The city of Luang Prabang, in Laos, has a network of interconnected urban ponds that are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. These wetlands are ideal for fish farming and are crucial for the city’s resilience to deal with the consequences of climate change. However, they are under serious threat from land pressure and various sources of pollution. Since 2019, GRET has been supporting residents and local authorities to become collectively organised for the conservation of these ponds.

A listed site in danger

Located at the heart of a mountainous region, Luang Prabang is striving to preserve its architectural heritage while reconciling tourism and tradition. Thanks to its rich cultural legacy, the city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. Its ancient temples, traditional houses, colonial buildings and wetlands make it unique.

Tourism is vital for the province’s economy, as it generates numerous jobs and substantial income. However, its rapid rate of growth is creating real estate pressure that is threatening the population’s way of life.

The manmade network of ponds is one of the elements that led to the site’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list. These ponds, most of which are privately owned, play a part in mitigating flood risks, household waste water treatment and cooling the city.

However, since the 2000s, despite stringent protective regulation, these ponds have been deteriorating alarmingly, and are gradually disappearing. The city does not have a sewerage system and residents use autonomous sanitation systems with varying levels of quality. Consequently, the ponds are frequently polluted by wastewater. In addition, traditional fish culture and aquaculture practices are being abandoned, thereby reducing the population’s interest in the ponds. According to the local authorities, of the 183 ponds present in 1999, only 120 remain today. This has led to higher flood risks, which are further exacerbated by climate change.

A commons-based approach to protect world heritage:

Given the failings of pond management by local public authorities and private stakeholders, the commons-based approach emerged as a promising alternative for the conservation of this world heritage. The objective of the approach is to involve all parties concerned in decisions regarding the urban ponds. This enables mobilisation of diverse representations in favour of shared joint management of these fragile areas. The WISE project intends to contribute to improving the local population’s environment and living conditions, through better management of the urban wetlands in Ban Mano, one of 72 villages in Luang Prabang that are located in the city’s protected area.

Commoning in Luang Prabang to:

• Protect local heritage.
• Reverse the degradation and disappearance of ponds.
• Improve the sanitation network.
• Make the city more resilient to deal with climate change.
• Bring stakeholders together in a collective learning dynamic, beyond the project, in order to conserve ponds.

Supporting a shared governance body capable of organising concrete actions

A serious game, derived from the “Terri’Stories” game, was used to help residents understand the importance of conserving the ponds network. Subsequently, they created a wetlands management village committee, made up of residents, pond owners and public stakeholders. This committee coordinates collective actions for conservation, restoration and sustainable use of ponds in the Ban Mano neighbourhood.

GRET provided support to implement the priority actions defined in the wetlands development and restoration plan. Capacity-building activities were organised, notably on nature-based solutions for wastewater treatment in collaboration with local authorities.

Monitoring and evaluation meetings were held for each activity. These actions contributed to the construction of a shared vision for development of the wetlands, enabling them to be opened to tourists in order to valorise the environment, strengthen its protection and generate income for its upkeep.

Changes obtained to date:

• Taking a shared governance approach, the committee identified three groups of priority actions focusing on infrastructure, governance and capacity-building.
• The committee members gained greater understanding of shared governance of wetlands and sustainable technical solutions for sanitation.
• Households living near the wetlands are made aware of the importance of protecting them.
• The first operations to rehabilitate the ponds were carried out.
• Together, local authorities and residents are actively participating in decision making, consultations, pond management and conservation activities.
• The committee is gradually acquiring greater legitimacy to implement pond conservation regulations and ensure these are respected.

The next stages in the process:

• Continue the pond rehabilitation activities.
• Extend shared governance to wetlands in four Luang Prabang neighbourhoods, by strengthening dialogue with users located upstream of the ponds network.
• Strengthen monitoring activities, which require skills, and technical and financial resources.
• Ensure continued motivation among the committee members, who have other professional activities that take up a lot of their time. This will require continuation of concrete actions, in parallel to meetings on strengthening of governance and regulation mechanisms.
• Support development of the committee as a body for governance of the ponds network, representing all users. In this regard, members reflect on how to ensure dialogue with larger numbers of residents to include them in the shared governance dynamic, for example by highlighting the committee’s activities.
• Set up a laboratory to monitor water quality within the Luang Prabang municipal services, and support the latter to develop a monitoring protocol.