ProFEB and CliPAD projects jointly strengthen conservation efforts in Laos: Mastering SMART for protected area management!

To strengthen conservation efforts, the ProFEB and CliPAD projects collaborated to support a comprehensive training on the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). Led by an expert from Hin Nam No National Park, the training focused on the Nam Xam Protected Area, Nam Phouy Protected Area, and Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park.

What is SMART?

SMART is a suite of software and analysis tools designed to help conservationists manage and protect wildlife and diverse ecosystems. This tool standardizes and streamlines data collection, analysis, and reporting, ensuring critical information flows seamlessly from the field to decision-makers, and enhancing conservation strategies. 

Time to Transfer Knowledge!

With support from GIZ-ProFEB, Hin Nam No National Park in Central Laos has been using the SMART tool since 2014. The GIZ project supported enhancing the capacity of government staff responsible for the park's database through the provision of equipment and capacity-building initiatives. Drawing on these experiences, in July 2024, an expert from Hin Nam No National Park was well-positioned to lead comprehensive training for staff from Nam Xam Protected Area, Nam Phouy Protected Area, and Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park which are currently supported by GIZ-CliPAD. 

The training extended beyond the use of SMART for conservation monitoring; it also served as a platform to share valuable insights from implementing management plans and to build a strong network among participants, thereby enhancing their collective conservation efforts.

The ProFEB project is co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union. ProFEB is the second component of “Team Europe Partnership with Lao PDR to increase sustainable and inclusive trade, investment and connectivity in the agriculture and forestry sectors (TICAF)”