Vietnam and Asia have a meeting to save wetlands

A continental conference on wetland conservation has just opened in Hanoi, when so many lakes have been leveled. Many wetlands are heavily polluted by industry and urbanization. The flora and fauna here are narrowed down to live; the amount of food for humans gradually depleted.

News at the Fourth Asian Wetlands Conference in Hanoi (June 23-25, 2008) shows that Vietnam has 68 inland and coastal wetlands, with an area of ​​more than 10 million hectares. , including many wetlands of international importance such as Ba Be Lake (Ba Be National Park), the estuary of Red Tien Hai, U Minh Thuong, Mui Ca Mau and Con Dao wetlands .

Wetlands in Vietnam are places to store water, regulate rainfall and flow. Many wetlands, especially mangrove forests, coral reefs and sea grass beds are a favorable environment for many wild animals to lay eggs, nurture and grow plants. Vietnam's wetland is considered to be the origin of wet rice civilization (wider than civilized nation), providing a great source of food for humans. Today, this resource also helps Vietnam develop tourism.

Particularly, wetlands in coastal areas of Vietnam are divided into 6 different coastal sub-regions along the coast: from Mong Cai to Do Son, Do Son to the mouth of Lach Truong river, Lach Truong river mouth to Hai Van Cape, Mui Hai Van to Mui Ho Tram, Mui Ho Tram to Mui Gianh Rai, Mui Gioc Rai to Ha Tien. In each coastal sub-region, the status of inadequate use is revealed and management is not in accordance with wetland resource planning.

Panorama of wetland conference.(Photo: Ngoc Huyen)

Meanwhile, according to Mr. Le Thanh Binh - General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), Vietnam does not have an overall assessment and cannot update information on the status of wetlands. Incomplete legal framework for wetland conservation, investment in conservation, use and management of wetlands is not commensurate with the value and potential of this resource.

Prof. Dr. Mai Trong Nhuan - Director of the National University of Hanoi said, with an interdisciplinary problem like wetlands, a country can not solve it, but needs the sharing of a whole community . That is the reason for the Asia Wetlands Conference, first of all, to alert the warning of the conservation of wetland use in Vietnam and the continent.

The Fourth Asian Wetlands Conference is co-organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Japan Ramsar Center (RCJ) with the theme 'Wetlands - Heart of Asia ', with the participation of managers, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities and indigenous groups throughout Asia. This is a preparatory step towards the Conference of Parties to the Ramsar Convention (International Convention on Wetlands) taking place in Korea in October 2008.