8th IUCN Asia Regional Conservation Forum (RCF) in Bangkok

Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) Korea participated in the 8th IUCN Asia Regional Conservation Forum (RCF), held from 3 to 5 September 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. With the theme "Reimagining Conservation in Asia: A Nature-Positive Future," the forum was an important platform for exchanging knowledge and building partnerships in nature and biodiversity conservation across Asia.

HSF Korea works with partners along the Flyways without Borders to conserve habitat, enhance public awareness about the importance of wetlands as migratory species’ habitats, support policy development, and engage environmental communities. Notably, Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi, a Senior researcher at HSF Korea, attended this forum, shared GMACC activity along the Flyways, and talked about how securing Asian flyways through the IUCN Green List can contribute to achieving the Global Biodiversity Framework's 30x30 target in Asia. She did a presentation as a speaker during the side event - Act30: Fair and effective area-based conservation - advancing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 3 in Asia organized by the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, IUCN and Environmental Systems Research Institute.

• - Discussed recognising the importance of conservation activity along the Flyways, e.g., (Central Asian Flyway) CAF and East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF);
• - Discussed supporting conservation activity for climate action;
• - Discussed the contribution of reaching the GBF in partnership.

During the RCF Exhibition, the experts introduced conservation projects such as Potential for Community Forestry as OECMs In Asia Project. This project introduces Indonesia’s case - Indonesia's NBSAP (2016) included national target 11, "Realization of sustainable maintenance and improvement of conservation areas referring to national parks and other protected areas, and not OECMs, in Indonesia. OEMs were not mentioned in their targets in this report. Community-managed forests, such as Village Forest (Hutan Desa) schemes and Indigenous Peoples-led conservation areas, are other examples that could be considered as potential OECMs in Indonesia if they meet the criteria. HSF Korea works with the National Institute of Forest Science under the Korea Forest Service for peatland conservation and restoration in Indonesia with partners, Korea University and Kookmin University. This information will affect future cooperation and conservation activity.