Member universities take turn in hosting the training courses on Wetland Ecology and Management on a yearly basis, using important wetland sites of each countries as natural training classes and laboratories. Till 2012, the Network have organized ten regional training courses. The first training course was held in Viet Nam 2003, the second was in Thailand 2004, the third was in Lao PDR 2005, the fourth was in Cambodia 2006, the fifth was in Vietnam 2007, the sixth was in Thailand 2008, the seventh was in Thailand and Lao PDR 2009, the eighth was in Cambodia 2010, the night was in Malaysia 2011, and the tenth was just finished at Vietnam 2012. During these training programs, more than 30 specific wetlands were surveyed (Figure 1).
Specific Outcomes:
Understand the concepts and principles of wetland ecology;
Have knowledge on major wetland ecosystems of the Mekong region and their biodiversity;
Have knowledge on approaches and methods, techniques and equipments commonly used in wetland biodiversity surveys and research and wetland management;
Understand major issues, threats related to wetland management in the Mekong basin;
Exchange knowledge and experiences on the wetland management and adaptation;
Have experience in designing and conducting wetland studies and research;
Understand methods and have necessary materials to transfer knowledge on wetland ecosystems to communities and wider public, and to develop and teach wetland courses at university level.
Specific Outputs:
At least 24 wetlanders of Myanmar, China, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Malaysia,Vietnam, Thailand who are well-equipped with knowledge, expertise, educational materials, and ready to join a task force in conservation and management of wetlands and their biodiversity in the Mekong Region;
Curriculum and course materials for use in future courses;
Course report;
Field project reports, including field data collected during course implementation;
Identified potential wetland research topics and conceptual ideas.
Main Activities and Location(s) for the Training Course:
Lecture course was conducted at lecture rooms;
Laboratory practices was conducted at laboratories of host university;
Geology and soil formation, Hydrology, Biodiversity, Socio-economics field surveys and practices was conducted at some specific wetland sites;
Threats to climate change analysis, data analysis and writing group reports, final training course report;
Open workshop at the end of each training.
Accommodations and other facilities: Host universities will facilitate a proper accommodation for the trainees during lecture session and field study.
Sites for Field Work: Determined by the host universities Lead Trainers/Instructors:
Dr. Sansanee Choowaew: Mahidol University (Thailand), PhD in Environmental Planning (University of Melbourne, Australia, 1987);
Dr. Tran Triet: University of Natural Sciences (Vietnam), PhD in Land Resources (University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA, 1999);
Dr. Duong Van Ni: Can Tho University (Vietnam), PhD in Geography (Royal Holloway Institute, University of London, U.K. 2001).
International expert:
Mr. Jeb Barzen, International Crane Foundation (ICF), expert in birds, waterfowls, wetland hydrology, wetland restoration;
Dr. Mashhor Mansor: USM–University Sains Malaysia, Malaysia, expert in biology;
Dr. Richard Keim: LSU–Louisiana State University, USA, expert in hydraulic wetlands;
Dr. Scott Wilson: USGS–National Wetland Research Center, USA, expert in wetland restoration;
Dr. Cindy Thatcher: USGS-National Wetland Research Center, USA, expert in GIS and Remote Sensing.
Local experts: Determined by host universities Number of Participants: varies between 20-25
Employment/Occupation: Junior lecturers, teaching assistants, researchers and postgraduate students from appropriate departments of 18 member universities of the Network; protected areas staff; junior staff of wetland-related programmes/units/agencies of GOs, NGOs and CBOs of the Mekong riparian countries; grassroot and community leaders and facilitators; media.
Minimum Qualification: BSc degree or equivalent;
Essential Skills, Experience, and Attributes: Being able to listen, speak, read and write in English; being able to work in the field; having worked relating to wetland ecosystems; being interested in wetland ecosystems; willing to work on wetlands management issues, e.g. teach wetland-related courses, conduct research on wetlands, assist wetland biodiversity conservation and management practices, wetland education, communication and public awareness;
Recruitment procedure: The Trainees Selection Committee of each member university within the Network selects and nominates number of participants.
Training methods
In-class lectures, key concepts;
In-situ training, hands-on observations and exercises;
Developing essential technical skills such as field survey, measurement, inventory, assessment, monitoring, participatory rural appraisal (PRA), interview, facilitating techniques, team work, group discussion, oral presentation, report writing, conceptualizing research concept;
Encouraging active participation from trainees and sharing experience through activities such as brain-storming, group discussion, presentation, workshop.
Evaluation
Evaluation of Participants : Trainees performance will be evaluated based on a combination of in-class participation, field performance, field reports, group work and individual work, presentation materials, and oral presentation;
Course Evaluation : At the end of the course, each participant will anonymously fill in a course evaluation form.
3.2 Joint research activities
Participants from all six of the countries within the Mekong Basin as well as from Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and the USA have participated in different research. Since 2003 to date, four joint research investigations have evolved:
Asialink‘s project on urban wetland ecosystem management, involved University of Salzburg and University of Helsinki, Finland;
Bamboo of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam, involved Museum of Natural History Paris, France; Botanical study of the family Zingiberaceae, involved Royal Botanic Garden-Edinburgh, Singapore Botanic Garden; and
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP), a survey of 531 wetlands in the whole Mekong Basin, involved scientists of US Geological Survey (USGS), International Crane Foundation (ICF), examined a landscape never before studied in the region (Figure 2).
Theses research projects exemplified the potential of the Network.
Figure 2 A survey of 531 wetlands in the whole Mekong basin by the Network 4. Future of The Network
Since 2003 the website of the Network was developed and maintained by the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University (http://www.en.mahidol.ac.th). But from 2013 onwards, the Network will has it owns website.
With a grant from the US Department of State, the Network is seeking to establish a permanent independent organization to expand the network on a sustainable basis.
The organization will be responsible for fund raising for various Network's activities, communication among Network's member universities and its partners, planning and implementing annual activities (regional meeting, training courses, conferences), creating and coordinating joint research programs in the region.
A permanent office for the Network was established at Cantho University, Vietnam and a full-time manager was hired to manage Network's activities.
A permanent organization of the Network, when fully developed by the member universities and in partnership with local governments throughout the Mekong region, will provide a valuable institution for education, research and adaptation of
countries in the Mekong basin to sustainable wetland resources management, food security and climate change. It will also support adaptative planning by decision-makers responsible for the Mekong river‘s future.