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ß∏nh gi∏ c∏c ch≠¨ng tr◊nh ph∏t tri”n trong khu v˘c trung Tr≠Íng S¨n An Assessment of Development Initiatives in the Central Truong Son Landscape B∏o c∏o sË 3 Central Truong Son Initiative Report No.3 AN ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN THE CENTRAL TRUONG SON LANDSCAPE Compiled by Aylette Villemain Tran Kim Long Herbert Christ Bach Tan Sinh Nguyen Thanh Hai Do Duc Tho Central Truong Son Initiative Report No. 3 Hanoi, 2003 The opinions expressed in this document represent those of the authors and editors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WWF. The designation of geographical entities in this document and the presentation of the material do not imply any expression on the part of the authors, editors, or WWF concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or its authorities, or concerning the delineation of its frontiers and boundaries. The authors, editors, and WWF take no responsibility for any misrepresentation of material that may result from the translation of this document into any other language. Published by WWF Indochina Copyright© 2003 WWF Publication License No:___________ Reproduction of any part of this publication for educational, conservation, and any other non-profit purposes is authorized without prior permission from the copyright holder, provided that the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission from the copyright holder. Suggested citation: Villemain, A., Christ, H., Nguyen Thanh Hai, Tran Kim Long, Bach Tan Sinh and Do Duc Tho. 2003. An Assessment of Development Initiatives in the Central Truong Son Landscape. Central Truong Son Initiative Report No. 3. WWF Indochina/WWF-US Hanoi, Vietnam. Printed by: Viet Tien Printing Company Design and Layout: GraphicLink Co., Ltd and Angie Woo Cover Photographs: Andrey Kouznetsov and Tran Viet Duc Copies available from: WWF Indochina Street address Mailing address 53 Tran Phu Street IPO Box 151 Hanoi, Vietnam Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: +84 (0) 4 733 8387 E-mail: [email protected] Forest Protection Department Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development 2 Ngoc Ha Street Hanoi, Vietnam An Assessment of Development Initiatives in the Central Truong Son Landscape BACKGROUND TO THE CENTRALTRUONG SON REPORTS In response to concerns about the increasing pace of biodiversity loss and the need to increase the scale and integration of global conservation efforts - WWF together with its conservation partners have developed a new approach to conservation – ecoregion conservation. Scientists have undertaken a major analysis of the world’s biodiversity and identified more than 800 ecoregions that reclassify the way we view the natural world. From this global inventory, 238 ecoregions have been identified that comprise the most valuable and representative global biodiversity. These priority ecoregions have been labeled as the Global 200. In 1998, the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex (FLMEC) was selected as one of the first locations to initiate an ecoregion based conservation programme. With initial support from WWF-US and USAID, the programme has now been established as one world’s first fully functioning Ecoregion Action Programmes (EAP). In March 2000, over eighty scientists from Cambodia, Lao P.D.R., Vietnam, and many other countries participated in an ambitious and groundbreaking assessment of biological conservation priorities within the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex. The results of this biological assessment have since been published in the report entitled “Towards a Vision for Biodiversity Conservation in the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex”. After the biological assessment and a ‘situation analysis’ to examine the threats and opportunities, WWF decided to focus on two of the Global 200 ecoregions falling within the Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion Complex – the Greater Truong Son and the Central Indochina Dry Forests. The Greater Truong Son comprises the most unique and diverse biodiversity within the FLMEC. The discovery of the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) by WWF and Vietnamese scientists in 1992 in Vu Quang Nature Reserve drew the world’s attention to the biodiversity associated with this mountain chain. Since that first remarkable discovery, many other new species have been found, including a number of large mammals such as the large-antlered (giant) muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) and the Annamite striped rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi). These discoveries highlight the Greater Truong Son as one of the world’s most remarkable and unique ecoregions. In addition to these species totally reliant on successful conservation in the ecoregion, a number of wider-ranging, highly threatened species such as the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), tiger (Panthera tigris) and the world’s most endangered large mammal, the lesser one-horned (Javan) rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) are found in the ecoregion. The Central Truong Son Initiative* is a pilot initiative being developed by WWF’s Greater Truong Son EAP, with a view towards establishing the process of working at three scales - ecoregional/national policy, landscape and site. The aim of this fledgling initiative is to create a partnership of a broad range of stakeholders - from local communities to international organisations - working together to secure biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the Central Truong Son Landscape (CTSL). Following the methodology of the ecoregional approach, the Central Truong Son Initiative is based on coordinated conservation action, designed under a large-scale framework and guided by a long-term vision of success. The approach is based on the recognition that uncoordinated actions at individual sites are neither efficient nor effective at conserving functioning ecological systems or halting the loss of natural resources. In order to be more effective, a more ambitious coordinated effort is required that is developed and designed under an overarching strategy. The need for such a coordinated effort resulted in the establishment of an advisory group comprising 16 government institutions. This unprecedented collaboration will work as a vital support body to the Central Truong Son Initiative in its planning process towards a conservation strategy for the CTSL. In order to develop such a comprehensive, overarching strategy, there is a great deal of information that needs to be assimilated. Through a process of lengthy and detailed consultations, the necessary information has been identified and collected. This series of reports presents that information in a format that is both suitable for informing those involved with the strategy development process, and conducive to those merely interested in the status and issues of the CTSL. * Truong Son is also known as the "Say Phou Louang" in Lao P.D.R., and as the "Truong Son" internatinally. The Central Truong Son is one landscape in the ecoregion. iii An Assessment of Development Initiatives in the Central Truong Son Landscape EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The key assumptions guiding the analysis of data gathered during this study were that: Forests are key habitats, and; Human activities pose the greatest threat to forests and biodiversity, in particular through (a) extraction, (b) encroachment and (c) infrastructure. A further guiding principle of the analysis was that human social and economic development is the foundation and ultimate aim of conservation. Given these orientations, the initial analysis thus focused on identifying tensions between socio-economic development and conservation where a conservation strategy could help mitigate or avoid negative consequences from economic development on Vietnam’s natural resource base. The first order of analysis was on national plans, strategies, and programs. Here the search was for awareness of and provision for the resolution of the conflicts which are inherent between socio- economic and conservation goals. Our analysis produced the following findings: 1. Strategies are sector-biased, often with a weak geographical focus (possible exception: Program 135). This bias is cascaded down, along with targets and objectives, to the lowest levels. 2. The body of strategies and plans is heavily dominated by socio-economic targets. (The only conservation-related target we found outside the Biodiversity and Environmental strategies is the 43% forest cover target.) 3. Plans and strategies are typically un-funded; national programs provide the mechanism to actually fund initiatives. 4. National programs not only serve to funnel government funds, but strongly guide Official Development Assistance (ODA) flows. 5. There is no national program to support the targets of the Environmental Strategy or of the Biodiversity Strategy. 6. The one conservation target supported by a national program is the 43% forest cover target. 7. Many key socio-economic targets plan to increase human activity in remote mountain areas (e.g., resettlements, new economic zones, roads, production of export crops). These targets are in direct competition and conflict with conservation issues. Conclusions drawn with respect to the strategies and plans, were: firstly, that the degree to which strategies influence how projects are planned and implemented is largely determined by national programs. Secondly, since there are no national programs (i.e., funding) to support their environmental protection, biodiversity or conservation targets and objectives, there is little cause