On September 15, An Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinated with Industria De Diseno Textil Group, SA (Inditex) through the International Organization for Conservation of Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam) to organize the launch of the project "Implementing nature-based solutions to restore wetlands and natural processes of the Mekong Delta", at Tra Su cajuput forest landscape protection area, hamlet Van Tra, Van Giao commune, Tinh Bien town, An Giang province.
Representatives of WWF-Vietnam, Department of Nature and Biodiversity Conservation under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, An Giang Management Board for Protection Forest and Special Region, scientists and research lecturers from Can Tho University, An Giang University, representatives of local leaders and farmers attended the workshop.
View of Tra Su Melaleuca Forest
Tra Su cajuput forest, Tinh Bien town, An Giang, is located in Vietnam's special-use forest system, recognized as a Landscape Protection Area since 2005. With 1,050 hectares of protected area and 1,155.5 ha of Buffer Zone, the Multi bio-landscapes in the area, including Melaleuca forest, swamp area and grassland, making it a unique attraction for domestic and international tourism. Tra Su welcomes more than 30,000 in turn guest annually, bringing supplemental income for local community. Wetlands and their buffer zone play an important role in maintaining dynamic and seasonal water flows, which are important for regional fire and water management and limit habitat fragmentation. This area annually receives floodwater from the Mekong River during the rainy season, helping to maintain the seasonal flooding and drying regime of a natural wetland. The main habitats of Tra Su Melaleuca forest are Melaleuca forests, swamps and grasslands.
The flora in Tra Su Melaleuca forest is diverse with 140 species, most notably Melaleuca trees and duckweed carpets covering the water surface. The fauna here is also quite rich, with at least 70 species of birds recorded, including 2 species listed in the Vietnam Red Book: Giang sen and Dien Dien (Snake-necked bird), 11 species of animals have mammals include rare bats, at least 25 species of reptiles and frogs. In addition, the forest is also a year-round habitat for 10 native fish species and 13 migratory fish species during the flood season, including 2 fish species that are at risk of extinction: the anemone fish and the white catfish.
View of the seminar
At the Workshop, delegates heard about the activities of Tra Su cajuput forest landscape protection area and conservation methods, the RAMSAR Convention and issues that need to be oriented to meet the area's Ramsar criteria. Protect the landscape of Tra Su Melaleuca forest and an overview introduction of the project on implementing nature-based solutions to restore wetlands and natural processes of the Mekong Delta and Mekong (NbS)). Recommendations on water resource management in wetlands, flood-based livelihood models (NbS) in the upper reaches of the Mekong River.
Visitors at Tra Su Melaleuca forest
By implementing the project, researchers hope to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change, restore wetland biodiversity, develop and expand livelihood models based on climate change into nature in the watershed of the Mekong Delta, with the specific goal of restoring wetland habitat and natural programs of the delta such as natural flows, sediment accumulation and sedimentation in the buffer zone through implementing a series of activities in and around Tra Su Melaleuca forest, along with building and implementing solutions for livelihoods based on nature and favorable farming that have the potential to expand and are feasible for large-scale investment throughout the Mekong Delta watershed, including Dong Thap Muoi and the Mekong Delta. This will be the premise to attract resources from the entire society to participate in promoting the development of livelihood models suitable for each ecological region throughout the upper region of the Mekong Delta./ .
News by Tran Tung - Translation by Thi Huynh