ABSTRACT
A large percentage of the population of Lao PDR lives in rural or remote areas, and people socialize within their own ethnic groups, cultures and languages. Customary rules and practices along with the maintenance of sacred natural sites have been evolving as the country develops and its policies evolve. Hamzah et al. (2013) document how the ‘Asian alternative’ approach to biodiversity conservation and protected area management is embedded in ageold philosophies, including customary laws in some cases, that reflect a long tradition of coexistence between humans and nature. In Lao PDR, customary laws often have a much greater influence on the day-to-day management of local areas and resources than the country’s statutory laws. Many of the rural Lao communities live in and near wetlands and use wetland resources according to their traditional rules, practices and beliefs.
