Birds flock to Tram Chim National Park. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - A USD 625,000 project for ecosystemmanagement at Tram Chim National Park in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thapwas launched at a conference held by the Vietnam Forest Inventory and PlanningInstitute (FIPI) in Ho Chi Minh City on August 5.
Addressing the event, FIPI director Nguyen Nghia Bien noted that fromits source on the Tibetan plateau, the Mekong River flows 4,800 km through 6countries, including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam,resulting in a unique biotope, biodiversity and fertile delta. The Mekong Riverbasin has attracted more and more public attention since each member country isexploiting the river water resources for its own development purposes, bringingabout potential consequences and challenges to one another.
The Tram Chim National Park, located in the Mekong Delta sub-region, andDong Thap authorities have strived for sustainable ecosystem management of thereed fields and wetland areas. Unexpected complications have arisen, however,due to lack of a sustainable and effective management model. The presence ofSarus cranes and other birds in the National Park is decreasing at an alarmingrate.
Against this backdrop, the Asia-Pacific Network for SustainableForest Management and Rehalibitation (APFNet) has agreed to partially fund the "Demonstration project of generalmanagement plan for forest ecosystems of the Mekong sub-region". Theproject, with a total capital of nearly 14.48 billion VND (USD 625,330), ofwhich over 70 percent are provided by APFNet and the rest by Vietnamese counterparts,will be carried out by FIPI for a period of 4 years at the Tram Chim NationalPark.
The project aims to set up a demonstration model for sustainable generalmanagement for wetland ecosystems and forests of the park, contributing to theimprovement of the biophysical, economic and social structures and functions inthe Mekong basin as a whole.
The project is also expected to support the park in improving wetlandmonitoring capability; building a sustainable forest management plan; reducinghuman impact on nature by providing local people with substitute means oflivelihood; raising public awareness and building capacity for local officials.
Another goal of the project is to raise public awareness of wetlands andtheir conservation and to reduce adverse impacts on biodiversity. The projectwill also engage local women in activities to improve livelihoods; and provideknowledge on a smart and effective exploitation of the submerged land./.
VNA
