Nam Kading National Protected Area
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| Nam Kading National Protected Area | |
|---|---|
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources) | |
  Location in Laos | |
| Location | Bolikhamsai Province, Laos |
| Nearest city | Paksan |
| Coordinates | 18°24′28″N 104°14′25″E / 18.40778°N 104.24028°E |
| Area | 1,690 km2 (650 sq mi) (decreed),[1] 1,570–1,584 km2 (606–612 sq mi) (actual)[1][2] |
| Designated | 29 October 1993 |
Nam Kading National Protected Area is a national protected area in Bolikhamsai Province in central Laos. This rugged and largely inaccessible park, cut through by its namesake Nam Kading river, is home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, some endangered. Due to its ruggedness, the park lacks any significant human settlement.[1]
Nam Kading National Protected Area is located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Paksan near the village of Pakkading and covers parts of Paksan, Pakkading, Borikhane and Khamkeut districts. The park's current area is about 1,600 square kilometres (620 sq mi).[1][2] Elevations range from about 140 metres (460 ft) to the park's highest point, Phou Pa Paek at 1,514 metres (4,970 ft).[2]
The park's main river is the Nam Kading, flowing from south to north through the park. It is a significant tributary of the Mekong. The Nam Theun 2 Dam, Laos's largest hydroelectric project, impounds the Nam Kading south of the park in Khammouane Province. The courses of three other rivers, the Nam Muan, Nam Sat and Nam Tek, divide the park into four mountain ranges.[2]
History
Beginning in 1989, the area of the current park was surveyed by air and land. In 1993 Nam Kading National Biodiversity Conservation Area was decreed. Surveying began in 1995 to assess the impact on the park of two further proposed hydropower projects: Theun-Hinboun and Nam Theun 1.[1]
