Association Anoulak Attends the International Congress for Conservation Biology 2025 in Brisbane, Australia
June 20, 2025
In June and July 2025, 19 conservation practitioners (11 men and 8 women) from across Lao PDR came together for an engaging and empowering online training course on the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation. Representing key organizations such as WWF, WCS, IUCN, Free the Bears, Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife, The Saola Foundation, and EconoxLaos, the participants joined forces to strengthen their capacity in designing, managing, and evaluating conservation projects that deliver real impact.
Organized by Association Anoulak in collaboration with Alcedo Conservation, the course was delivered over a three-week period, totaling five days of interactive sessions (4 hours per day). Catherine Payne (Alcedo Conservation) led the course as the main trainer, with expert coaching support from Camille Coudrat (Association Anoulak) and Lavernita Bingku from WWF-Malaysia.
Thanks to funding support from the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, the course was offered free of charge to participants in Lao PDR, part of a broader commitment by Association Anoulak to promote best practices and local leadership in biodiversity conservation.
What Did Participants Gain?
A post-course evaluation highlighted a range of transformative impacts:
🔹 Strategic Mindsets: Participants reported a shift from activity-based thinking to strategic, outcome-driven approaches. They emphasized that tools like the Theory of Change and Strategy Selection provided critical structure for effective project design, stakeholder communication, and long-term conservation success.
🔹 Confidence and Capability: Many practitioners noted increased confidence in using measurable and adaptive planning methods, helping them better align biodiversity goals with community needs and long-term sustainability.
🔹 Understanding Integration: A recurring takeaway was a greater appreciation for integrating human well-being with biodiversity outcomes — a core element of effective conservation.
Looking Ahead
The overwhelmingly positive feedback affirms the value of investing in local capacity for conservation planning. Association Anoulak aims to continue its collaboration with Alcedo Conservation to support emerging and early-career practitioners in Lao PDR.
As conservation challenges grow increasingly complex, empowering local leaders with the right frameworks, skills, and community support is more crucial than ever. This course marks a step forward in building a resilient and strategic conservation community in Laos — one that is ready to adapt, innovate, and lead.
2025 Action: Lao Conservation Standards Course for Senor & Junior Lao Practitioners