Mission: To conserve biodiversity, ecosystem services, and local cultural identities through participatory solutions that protect and promote the wise use of natural resources, support socioeconomic development of communities, and enable effective adaptation to climate change.
Results: Highlights of our 17 year history include:
- Supporting women weavers in West Kalimantan to form the JMM Cooperative, with our partners Kobus Foundation and Yayasan Swadaya Dian Khatulistiwa (YSDK). The cooperative, whose name translates to “weavers go independent”, has over 930 members and provides an income for marginalized, Dayak women through the sales of traditional weaving.
- Discovering new groups of globally threatened primate species: Francois’ Langur and Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey in Vietnam. The PRCF is currently setting up innovative, community-based conservation activities aiming to protect these primates while creating awareness and conservation-based economic opportunities for the surrounding communities.
- Placing local people on Protected Area Management Boards in Vietnam, an unprecedented act in this country. Fair representation now exists on the board from all of the communities living within and in the immediate surroundings of the protected area.
- Identifying the second most important site, globally, for the critically endangered White-shouldered Ibis. Information about this rare, enigmatic bird was limited, making conservation planning for the species difficult. By supporting the most significant ibis census in Cambodia, led by local nationals, targeted activities can be implemented towards its protection.
- Discovering a new primate species to science: the Burmese Snub-nosed Monkey, with our partners Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI).
Target demographics: Rural ethnic minorities living within landscapes holding protected forest areas, and degraded forestlands and grasslands
Geographic areas served: At present the Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam
Programs: Strategic Priorities
- Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem functions
- Sustainable management and use of natural resources
- Community-based conservation approaches
- Cultural arts revitalization and ethnic minorities
I first began to have a deeper understanding of conservation and the type of people active in conservation when my daughter Clea became passionately involved in conservation in her teens. (Almost 20 years later she is still as passionate). After coming to live in Vietnam I met similarly dedicated conservationists. One organization's name consistently came up in their discussions as truly dedicated to both conservation and support for minority people. That organization was (and is) PRCF, People Resources and Conservation Foundation. As the years went by I met more people working for and with PRCF and had the opportunity to see first-hand some of the work they were doing in Vietnam. In every case I was struck by their dedication and professionalism. I was honored when invited by PRCF to work with them in my areas of culture development, team building and strategic development. In that role I have had the opportunity to work with PRCF people from several countries. Their dedication and professionalism is shown by their every action and the results they have achieved. They are an exceptional group of people in an exceptional organization.
PRCF’s activities have been directly contributing to the enhancement of conservation effectiveness and livelihood opportunities at the local level. Lessons from PRCF’s community-based conservation and development approach should provide useful information to national and sub-national policy making processes to make conservation policies and practices more effective and sustainable and work for local people. Because of such potential impacts, PRCF deserves more support and funding to expand and intensify its work in Asia and other parts of the world.
