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Salween Peace Park

A vision for the creation a space that promotes peace and cooperation in harmony with nature.
Wildlife conservation
Protected areas
Forestry
Livelihood Development

Background

80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity is in indigenous areas, and Salween River basin is no exception. In addition, protected areas in Myanmar often lack human and financial resources. Thus, the role of ethnic people is key in preserving biodiversity.

The project

The Salween Peace Park is part of a global movement of indigenous groups. The founders of the Park argue for sustainable alternatives to megadams, mining, and top-down governance. They propose small hydropower and solar systems, ecotourism, agroforestry, and organic farming managed around the “Kaw,” a territory with its own system that integrates sustainable livelihoods, nature protection, and democratic governance. It is hoped that Salween Peace Park will be a model for other ethnic communities to follow and that it could eventually be incorporated into the federal union.

About the organization

The Park was officially established by Karen communities on December 18, 2019, and covers almost 550,000 hectares. It includes 168 Kaws, 34 community forests, 8 reserved forests, and 3 wildlife sanctuaries.

The Salween Peace Park is the culmination of years of work, including demarcating communal lands and sacred areas, establishing wildlife sanctuaries, and documenting the existence of threatened species. The co-existence of people and nature has allowed the continued preservation of forests and watersheds, and the Karen seek to preserve this relationship for the benefit of future generations.
Photo: Saw Doo Plout Soe
The customary indigenous Karen land management system is called “Kaw.” Kaw is a locally recognized and managed territory. It includes forests that must never be cleared, including watersheds, stream banks, ridges, and mountaintops. These protected areas function as sanctuaries and ecological corridors that allow biodiversity to thrive.
Photo: Saw Mort
For over 15 years, indigenous Karen communities have gathered annually along the banks of the Salween River to demonstrate against the Hatgyi Dam and other giant hydropower construction projects. Partly due to people’s strong opposition, the Salween at present remains the last major free-flowing river in Southeast Asia.
Photo: Matias Bercovich
The Salween River basin contains ones of the last great wild landscapes and natural teak forests of Southeast Asia. Rare and diverse wildlife including Asian elephants, gaur, and gibbons still call the place home. In recent years, an indigenous conservation initiative has documented the presence of dozens of endangered species such as the tiger and clouded leopard.
Implementing partners
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