Conservation and Ethnobotanical Knowledge of a Hmong Community in Long Lan, Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic

A study of the Hmong community in Long Lan, Luang Prabang, reveals that traditional ethnobotanical practices may serve as a mechanism for biodiversity conservation in the region's rapidly deteriorating forests. Researchers identified 74 plant species used culturally and for livelihood purposes, with positive correlations found between their usage and conservation status. The findings suggest that integrating indigenous knowledge into conservation strategies could mitigate forest loss in Laos.

Whitney, C. W., Vang Sin, M. (. V., Lê Hồng, G., Vu Van, C., Barber, K., & Thi Tran, L. (2014). Conservation and Ethnobotanical Knowledge of a Hmong Community in Long Lan, Luang Prabang, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 12, 643. https://doi.org/10.17348/era.12.0.643-658