Internationally, coral restoration and biodiversity are still lacking behind in terms of certification and uniform verification / measurement standards. To address this issue, we adopt eDNA - environmental DNA - to measure biodiversity, though in the long run, international standards would definitely increase our recognition and perceived reliability.

We resolved the challenge of financial limitations by encouraging the fishers to join saving groups. The fishermen have formed Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) with the aim of saving part of their income and access loans with ease. We trained the groups on how to run the VSLA, also known as table banking, as well as on financial management and group dynamics and provided them with the required inputs such as record keeping books. The VSLA members hold weekly meetings, where they contribute savings and those who need loans requesting for them, clearly stating mode of repayment, use of the loan and repayment period. The fishermen are now able to cater for their daily needs during the Southeast Monsoon (SEM) season when there is no fishing due to the rough weather conditions. They spend time constructing and repairing the basket traps in preparation for the high Northeast Monsoon (NEM) season where they can go out fishing. 

We conducted a series of awareness and sensitization meetings with the basket traps fishers and the community on impacts of destructive fishing gears on ecosystems and livelihoods. The recommendation was to modify the traditional basket traps from 2-3 inches mesh sizes. We co-designed the traps with the volunteer fishers prior to the trials. Sixteen fishers volunteered to trial the modified traps. Trained fishers and other community members collected fish data throughout the trial. We used the data to evaluate the catch composition, size structure of fish captured, juvenile retention, catch per unit effort (CPUE) and fishers’ income. From the data, modified traps were considered beneficial economically and ecologically, and all the basket traps fishers expressed interest in starting using them. This led to the upscale phase where the fishers were facilitated to construct the modified basket traps.

In order to preserve the functionality and the esthetics of the park, it is important to know how to maintain it. This includes monitoring, the maintenance of green spaces and cleaning. 

With regards to monitoring, it is recommended to have communication mechanisms established between the community and the municipality. In this case, the neighborhood committee remains in touch via WhatsApp with the contact person of the Public Services Department and may share observations or ask directly for support in the case of any event. 

Furthermore, a list of indicators was established for the monitoring and ensuring the functionality of the green space, with a focus on the vegetation, water infiltration, erosion and shadow areas. The maintenance of the infrastructure of the park (paths, discharges, bins) was also addressed. 

During a maintenance workshop with the Public Services Department and members of the local community, roles and responsibilities were divided with regards to the different indicators. 

Furthermore, a feedback workshop was conducted with the Public Services Department and the neighbors, in order to capture how both groups perceived the entire process and to integrate their feedback into the methodology of future processes. 

Before 1990, the area around Bau Sau was under severe pressures from local communities in Dak Lua Commune. Local people often entered the park for harvesting timber, fishing, and hunting animals. Conflicts between locals and forest rangers occurred frequently and seriously (with death, and a ranger station was burnt in 1990).

After establishment, the park managers focused on law enforcement. Number of donor projects in this period helped improving local livelihoods through productive and effective farming, e.g. irrigation, increasing rice crops cultivation from twice to three times/year, high yielding maize. With consensus from local people, households living in the core zone were supported to relocate to the buffer zones. Forest protection contracts were signed with local households, forest protection teams were established in villages around the park. Illegal activities were sharply reduced. Relationship with local communities has been improved, pressures on natural resources has reduced, and the habitat quality has been enhanced.

Along with proactive habitat restoration measures, wild fauna populations recovered rapidly. In addition to the Siamese Crocodile population that was re-established in Bau Sau area, other populations of animals of conservation concerns such as Gaur, and Green Peafowl etc. are well maintained.

Producers must also have to commit not to kill predators and to be part of a more environmentally friendly production. A final key aspect is that the conservationist using this technique will have to invest a considerable amount of time between training the dog, selecting puppy candidates, constant monitoring and much more. If the social factors mentioned before are not taken into account and these commitments are not met, the success of the project would not be possible.

Social factors are important in conflicts between humans and predators. Predation has direct economic costs related to loss of income and food, and indirect economic costs such as time spent avoiding predation. There are also underestimated non-economic costs, related to the sense of uncertainty, insecurity and general disruption to livelihoods caused by the unexpected loss of livestock, which strongly influence human-carnivore interactions. Livestock keepers who choose to join this programme must be prepared to make cultural and behavioural changes, including changing their cultural relationship with predators and dogs.  They must be committed to caring for and managing LGDs in a different way to how they normally interact with dogs. The herder must spend time with the dog in the first few months to ensure that it does not get lost, and must provide food and water on a daily basis.

The establishment of a breeding centre is a fundamental step in carrying out controlled breeding and imprinting of pups. Imprinting is a biological learning process, which is generated in a short period of time, where pups of most species can identify and learn behaviours of any other species. At the centre we provide the conditions for the pups to be in contact with goats and sheep from birth, and until they are four months old, creating a family bond that will make them protective with the livestock. This stage is critical and essential to achieve LGD that are effective in their function and strategic for carnivore conservation. During the imprinting process we take care of the feeding, health, welfare of the puppies and the livestock, while correcting undesirable behaviour in the puppy-livestock bond. After four months the puppies that are already vaccinated, dewormed and neutered, are handed over to the producers where they will finish their training and gradually start working with the livestock.

Partnerships with the provincial Taskforce, which oversaw the project's activities in general, and the provincial Agriculture Extension Center and Farmers’ Union helped achieve the expected results despite travel restrictions owing to COVID-19.

Partnerships with these local partners also led to the later integration of the project’s interventions into provincial partner’s programmes.

Financing support for multi-sector surveillance of zoonotic diseases in wildlife and along wildlife trade chains is essential to improve understanding of pathogen diversity, disease dynamics and potential risks posed by wildlife trade, to support evidence-based decision making, monitor emerging pathogens and support targeted future surveillance and mitigation investments