Solutions in the ecoregions
Ecoregional conservation in the Greater Mekong
What is an ecoregion?
What is an ecoregion?
An ecoregion is defined as a large area of land or water that contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities that:
a) share a large majority of their species and ecological dynamics;b) share similar environmental conditions, and;
c) interact ecologically in ways that are critical for their long-term persistence.
The ecoregions of the Greater Mekong >>
Three of these ecoregions are listed as Global 200 Ecoregions, and two of these - The Greater Annamites and The Central Indochina Dry Forests - form the focus of WWF Greater Mekong's Ecoregion Action Programme (EAP).
Following on from the initial analysis of the biological and socio-economic values of the entire Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex, the Ecoregion Action Programmes for the Greater Annamites and Central Indochina Dry Forests are now working at the site, landscape and ecoregional levels to conserve and protect the remarkable biodiversity of these two ecoregions for future generations.
WWF's work in the Greater Mekong currently focuses on these ecoregions:
Greater Annamites, Dry Forests and Mekong River
How we work
About ecoregion conservationEcoregion conservation develops large-scale strategies for 'ecoregions' to ensure that entire ecological processes are maintained. While many other conservation approaches focus on one site or level, ecoregion conservation ensures that these site- level activities are part of a larger strategy.
Download: Ecoregion Action Programmes - A Guide for Practitioners (in 4 parts).
Developing a strategy for multiple sites allows WWF to identify and tackle common threats, thereby producing a greater impact more efficiently.
Ecoregion conservation sets long-term, biological goals. These goals, represented as a biodiversity vision, guide the development of the conservation strategy. The biodiversity vision clearly states the ideal conservation status for the ecoregion in the long term - 50 to 100 or more years in the future. Without this clear vision, conservation strategies are likely to falter and never achieve the level of protection and conservation needed to safeguard biodiversity.
Ecoregion conservation aims to develop conservation strategies that incorporate both biological and socio-economic viewpoints, resulting in visionary, innovative and ambitious plans. Cooperation is vital, as WWF cannot conserve ecoregions by itself.
