Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mt Victoria
(Nat Ma
Taung) Na-
tional Park
second-highest mountain in Myan-
mar; rare birds and orchids
279
Nov-Mar no
Popa Moun-
tain Park
extinct volcano; unique dry-zone eco-
system; monkeys
50
Nov-Mar no
Environmental Issues
Recycling and making use of every little thing is part of most people's daily life in My-
anmar, disposability only being a luxury of the rich. This said, the country is facing many
challenges with regard to treatment of its precious environment. Essentially no environ-
mental legislation was passed from the time of independence in 1948 until after 1988.
Since then, government dictums, such as efforts to 'green the dry zone' and protect wild-
life, were more words than action.
Slowly, things may be changing. Previously off-limit topics related to Myanmar's en-
vironment are now covered in the media, leading, occasionally, to reviews of government
policy. President Thein Sein's decision to suspend construction of the Myitsone Dam in
September 2011 is one example of this. The new foreign investment law passed in 2012
requires environmental impact statements for all major investment projects and a new en-
vironmental conservation law has also been introduced.
A 2009 report by environmental watchdog Global Witness found a dramatic decrease in
the illegal timber trade between Myanmar and China, but notes smuggling still contin-
ues.
Deforestation
Myanmar supposedly contains more standing forest, with fewer inhabitants, than any
other country in Indochina. That said, it's also disappearing faster than almost anywhere
else in Asia, and Myanmar's forests remain the most unprotected in the region. Much of
Myanmar's forest has fallen to the axe - for fuel and for timber exports (both legal and
illegal) or due to clearing for farming. One of the most troubled areas is the so-called
'dry zone', made up of heavily populated Mandalay, lower Sagaing and Magwe divi-
sions. Little of the original vegetation remains in this pocket (which is about 10% of My-
anmar's land, but home to one-third of the population), due to growth in the area's popu-
lation and deforestation.
