Landscape conservation in the Greater Mekong region

To manage the growing pressures facing the Greater Mekong region’s natural capital and ecosystems, we are focusing our conservation efforts at a much larger scale--landscapes.

Find out more about landscape conservation

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Ecosystems in the Greater Mekong: past trends, current status, possible futures

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WWF-Greater Mekong has identified 8 priority landscapes that cover approximately 245,000 km² (or 11% of the area of the Greater Mekong Subregion) (see map below).

These large areas support many of the rarest and most distinctive species in the region, including Southeast Asia’s largest populations of tiger, elephant, and saola.

Additionally, we coordinate closely with WWF-China to ensure effective protection of the headwaters of the Mekong—high on the Tibetan Plateau.

Approximately 28% of these focal landscapes is under formal protection. WWF works through partners to extend this landscape approach to other critical conservation areas in the Greater Mekong region.

The misty mountain ranges of Kayah Karen Tenasserim ecoregion.

Mekong Area of Sambor, where one of the 11 mainstream dam projects is proposed, is located between Cambodia's Kratie and Steung Treng towns covering the globally important biodiversity hotspot known as Central Section. This area is home to many endangered wildlife including the Irrawaddy dolphin and water birds like White-shouldered Ibis, River Tern and Greater and Lesser Adjutants.