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
Focused work that underlines long-term impact with building of local capacity and skills in-country. PRCF have been an extremely effective, small and lean organization that have been an excellent grantee in terms of the professional management of the grants we have awarded them, their impact and their relationships with local communities and local authorities in the countries in which they work.
BirdLife International Cambodia Programme has worked with PRCF for several years tying to improve the management of Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia. Via our role under the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund we have also provided a small grant to PRCF. PRCF are professional in the delivery of projects, innovative in their approaches and work closely and develop strong relationships with local civil society organisations.
We have collaborated with PRCF between 2005 and 2008 on several conservation projects PRCF was implementing in Kalimantan, Indonesia and Ba Be National Park in Vietnam. We found PRCF's work in conservation with indigenous peoples very innovative and empowering to grassroots communities. Their local partners valued highly the technical and scientific assistance which PRCF provided to them. I can attest that the indigenous peoples and their respective communities who have partnered with PRCF over the years have succeeded in implementing their conservation cum anti poverty projects partly because of PRCF's sustained help.
