August 2011: The August issue of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) publication “Conservation Made Clear” highlights Asia’s unique biodiversity, noting that China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are some of the world’s most mega-diverse countries, and that 10 of 34 international biodiversity hotspots are located in Asia.

The newsletter also highlights a number of IUCN initiatives undertaken to address conservation challenges in the region, including: Mangroves for the Future, an initiative that promotes investments in coastal ecosystems to support their sustainable development and secure local livelihoods; and the Mekong Water Dialogues, which seek to improve how the involved countries manage water resources and improve the health and security of both people and nature.

The newsletter also reports on the IUCN Livelihoods and Landscape Strategy (LLS), which advocates that conservation and livelihood objectives can best be managed on a landscape scale, with multiple land-use types balanced according to conservation and social objectives. LLS’ past use in the Doi Mae Salong, in Thailand’s Chiang Rai Province, is highlighted.

Finally, the issue notes that for the first time in over 10 years, there was a confirmed sighting of the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) in the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Viet Nam. [Publication: Conservation Made Clear, August 2011]