Yunnan Provinical Government supports the Laos Cross-border Asian Elephant Protection Area in Poor Ethnic Minority Village Ecological Demonstration Village Pilot Project.

Project narrative

On May 8, 2019, the Laos Cross-border Asian Elephant Protection Area in Poor Ethnic Minority Village Ecological Demonstration Village Pilot Project was approved by the Yunnan Provincial Government for support (or 老挝跨境亚洲象保护区域贫困少数民族村寨生态示范村试点项目). The Baka Lao Village, Bennu County, and Phongsali Province were chosen for the village. The planned investment for the project is 500,000 yuan ("中方对老挝跨境亚洲象保护区生态示范村项目选址再确认"). The actual investment is unknown. The project started in August and was completed on November 9, 2019. It was supported by the Yunnan Provincial Government, the Yunnan Provincial Department of Commerce, and the Yunnan Provincial Department of Finance, and it was jointly implemented by the Yunnan Green Environment Development Foundation and Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve Management and Protection Bureau. The project helped the villagers build a 100- cubic-meter reservoir, install 10 solar street lights, and distribute 73 fire-saving stoves to the villagers. At the same time, it also helped the local to form a 15- member community patrol team, and trained the patrol team members on the awareness of the community residents' elephant awareness and Asian elephant patrol skills. ("老挝跨境亚洲象保护区域贫困少数民族村寨生态示范村试点项目顺利结项")