Land and natural resource destruction
Myanmar landscapes are threatened by destruction, including through wildfires and unsustainable use of natural resources. This habitat destruction presents a direct threat to endangered wildlife in Myanmar and community livelihoods. In order to address this habitat destruction, PRCF Myanmar has:
- built forest fire shelters to reduce the threat of forest wildfires
- established community conservation groups to focus local conservation efforts
- facilitated planning for sustainable use of land and natural resources
- engaged in conservation education and awareness
Loss of cultural arts
Cultural arts in Myanmar largely depend on use of natural resources. For example, weaving is a cultural art historically practiced in Chin communities that utilizes natural resources to create and dye fibers for weaving. Loss of natural resources has threatened cultural arts of communities in Myanmar. To address this threat, PRCF has:
- established community-based natural resource conservation efforts
- increased access to materials for cultural arts
- connected products of cultural arts engagement with the marketplace to increase community livelihood and sustainability of cultural arts
Species extinction
Myanmar has several species of wildlife that are threatened by extinction, including the eastern and western Hoolock Gibbon species and Asian elephants. These critically endangered species are increasingly threatened as their habitats are fragmented and local communities and organizations are unaware of their conservation needs.
PRCF Myanmar addresses the threat of species extinction through:
- assessing conservation needs of critically endangered species
- supporting local villages in establishing community conservation groups
- providing conservation groups with assistance in mapping and establishing community conservation areas
- training communities in conservation activities
- raising awareness of critically endangered species’ conservation needs in collaboration with local communities