STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AMONG 9 RAMSAR SITES IN VIETNAM
Posted on December, 20 2024
From 5-7 December 2024, WWF-Việt Nam in collaboration with Xuan Thuy National Park and Van Long Wetland Reserve organized the “Workshop on managing Ramsar sites in Viet Nam”. This is the first time that the management boards of 9 Ramsar sites in Vietnam met to share insights and experiences in wetland conservation.
Over the past few years, Viet Nam has issued many legal documents on the management and development of wetlands and implemented many activities on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. However, the role of wetlands has not yet been properly recognised in terms of economic value as well as the benefits it brings to people, which has partly contributed to the current degradation of wetlands.Recognizing the importance of wetlands, Viet Nam was the first Southeast Asian country to become a member of the Ramsar Convention in 1989.
However, there’s much to be improved in order to conserve wetland sustainably. “We lack an information channel for knowledge sharing on effective models in wetland conservation, including habitat restoration or livelihood improvement for people living around Ramsar sites. We also lack resources to monitor biodiversity as well as conduct scientific research to support the decision-making process on management, restoration and development of wetlands according to the ecosystem approach,” said Mr. Hoang Viet, Freshwater Practice Lead - WWF-Viet Nam.
With nearly 20 years of working with national parks, wetland protected areas, especially Ramsar sites in Viet Nam, WWF has recognized the benefits of collaborations among Ramsar sites. Therefore, the workshop is an opportunity to promote the initiative to establish a network of Ramsar sites in Viet Nam with a regularly updated data information system to serve conservation and scientific research. In addition, the Ramsar site network is expected to be a platform to connect and mobilize resources from international partners for conservation efforts.