Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives formerly known as “ICLARM - The World Fish Center” i Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives 2003 Published by WorldFish Center PO Box 500 GPO 10670 Penang, Malaysia Torell , M., A.M. Salamanca and B.D. Ratner, Editors. 2003. Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives, WorldFish Center, 89 p. Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Wetlands management in Vietnam: issues and perspectives Bibliography: p. 81 ISBN 983-2346-19-3 1. Wetlands management–Vietnam. 2. Wetlands ecology –Vietnam. 3. Wetlands conservation–Vietnam. 557.6809597 Editors: Magnus Torell, Albert M. Salamanca, Blake D. Ratner Managing Editor: Kathleen Matics Cover design: Garrick Tan Cover photos: Blake D. Ratner Map on cover showing wetland types in the Mekong Delta courtesy of sub-FIPI, prepared by Integrated Resources Mapping Centre, 1999 Layout artist: C-Square Sdn Bhd, Penang ISBN 983-2346-19-3 WorldFish Center Contribution No: 1692 Printed by Jutaprint, Penang, Malaysia WorldFish Center reserves the right to refuse any request that we feel violates any element of the copyright law. The requesting user assumes all liability for copyright infringement. WorldFish Center is one of the 16 international research centers of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) that has initiated the public awareness campaign, Future Harvest. ii Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives Contents Acronyms viii List of Tables x List of Figures x Foreword Meryl J. Williams xi Introduction Blake D. Ratner xii Wetlands Management in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta: An Overview of the Pressures and Responses Magnus Torell and Albert M. Salamanca Abstract 1 Introduction 1 Pressure-State-Response &ramework 3 State of the Wetlands Environment in the Mekong Delta 3 Pressures on the Wetlands Environment 7 Pressures Associated with Intensification of Rice Production 8 Pressures from Shrimp Aquaculture 10 Pressures from Inadequate Institutional Arrangements 14 Responses 16 Wetlands Protection and Management in Vietnam Doan Nang Introduction 21 Legal Basis for Wetlands Protection and Management 21 Legal &ramework for Wetlands Protection and Management 23 Conclusion 24 Status of the Mekong Delta: Agricultural Development, Environmental Pollution and Farmer Differentiation Duong Van Ni, Edward Maltby, Roger Stafford, To-Phuc Tuong and Vo-Tong Xuan Abstract 25 History of the Mekong Delta 25 Geography and Early Development 25 Changes since the 1970s 26 The Mekong Delta in the late 1990s 26 Environmental Problems 27 Loss of Biological Diversity and Ecosystem &unctions 27 Environmental Change, Poverty and Ecosystem Degradation 27 Strategies for Management 28 iii Managing and Classifying Wetlands in the Mekong River Delta Pham Trong Thinh Introduction 31 Wetlands Definitions in International Literature 31 Typical Wetlands Classification Systems 32 Mekong River Basin Wetlands Classification 33 Classifying and Mapping Wetlands in the Mekong Delta 33 &undamental Principle 33 Wetlands Classification 34 Mapping Materials and Methods 34 Conclusion 35 Annex 1. Ramsar Classification System for Wetlands Types 36 Annex 2. IUCN Wetlands Classification (Dugan 1990) 37 Annex 3. MRC Wetlands Classification System for the Lower Mekong Basin 39 Annex 4. Wetlands Classification of the Mekong Delta (At 1: 250 000) 43 Institutional and Policy Issues of Wetland Management in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam Trinh Van Y. Introduction 45 Distribution and Characteristics of Wetlands in Ben Tre 45 Institutions and Policies for Wetlands Management in Ben Tre Province 45 Institutions 45 Policies 46 Proposals for a National Strategy on Sustainable Management of Wetlands in Vietnam Le Thanh Binh Legal &oundations 49 Long-Term Objectives 49 Immediate Objectives 49 Basic Principles 49 Policies and Laws 49 Zoning and Planning 50 Managing Organizations 50 Sustainable Use and Rehabilitation of Wetlands 50 Environmental Impact Assessment 52 Pollution Control 52 Research and Survey 52 Awareness 53 International Cooperation 53 iv Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives The National Policy to Rehabilitate and Develop 5 Million Hectares of Forests and Other Issues on Wetlands Nguyen Ngoc Binh Background 55 Objectives 55 Organization 55 Selection of Project Managers 56 Species Composition 56 Policies 56 Land Use Policy 56 Investment and Credit Policy 56 Tax Policy 56 Science and Technology Policy 56 &oreign Investment 57 Challenges 57 Issues Relating to Wetlands 57 Introduction 57 &orest Types in the Mekong River Delta 57 The Governments Strategy 57 Special Use Forest Management in Vietnam with Emphasis on Wetlands Nguyen Tuan Phu The Need for &orest Management 59 Organization of Wetlands SU&s 59 National Parks 59 Natural Reserves 60 Cultural-Historical and Environmental &orests 60 Decentralization of SU& Management 60 SU& Management Mechanism 60 Management, Protection and Development of Wetlands SU& Resources 60 Harvesting and Using Wetlands SU& Resources 60 Ecotourism and Scientific Research 61 Buffer Zones 61 v Situation Analysis and Training Needs Assessment of Natural Resource Management Stakeholders in the Mekong Delta Hoang Huu Cai Introduction 63 Natural Resources 63 Demographic Pressures 63 The doi moi Policy 64 Institutional &ramework of Natural Resources Management 64 Stakeholder Analysis 65 Provincial Level 65 District Level 66 Community Level 67 Training and Research Needs 68 Wetlands Study: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges Trinh Truong Giang, Hoang Huu Cai and Le Quang Thong Introduction 71 Natural Resources Management Studies at UA& 71 Lessons and Challenges 72 Management Institutions 72 A Multi-Stakeholder Management System 72 Management Effectiveness and Transaction Cost 72 Wetlands as Common Property 72 Economic Evaluation of Wetlands Resources 73 Conclusion 73 Socio-Economic Situation, Management, Rational Utilization and Development Potentials of Tram Chim, a Wetlands Ecosystem Conservation National Park Nguyen Chi Thanh Abstract 75 Introduction 75 Current Socio-economic Situation in the Tram Chim Area 75 National Park Establishment Process, Roles and Biodiversity Values of Wetlands Ecosystems in Tram Chim 76 Activities Performed 77 Infrastructure Development 77 Water Level Regulation 77 &orest Management and Protection 77 Socio-economic Program 78 Basic and Applied Research 78 Development Potentials and Direction of the Tram Chim National Park 79 Combining Conservation and Development 79 Increasing Investment 79 vi Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives Potentials of the Tram Chim National Park 79 &uture Development of the Tram Chim National Park 80 Collaboration Mechanisms between the Local Government and the People 80 Conclusion 80 References 81 Cumulative List of Participants in the WorldFish Center’s Workshops 84 vii Acronyms 5MHRP 5 Million Hectares Reafforestation Programme ADB Asian Development Bank A&TA Asian &ree Trade Agreement AREA Association for Research and Environmental Aid ASS acid sulfate soil(s) CPCP Cc Phuong Conservation Project CRES Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Danida Danish International Development Assistance DARD Department of Agriculture and Rural Development DD&E Don Duong &orest Enterprise EBA Endemic Bird Area EPRC Endangered Primate Rescue Centre &&I &auna and &lora International &INNIDA &innish International Development Assistance &iPD &isheries Protection Department &IPI &orest Inventory and Planning Institute &PD &orest Protection Department &PRDP &orest Protection and Rural Development Project &REC &orest Resources and Environment Centre GDP gross domestic product GE& Global Environment &acility HNU Hanoi National University IC& International Crane &oundation IDRC International Development Research Center IEBR Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources IUCN World Conservation Union JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency KNCCN Korean National Council for Conservation of Nature MAB Man and the Biosphere MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MCIA Ministry of Cultural and Information Affairs MERD Mangrove Ecosystem Research Division MO& Ministry of &orestry (now incorporated within the MARD) MO& Ministry of &isheries MOSTE Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment MPA Marine Protected Area MRC Mekong River Commission NEA National Environment Agency NEZ New Economic Zone NGO Non-governmental organization NIAPP National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection NT&P Non-timber forest product PAM Protected Area Management PARC Creating Protected Areas for Resource Conservation Using Landscape Ecology PC Peoples Committee PEM Participatory Extension Methodology REPSI Resources Policy Support Initiative RIA Research Institute for Aquaculture viii Wetlands Management in Vietnam: Issues and Perspectives SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation S&NC Social &orestry and Nature Conservation in Nghe An Province Sida Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SNV Netherlands Development Organization SWOT Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats UA& University of Agriculture and &orestry UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization VEEM Sustainable Economic Development in Vietnam VND Vietnamese Dong VNMC Vietnam National Mekong Committee VNNEAP Vietnam National Environmental Action Plan WRI World Resources Institute WRPM Water Resources Planning and Management WW& World