Supporting Forest and Species Conservation in Van Ho and Xuan Nha

During August and September 2026, PanNature worked with local authorities, forest rangers, scientists, and community groups on a series of biodiversity conservation and forest restoration activities in Van Ho and Xuan Nha Special-use Forest, Son La Province. The activities focused on strengthening community participation in forest protection, restoring populations of threatened conifers, and improving the long-term management of important forest habitats.

Strengthening Local Participation in Forest Conservation

On 24 September, PanNature and the Van Ho Commune People’s Committee organized a workshop on biodiversity conservation and natural forest habitat restoration. Participants included representatives of the Son La Union of Science and Technology Associations, Regional Forest Ranger Unit X, the Xuan Nha Nature Reserve Management Board, scientific experts, and local communities.

Participants reviewed the condition of remaining forest habitats and discussed possible approaches to strengthening their conservation, including the potential application of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). Discussions highlighted the importance of protecting remaining natural forest patches, restoring degraded areas, and maintaining regular forest patrols. Participants also emphasized that lasting conservation results will depend on the active involvement of local communities in managing and protecting the forests around them.

The workshop concluded with an agreement among participating stakeholders to strengthen cooperation in protecting rare plant and animal species and supporting community-based forest stewardship in Van Ho.

Earlier, on 26–27 August, PanNature organized a practical training session at its Van Ho Field Office on the propagation and restoration of threatened conifer species. Representatives of Regional Forest Ranger Unit X and community forest management groups from Pa Cop, Hua Tat, and Bo Nhang 2 villages took part.

PanNature’s technical staff introduced the ecological importance of native conifers and demonstrated propagation techniques for Calocedrus rupestris and Taxus chinensis. Participants practiced propagation from cuttings and seeds and learned techniques for planting, tending, and monitoring young trees.

Following the training, 500 seedlings of the two species were planted in natural forest areas in Pa Cop and Hua Tat villages. The activity is intended to support the recovery of rare conifer populations in Van Ho’s limestone forests while building local knowledge and experience in species conservation.

Supporting Forest Protection and Rare Conifer Restoration in Xuan Nha

PanNature also continued its cooperation with local communities in Xuan Nha Special-use Forest. On 9 September, patrol and wildfire-prevention equipment was provided to four community forest protection groups in Bun and Lay villages, Xuan Nha Commune, and Kho Hong and Suoi Quanh villages, Chieng Son Commune.

The equipment included uniforms, raincoats, rubber boots, wide-brimmed hats, water containers, and long-handled machetes. It will support regular patrol and forest protection activities carried out under the guidance of the Xuan Nha Special-use Forest Management Board.

These forest areas provide habitat for rare conifers including Xuan Nha pine (Pinus cernua) and Cunninghamia konishii. Conserving these species requires not only protecting the remaining mature trees, but also improving natural regeneration and developing effective methods for propagation and restoration.

On 10 September, PanNature and local partners planted 200 Xuan Nha pine seedlings in the Pha Tu Dam mountain area of Kho Hong Village. The species has a very small known population in the wild and shows extremely limited natural regeneration.

The seedlings were raised at PanNature’s nursery from seeds collected from 30 parent trees in Xuan Nha Special-use Forest. After planting, each seedling was numbered, photographed, protected, and recorded with baseline information to allow its survival and growth to be monitored over time.

The planting is being treated as a pilot restoration effort. Monitoring results will help improve propagation, site selection, planting, and post-planting care, providing practical experience for future conservation of Xuan Nha pine.

Building Conservation from Long-term Field Engagement

With support from Fondation Franklinia, PanNature is continuing to combine scientific knowledge with community participation and long-term field engagement in Van Ho and Xuan Nha. Activities range from species research and habitat restoration to forest patrols, propagation trials, and community training.

Together, these efforts aim to strengthen local capacity for forest stewardship and improve the long-term conservation prospects of threatened species and their habitats in Son La Province.