics), etc.
• Protection: Without physical protection of species and their habitat, conservation will not succeed. In Vietnam, FFI works both with Kiem Lam (FPD) and rangers, and our own Community Conservation Teams (which we set up, train and provide salary for). In Cambodia FFI works both with Ministry of Environment rangers, Community Fisheries teams and our own community wardens. They work together to collect data and provide front line protection (crime prevention and law enforcement).
• Livelihoods: FFI works with local people to improve livelihoods, and so reduce risk and poverty, as a both an incentive and reward for better forest/wildlife protection. We provide fuel-efficient stoves (that use less firewood), help grow fodder crops and fuelwood plantations, replace wooden water wheel with metal ones, develop guidelines for sustainable agriculture, and help to set up micro-credit schemes and add value to supply chains.
• Protected Areas: FFI has worked with the gov’t of Vietnam to establish several protected areas in Vietnam, and is currently working to set up two more (Kim Bang/Ha Nam and Kon Plong/Kon Tum). FFI also provides ongoing technical and material support to PA managers, in the form of technical support, training (e.g. on enforcement and monitoring) and equipment.
• Policy/advocacy: Although not our main focus, FFI has made some very important contributions to the development of key laws and regulations, including helping to write and develop the National Primate Action Plan, which was signed this year, in May, by the Prime Minister of Vietnam. FFI have also contributed to Protected Area legislation and has helped develop action plans targeting Asian Elephants and Siamese Crocodiles.
• Transboundary cooperation: FFI has been promoting cross-border cooperation since 2007 when the first transboundary census was conducted covering the entire area of viable habitat for the gibbon in Vietnam and China. Since then closer links between government partners have been encouraged, which has led to an agreement being signed in March 2011 between government agencies in Cao Bang and Guangxi Provinces for improved information sharing and cooperation on protected area management.

Where We Work

In Vietnam, FFI works in 7 sites, across 8 provinces, to conserve 8 EN/CR primates:

1. Ha Giang (Tonkin snub-nosed monkey),
2. Cao Bang (Cao Vit gibbon),
3. Mu Cang Chai/Muong La (western black crested gibbon),
4. Ha Nam/Ninh Bing (Delacour’s langur),
5. Cat Ba (Cat Ba langur),
6. Nghe An (northern white-cheeked gibbon),
7. + 8. Kon Tum (grey shanked douc langur and northern yellow-cheeked gibbon).

We also work via a local partner, GreenViet, to support conservation in Danang / Son Tra (red shanked douc langur).

In Cambodia, FFI works in 15 sites, across 7 provinces, to conserve 3 EN/CR/NE species:

1. Sihanoukville, (Sea turtle)
2. Koh Kong (Siamese crocodile, Asian elephant, sea turtles)
3. Kampot (Asian elephant)
4. Kampong Speu (Siamese crocodile, Asian elephant)
5. Pursat (Asian elephant)
6. Rattanakiri (northern yellow-cheeked gibbon)
7. Stung treng (northern yellow-cheeked gibbon)

Photo Credits

Featured image: Le Khac Quyet/FFI