Hanoi (VNA) - Wetlands play a very important role in the country’s socio-economic development, environment, culture and history, particularlybiodiversity conservation, because they are "home” to a lot of rare specieswhich are at high risk of extinction.

Therefore,the Ramsar Convention is an international document on the conservation and useof wetland areas in a proper and suitable manner, with the aim of preventingthe increasing encroachment against wetlands as well as the loss of land, recognisingthe ecological functions of the wetland platform and their recreational,scientific, cultural and economic values.

The RamsarConvention Secretariat has recognised 5 Ramsar sites in Vietnam, namely XuanThuy, Bau Sau, Ba, Ca Mau Tram Chim, wetland areas of international importance.

Accordingto the Department of Biodiversity Conservation under the Vietnam Environment Administration,the recognition of Ramsar sites in Vietnam not only confirms the value of thecountry’s wetlands in the world, but also demonstrates the effectiveness ofconservation and sustainable development of wetlands in the country. However, Ramsarsites are being threatened due to the pressure of the current development. Thusappropriate measures should be taken to maintain the ecology, preserve andsustainable develop the resources of our biodiversity.

Xuan Thuy Ramsar in Giao Thuy district, the Red River Deltaprovince of Nam Dinh is an example. It was officially recognisied on Sept. 29,1988. With a total area of 12,000 ha, this is the first Ramsar in Vietnam andthe 409th in the world. The Ramsaris an important estuarine with remained muddy ecosystem and coastal mangrove ofthe Red River basin, including mainland connecting to the sea dike and marshedge.

Xuan ThuyRamsar site is a very important area for water birds and migratory birds andthe habitat of endangered species such as spoonbills, pelicans and normanngreenshanks. This is the core zone of the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve thanksto the abundant, diversified  biologicalresources of 120 species of vascular plants, over 3,000 hectares of mangroves;107 species of fish, 500 species of aquatic life; 220 species of birds; morethan 10 species of mammals and many reptiles, insects and amphibians.

Thisecosystem has high bio-productivity and sensitivity. The total estimated outputof fish and fishery industry amounts to 10,300 tonnes per year. Rice productionoutput is 40,000 tonnes apart from aquatic catching and duck breeding. Specifically,the mangrove ecosystem plays an important part in sustaining fisheries, providingwood resources and wooden fuel. It is also plays a vital role in protecting thecoastline from the impacts of typhoons and climate change.

The sitehas taken measures to make use of manage and preserve wetlands as well asharmonize the interests of community and protecting the Ramsar site. Locals areallowed to exploit fisheries resources in the Ramsar site manually withoutaffecting the habitat of aquatic organisms. The community and the ManagementBoard have jointly managed mangrove resources.

However,the exploitation of resources has not been managed strictly as regulated. Thedevelopment of infrastructure construction in the Ramsar site, such as buildingconcrete roads, is putting enormous pressure on the sustainability of theecological environment, as well as the habitat of many rare species here.

To deal with the potential threats and the pressures ofsocio-economic development to Xuan Thuy Ramsar site, it is necessary to carryout a regulation for sustainable management of Ramsar sites in wetlands, basedon the principles of ecology and the unique characteristics of the wetlands.

The regulationmust clearly reflect the responsibility of the management  board, management offices at provincial and centrallevels on training skills on protecting the wetlands, investing in biodiversitysupervision and checking. 

Besides, itis necessary to accelerate the implementation of conservation and rational useof wetlands in the Ramsar site. For Cham Chim area, it is advised to conductthe final review and evaluation, draw lesson learnt and maintain the managementof water and the fire. On that basis, it is urgent to build the overallplanning of Ramsar sites of Vietnam in the context of more serious climatechange. This will act as an important foundation for land use planning andconservation of biodiversity in the wetlands.

Another important solution is the cooperationand implementation of "co-management" with the provincial People’sCommittees having Ramsar sites; supporting five existing Ramsar sites in ecologicalconservation techniques, improving staff’s capacity, creating a harmoniousmechanism between preserving and developing sustainably; between the ManagementBoard and the community and sharing benefits and responsibilities to createmodel Ramsar sites in wetland management.-VNA