WORKSHOP: Writeshop at Pathein University Preparing for Upcoming Book on Salween River

As the Salween Fellowship program enters its third and final year, eight fellows are joining together with several other researchers to further their research for publication in an upcoming edited book about the Salween River, to be published in late 2017. 

On 16 to 18 April, Pathein University's Department of Marine Science hosted the second WriteShop for this book (see here for the first WriteShop). Over three days, three Salween Fellows and three additional researchers worked through the concepts, arguments, chapter outline and policy implications for their research. The meeting agenda can be viewed here.

It became apparent during the WriteShop that the research undertaken that is now being prepared for the book will fill important gaps in knowledge regarding the Salween River. The topics included:

  • Trends in fisheries in the Salween River estuary and socio-economic implications

  • Ethno-botany in Lashio District, Northern Shan State

  • Forest and land cover change in Bawlakhe District, Kayah State

  • Contrasting visions of development at the Thai border of the Salween River

  • Grassland management in the upper Nu Jiang area

  • Contrasting local and national water policies in Myanmar

As the WriteShop proceeded to the second day, we were fortunate that Padauk, Myanmar's national flower, bloomed across the Pathein University campus

During the afternoon of the second day of the WriteShop, the group visited the Department of Marine Science's field station, where the university collaborates with a local NGO in a major mangrove restoration project. Dr. Cherry Aung, the head of the Department of Marine Science, who is also a Salween Research Fellow, explained about the project during the visit.