Xuân Thủy National Park

20.23106.51666666667Koordinaten: 20 ° 13 '48 " N, 106 ° 31' 0" E

The Xuan Thuy National Park ( Vietnamese: Quốc gia Vuon Xuân Thuy ) is located about 150 km south-east of Hanoi in Nam Dinh Province in northern Vietnam. The park is part of the UNESCO Red River Biosphere Reserve and was on 2 January 2003 by the decision 01/2003/QĐ-TTg, which is signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, upgraded the status of the wetland nature reserve, a national park. The IUCN has taken him as a protected area category II (National Park). Xuan Thuy was the first wetland in Southeast Asia, part of the Ramsar Convention was and is a habitat for migratory birds of international importance.

• 3.1 Fauna
• 3.2 Flora
• 3.3 Use of Natural Resources
• 3.4 Scientific research

• 4.1 Overview
• 4.2 Alternative employment opportunities

• 6.1 footnotes
• 6.2 Bibliography

History

On 2 January 1989 the park comprehensive area of ​​12,000 hectares in Giao Thuy district has been recognized around the mouth of the Red River to the Gulf of Tonkin as the first Ramsarstandort in Southeast Asia, the park, making it the 50th participant of the Agreement worldwide. Six years later, the government decided to establish the wetland nature reserve Xuan Thuy, which was finally recognized in 2003 as a National Park and is therefore administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Nam Dinh province. Xuan Thuy has also been recognized by UNESCO as part of the core zone of the Red River Biosphere Reserve. The variety of items that come from both national and international associations, as well as the continued strong support from the government and international organizations - public and private - reflect the importance of the region resist.

Landscape and Climate

Landscape

The Xuan Thuy National Park is located in the province of Nam Định on the coast of the South China Sea about 150 km south-east of Hanoi. It is the largest coastal wetland in northern Vietnam, covering the southern area of the estuary of the Red River. From the alluvial material of the Red River, two different alluvial soils form. It is found Schwemmschlamm, evolves to clay, and sand. The transported by water deposits form the coastal soil, which, medium heavy soils and heavy soils such as loam and clay consists of light soils ( pure sand and light loam). The core zone has a total area of 7,100 hectares, with 4,000 hectares of which expire on low-water wetlands and 3,100 acres of land. The area includes the three islets Con Ngan, Con Lu and Con Xanh. The scenery on Con Ngan Island, the largest is determined from aquaculture farms and mangroves. On Con Lu can be found next to aquaculture farms many sandy areas such as flat deposition and Schwemmgebiete. Con Lu, the smallest of the islands, is affected by alluvial deposits of the Red River a constant slow enlargement process and is covered with layers of sand. The buffer zone covers a total area of 8,000 hectares. Islands in the estuary of the river deltas provide good biological prerequisite for the growth of mangroves and biodiversity of the Wadden ecosystem as a whole. The area also includes dikes, which are surrounded by marshes. In the buffer zone of the park is trying to establish an ecological model for the ideal, resource-saving combination of the three sources of income of planting vegetables, fish and livestock. The tourism department of the park, according to the construction of dikes, land reclamation and rice breeding are long -kept traditions in the region.

Climate

The district Giao Thuy is located in the zone of the tropical monsoon climate has two distinct seasons. The hot humid and very rainy season lasts from April to October it follows from November to March the cooler and arid dry season. The average annual temperature is 24 ° C with values ​​ranging between 40.3 ° C in summer and 6.8 ° C in winter. On average, there is a humidity of 84%. At the usually 133 days of rain per year falls 1700 mm to 1800 mm of precipitation. From July to October, the Red River is flooded and carries extra water. The region is influenced them as well as from the coming from the northeast monsoon rains. The wind changes during the course of its main direction. During the dry season it reaches the region primarily from the North, in the rainy season, however, from the east. July and August are the most tumultuous months in which follows on strong wind strong rainfall. In 2005 alone, three achieved strong storms North Vietnam: July 28 wind force 7 was finally able to be measured, on September 18 Force 9 and September 28, even wind force 12

Biological characteristics

Fauna

The coastal area of the Red River Delta is a habitat for resting and wintering birds such as gulls, waterfowl and birds living on the banks. In Xuan Thuy National Park located 250 different species can be observed, 150 of them train and 50 waterfowl. The animals can be divided into 41 families and 13 orders. Nine species such as the beach bucket rotor and the Tüpfelgrünschenkel are classified as endangered and therefore incorporated in the Red List of Threatened Species. 65 to 75 copies of the black forehead Löffler, who was elected to the symbol of the park, can be observed in periods of bird migration. With a total of only about 1,000 animals worldwide live in winter or more than five percent of the total population in Xuan Thuy National Park. The park provides a habitat for other rare species; among other things, there are some otters, porpoises and Walspezies. Furthermore, let 30 species of reptiles and an untold number of different insects find.

Flora

Of the 120 various vascular plants that can be found in the National Park, boasts 20 due to the special characteristics of the wetland particularly well. The large number of mangroves contributes to the stabilization of the alluvial soil and plays an important role in the protection against floods and in several biochemical circuits. So far, 111 aquatic plants were documented, of which especially some types of seaweed because of their economic value is of great importance for the region. About 500 species of benthos and zooplankton ( shrimp, fish, crabs, oysters and others) have been identified.

Use of natural resources

In the core zone of the national park, there are uninhabited areas, which are used for shrimp breeding. Currently there are about 19 large-scale breeding ponds near the Red River, in addition to also clams are bred. Tents and huts that were pitched to guard these facilities are developed without planning permission and. The land of the buffer zone can be divided into different categories such as residential, aquaculture and agricultural land, mangroves and sandbanks. The majority of the land in Bai Tron and Con Ngan in the buffer zone was divided into ponds for shrimp and prawn farming. In the 90 years the number of breeding ponds increased exponentially. The season lasts from May to January ( April to December in the lunar calendar ). Out of season by some residents seaweed is grown can be sold and used for a longer processing process as food. The hunting of birds or other animals is prohibited and has decreased significantly since the appointment Xuan Thuys a national park. Nevertheless, illegal activities are still not completely finished. The Forbidden grazing water buffalo in the core zone of the park, however, has ceased to 100 percent, the formerly heavily attacked flora can regenerate slowly there. To prevent over-exploitation of the given resources, various projects such as the mushroom club were developed by the National Park that offer the local population alternative livelihoods. The national park also sets out, with educational work to establish an awareness of ecological issues, so as to preserve the environment for the future and protect. To achieve this goal, the park is making numerous efforts such as annual classes on the environment and conservation in nine local secondary schools. In the future, a project on waste disposal and separation will be launched for the inhabitants of the buffer zone; currently waste is neither separated nor disposed of, but simply thrown everywhere.

Scientific research

Since the Xuan Thuy National Park is a very important site for biodiversity in Southeast Asia, he was and is the subject of many investigations by both Vietnamese and international researchers. The park itself, according to already have more than ten theses, written a variety of master and hundreds of research papers of students from more than 30 Vietnamese universities around the park. NGOs lead before the implementation of new projects, which usually deal with issues of environmental protection and sustainable development, also through research.

Especially in the core zone, there are many environmental projects, since there no human intervention is allowed in nature. The aim is mainly to protect the mangroves, migratory birds, other aquatic and terrestrial species and the wetland ecosystem in its entirety. In the buffer zone by contrast, scientific works focus more on the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative livelihoods and the promotion of environmental protection activities. In addition, there is still the need to use appropriate mechanisms and methods of the conflicts between the economic interests of the local population and the ecological premises of the park to settle. Projects that regulate the joint management of crab cultures and assign clear to all stakeholders of their rights and obligations, a first step towards solving these problems are. Throughout the region there are also efforts to build capacity both for the National Park staff as well as for the local population, so in the long term to reduce the prevailing pressure on the resources of the park. Yet the controlling problem of all scientific research is the frequent lack of long-term nature. The majority of projects will be carried out on the basis of funding by outsiders, some of which do not recognize the local needs and wants. Also, there is no database in the National Park, which collects all previously performed research and brings together so much basic information must be recorded anew again and again.

Socio-economic background

Overview

Statistical data of the People's Committee in the district of Giao Thuy According living in 2005 47.123 inhabitants in the five in the buffer zone of the national park nearby municipalities Giao Thien, Giao An, Giao Lac, Giao Xuan and Giao Hai. The average population density varies 1023-1331 people per square kilometer and increasing due to the population growth rate of more than one percent still. The inhabitants earn their living mostly by agricultural activities, in the first place by the cultivation of rice. 39.3% of the average income is earned in this way, the yield amounts to 632 kg of rice per person per year. Due to unfavorable environmental changes the overall size of arable land from year to year decreases, the further expansion of agricultural activities is excluded. While the capacity of this economic sector is filled, the second most important revenue base is still attributed to high development potential: in 2007 fishing for 36.1 % of the average family income was responsible, at this time there were in the buffer zone aquaculture ponds covering an area of 1800 hectares. At an annual growth rate of 14.9 %, the marine industry is in rapid expansion, partly because it apparently has a higher economic turnover than traditional agriculture. On the other hand, the breeding of clams indeed result in high profit, but first requires large investments and pollutes the environment to a significant extent. Since the water quality is compromised, a lack of any profits can be observed for some aquaculture ponds after a few years. The owner is then caught in a more difficult financial situation than before. With livestock ten percent of annual income to be generated; Activities in this sector improve in a direct way the daily life of residents and also produce organic fertilizer, which in turn is in agriculture of great benefit. Since hygienic standards in this area are not met and the network of veterinarians in its current development state has no ability to respond to major epidemics, an expansion of this sector is not possible. New industries and technologies in the service and trade, however, meet with high demand and still have appreciable potential for development, as they are currently responsible for only 14.6 % of the annual average income. The industrial and crafts are developed only in its infancy and generate only five percent - the reasons are mainly the lack of training and poor material base to find. According to the weighting of the sources of income and the working population is structured: 78.6 % of the population work in agriculture, 16.2% in fishing, two per cent in commerce and services and 3.2 % in industry, craft and employed in the construction industry. It can be noted that fishing offers a more profitable source of income than the traditional agriculture, as well as offering a stable working: on the residents active field in the time between harvests unemployed and put the nature of the park under additional pressure by this time to exploit resources there. The general unemployment rate decreased in the period 2001 to 2005 of 8.26 % to 6.51%, since although 96.8 % of all inhabitants of the buffer zone to grow their own rice, a very large number of working people from the agricultural season is dependent. In Xuan Thuy district, there are 8510 primary school pupils and students of secondary schools and 1187 high school students. While each child attending primary school and yet 95% also go to secondary school, the number of high school students is still very low. In 2003, moreover, only five percent of residents had completed vocational training or a university degree. Additional problems are prepared by poor infrastructure. Although all the inhabitants have electricity, access to clean water continues to be limited and is based largely on collected rain water. Half of the residents have wells, only 20 to 30 % of these wells, however, fed by clean water. The low infrastructure and standard of living can also be regarded as a reason for the unstable and spontaneous production and lack of knowledge and experience in dealing with topics of sales and marketing - many economic problems arise again by ignorance in these same areas. Since an expansion of agricultural activities is impossible, and the population is steadily growing, the pressure on the resources of the national park grows. In addition to investments in aquaculture in mangrove forest is a possible source of additional income. Investigations that have been carried out by the NGO Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD ), have shown that the income of a above average wealthy family depends more than 50 % of mangroves, while poor families build more on traditional agriculture and animal husbandry and only a fifth of their income contest with the help of mangroves. In order to prevent the exploitation of the natural resources of the National Park and to reduce the existing poverty rate of 10 to 15%, alternative sources of income must be created and supported.

Alternative employment opportunities

In order to create alternatives to the present income basis, to relieve the natural resources of the park and to generate sustainable employment opportunities, there are several projects in the buffer zone of Xuan Thuy National Park. Ideally, as human intervention in nature can be reduced and some of the most violent problems such as deforestation, the use of small-meshed nets, bycatch in large scale, electric fishing, uncontrolled building new Shrimpteiche and illegal hunting are solved. The focus of the program for the development of alternative sources of income is on the guarantee of technical and financial assistance in cooperation with a variety of local and international organizations ( both public and private ). Some of the key partners are MCD, Corin -ASIA and the Wetlands Alliance Program (WAP). On the financial base of the Park mainly invested in local infrastructure and builds as new streets, a center for environmental education and healthcare. Using technological support is again trying to create a sustainable long-term development and to establish an environmental awareness among the local population. For example, there is a transfer of technology which makes the inhabitants of the buffer zone, the growing of mushrooms and honey bees and the cultivation of extensive shrimp farms. Because it is considered to be extremely effective service sector, also a stimulation and promotion of a commune- based ecotourism takes place.

The project of mushroom clubs began in 2008. Previously set grazing water buffalo in the core zone is a serious problem because they destroyed the forest. The conflicts between the rules of the park and the local interests were tried by creating the mushroom cultivation as an alternative source of income to settle. With the support of Corin -ASIA and the Xuan Thuy National Park WAP Mushroom Club was established. So jobs were created not only regardless of gender and age, the very widespread burning of rice straw in the open field could also be reduced, since the straw is now used as humus for the fungi. The plan is to use the straw finally as organic fertilizer in agriculture for the future. A year after the establishment of fungal club had 78 members who not only work together, but have also begun to host smaller events such as a mushroom cooking contest for the health of the community. In November 2010, the project is an important employment opportunity for the time between harvests, the appreciation for the cooperation it has also an improved legal status. The harvested mushrooms are sold in both the surrounding communities as well as in Hanoi on the Long Bien Market and South Market. In the case of honey bees clubs the primary goal of the project was a structuring of the existing activities in the production of honey. The newly founded group can now collaborate more effectively and increase in this way both the number of bee cages and honey production and ultimately generate a larger income. The range of ecotourism as an alternative livelihood base still has a lot of problems, which is primarily due to the novelty of this tourism model in Vietnam and the lack of infrastructure, which deters potential visitors. Currently, the National Park has a plan to improve its facilities, offers and marketing slowly until the year 2025. Guest rooms are already present, three large guest houses should also be completed in 2011.

Management

By the year 2003, the administrative situation of the park was extremely inadequate. There were only five people employed with both technically and professionally insufficient hypotheses, given the infrastructure and buildings were also developed to weak. Since institutional arrangements to be missing or unclear, the National Park has established no monitoring system that overexploitation may have faster finish. In addition to the overlapping responsibilities of the administration also was a constant conflict between the local population and the prevailing parking rules. At the government level also was a lack of cooperation and coordination, the more difficult the strong implementation of effective management mechanisms. Since 2003 the situation has improved significantly. A new office building with different function rooms and a nature museum have been built and are now the demand for infrastructure and technical capacity to comply. In the field of Human Resources employees were hired with a variety of professions such as tourism, forestry, aquaculture and biology. Now work not only 20 people in the management of the park, the staff also regularly take part in workshops and training programs in part, to expand their knowledge in the fields of environmental education, ecotourism and promoting development. The institutional framework still represent a challenge as a first successful initiative, the project of the co- management of clams can be attached. At the present time there is a cooperation between the administrative apparatus of the Xuan Thuy National Park, local councils and clam growers, so that the harvest is controlled and that the rights and obligations of all parties are clearly defined. The ongoing task of strengthening its own institutional capacity is very important for the national park, as example, is still a need in educating the Besitztumsverhältnisse all land is to obtain basic information, which in turn are essential for effective management of the given resources and activities. Because there are so many agencies and organizations that possess, in any way influence or responsibility for the park, there is the need of the organization and structuring of all due interests, to enforce the strict rules of the park can and overlapping responsibilities to avoid that the administrative apparatus to hold the successful implementation of its plans. At the moment, there is a variety of responsible organizations: local government authorities, state authorities, the administrative machinery of the national park, internal agencies such as the courts, the public security service and the army, has increasingly become winning local associations, financial institutions and banks, religious organizations and the very important international organizations. Effective management should integrate all these different partners, current activities, however, there is a lack of effectiveness. In the future, the greatest task and challenge of the national parks in strengthening its own institutional status.

Credentials

Footnotes

Bibliography

• The Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia Wise - Use Workshop and Training Session on Wetland Management 19 to 26 September 2009 Changnyeong, South Korea, p.60 -64. (English )
• Vuon Quoc Gia Xuan Thuy, Corin -ASIA, The Wetlands Alliance, Sida, Building Local Capacities for sustainable resource management in Xuan Thuy National Park, Vietnam. (English )
• Phan Thi Anh Dao, Phan Nguyen Hong, Le Xuan Tuan, Tran Minh Phuong Nguyen Huu Tho &, 2007, Xuan Thuy National Park: Socio- Economics, MERC - MCD, Hanoi, Vietnam. (English )
• Phan Nguyen Hong, Le Xuan Tuan Phan Thi Anh Dao &, 2007, Xuan Thuy National Park: Biodiversity, MERC - MCD, Hanoi, Vietnam. (English )