PULSE OF THE FOREST THE STATE OF THE GREATER MEKONG’S FORESTS AND THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WORKING TO PROTECT THEM

The Greater Mekong region, comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, has lost a third of its tree cover since the 1970s and faces further loss due to industrial agriculture and infrastructure. The report highlights the critical role of forests in providing ecosystem services, such as water filtration and climate regulation, and their importance for biodiversity, including tigers and elephants. WWF advocates for a 'landscape model' that balances economic development with conservation. Key solutions include establishing Community Protected Areas (CPAs), promoting FSC-certified sustainable products like rattan and acacia, and transitioning to deforestation-free rubber supply chains. The report emphasizes that empowering local communities and integrating natural capital into government policy are essential for long-term forest stability.

• The Greater Mekong region has experienced significant forest loss, having lost one-third of its tree cover since the 1970s, and is projected to lose another third between 2010 and 2030 if current trends persist.
• Deforestation in the region is primarily driven by industrial farming, including crop plantations for sugar cane, rubber, rice, and biofuels, as well as illegal logging and infrastructure projects like roads and dams.
• Forests in the Greater Mekong provide essential ecosystem services, including the filtration of drinking water for millions and supporting a fishery in the Mekong River that provides approximately 80% of the region's protein intake.
• The region is a critical biodiversity hotspot where over 2,200 new vertebrate and vascular plant species have been discovered since 1997, though it also saw the highest number of large mammal and bird extinctions of any continental region in the 20th century.
• Community Protected Areas (CPAs) in Cambodia's Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary demonstrate the effectiveness of local management, where 60% of residents are involved and rangers have seized significant amounts of illegal timber and poaching equipment.
• Sustainable harvesting and FSC certification for non-timber forest products, such as rattan in Laos, have increased household incomes and reduced reliance on unpredictable agriculture.
• In Vietnam, FSC certification for acacia plantations has increased net profits for smallholders by 67% by encouraging longer harvest cycles (seven years instead of five).
• Myanmar has the potential to lead in sustainable rubber production by increasing yields (currently 650kg per hectare compared to India's 2,000kg) to remove the incentive for plantation expansion into forests.
• Wildlife conservation efforts have shown success in specific areas, such as the doubling of tiger cubs in Thailand's Mae Wong national park since 2014 and zero elephant poaching deaths in Kuiburi National Park since 2010.
• The report advocates for a 'landscape model' of development that prioritizes the needs of all partners and ensures infrastructure projects, such as the Dawei road, include wildlife crossings and avoid critical ecological areas.

APA

Carroll, J. (2018). PULSE OF THE FOREST THE STATE OF THE GREATER MEKONG’S FORESTS AND THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WORKING TO PROTECT THEM. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/687/9f8wb4wv7u_Forest_Pulse_Report_2018.pdf

Chicago

Carroll, Joshua. PULSE OF THE FOREST THE STATE OF THE GREATER MEKONG’S FORESTS AND THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WORKING TO PROTECT THEM. WWF International, 2018. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/687/9f8wb4wv7u_Forest_Pulse_Report_2018.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Carroll |first1=Joshua |title=PULSE OF THE FOREST THE STATE OF THE GREATER MEKONG’S FORESTS AND THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WORKING TO PROTECT THEM |publisher=WWF International |date=2018 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/687/9f8wb4wv7u_Forest_Pulse_Report_2018.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carroll2018pulse, author = {Carroll, Joshua}, title = {{PULSE OF THE FOREST THE STATE OF THE GREATER MEKONG’S FORESTS AND THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE WORKING TO PROTECT THEM}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2018}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/687/9f8wb4wv7u_Forest_Pulse_Report_2018.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }