By Abbas Nazil
A women-led environmental organisation, Clean Mountains, is spearheading community-based conservation efforts in Myanmar’s conflict-affected Karenni and Karen states despite ongoing armed violence, worsening environmental degradation and shrinking civic space following the country’s 2021 military coup.
Founded in 2024 by 27-year-old environmental activist Ou Ou, the organisation works with rural communities on waste management, water conservation, sustainable agriculture and forest restoration, while promoting local ownership of conservation initiatives in areas controlled by resistance forces.
Speaking in an interview with Mongabay, Ou Ou said environmental destruction had intensified alongside the armed conflict, with overexploitation of natural resources, climate impacts and insecurity placing enormous pressure on ecosystems and local livelihoods.
She noted that environmental activism had become increasingly difficult as the conflict silenced conservation voices and limited opportunities for public engagement and advocacy.
Ou Ou explained that although democratic freedoms briefly expanded before the military coup, environmental defenders now face significant risks, making it difficult to openly challenge destructive practices or campaign for stronger environmental protection.
She warned that both conflict and environmental degradation were threatening the future of communities already struggling with displacement, poverty and insecurity.
According to her, Clean Mountains has helped establish waste management systems in more than 130 villages across Myanmar, including 15 communities in Karenni State, where each waste collection exercise removes between 600 kilograms and one tonne of refuse from individual villages.
She said the organisation focuses on empowering communities rather than providing temporary services, encouraging residents to establish and manage their own waste collection systems through locally elected committees.
Community members receive training on waste separation, compost production, recycling and safe disposal methods, while village committees determine collection schedules based on local needs and available resources.
Ou Ou explained that recyclable materials are sold where possible, but transportation challenges and military checkpoints often prevent waste from reaching recycling facilities, leaving communities with limited disposal options.
She added that households are encouraged to feed food waste to livestock and convert biodegradable materials into compost, reducing the amount of waste sent to disposal sites.
Beyond waste management, the organisation also supports water conservation through the construction of water retention pits, natural forest regeneration and tree planting to improve water availability and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
Rather than relying on emergency water assistance, Clean Mountains promotes long-term environmental restoration by helping communities improve natural water storage and watershed protection.
Ou Ou said the organisation also trains farmers to produce organic fertilisers, natural pesticides and environmentally friendly farming inputs using locally available materials, while encouraging knowledge sharing through farmer groups.
She explained that convincing communities to participate depends largely on explaining how environmental degradation directly affects their health, agricultural productivity, water resources and incomes instead of discussing broader global environmental issues.
According to her, once communities understand the local impacts, participation and ownership increase significantly.
Ou Ou described the ongoing armed conflict as one of the greatest threats to environmental conservation, noting that natural resources have increasingly become sources of funding for armed actors, resulting in unsustainable extraction and severe ecological damage.
She stressed that while natural resources may be utilised, extraction should be carefully managed to minimise environmental destruction and protect affected communities through restoration and proper planning.
She also expressed concern that environmental defenders currently lack legal protection and often risk intimidation or violence for speaking against environmental destruction.
The conservationist noted that restrictions imposed by the conflict have significantly reduced opportunities to conduct environmental awareness campaigns, particularly on social media, creating conditions where destructive activities continue with little public scrutiny.
Reflecting on gender, Ou Ou said women have become the driving force behind grassroots environmental conservation, particularly in waste management, where they make up the majority of volunteers and community leaders.
She observed that nearly 70 per cent of waste management committees established by the organisation are led by women because they often respond more strongly to issues affecting family health, children’s wellbeing and community welfare.
However, she acknowledged that traditional gender norms continue to prevent many women from participating fully in community decision-making despite their active contributions to environmental work.
She explained that cultural expectations, limited educational opportunities and household responsibilities often discourage women from taking leadership positions, while men continue to dominate formal decision-making structures.
Despite these challenges, Ou Ou said Clean Mountains intends to expand its work by linking environmental conservation with food security through food forest development, sustainable livelihoods and strengthened water conservation programmes.
She expressed hope that continued community participation, particularly among women and young people, would help build healthier ecosystems and more resilient communities despite the uncertainties created by Myanmar’s prolonged conflict.
