Vietnam seeks to expand acreage of protected natural ecosystems
Nearly 100 experts specialising in nature conservation and biodiversity gathered at a consultation workshop on reviewing the potential and way forward for Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Vietnam held recently in Hanoi.
Participants at the workshop (Photo: baotainguyenmoitruong.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) - Nearly 100 experts specialising in natureconservation and biodiversity gathered at a consultation workshop on reviewingthe potential and way forward for Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Vietnam held recentlyin Hanoi.
Jointly organised by the Ministry of Natural Resourcesand Environment (MoNRE)’s Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Agency,the International Union forConservation of Nature (IUCN), the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam), and the German Agency forInternational Cooperation (GIZ), the event offered a venue for scientiststo share their views on the potential and orientation for conservation and OECMsin the country.
Jake Brunner, head of IUCN’s Lower Mekong Sub-Region,said OECMs can be managed for numerous purposes but must achieve effectiveand long-term conservation goals.
Theestablishment of OECMs is consistent withthe MoNRE’s functions and tasks. The measures contribute to promoting the conservation ofbiodiversity, he said. Institutionalising OECMs will not only help Vietnam fulfill its internationalcommitments but also protect the biodiversity of threatened habitats such asindependent karst areas, seasonallyinundated grasslands and tidal flats, which currently do not appear in the system of protectedareas.
Anja Barth from GIZ underlined the need forVietnam to develop maps of OECMs, and propose overall management andgovernance mechanisms.
Byrecognising OECMs, Vietnam can make significant progress regarding itssystem of protected and preserved areas, and this will be the foundation toimplement Vietnam's ambitious commitments in the UN Convention on BiologicalDiversity (CBD) and the 30x30 protection target, she said.
According to WWF-Vietnam Wildlife ConservationProgramme Manager Nguyen Van Tri Tin, the preservation of OECMs in Vietnam needs a comprehensive approach with the active engagement of localcommunities.
Theprogramme hopes to collaborate with relevant parties in selecting and pilotinga few models of OECMs in the Trung Truong Son (Central Truong Son) area, contributing to perfecting the legal frameworkand policies for OECMs, he said.
Vietnam joined the CBD in 1994. In January 2022, theVietnamese Government approved a national strategy on biodiversity to 2030./.
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Participants at the workshop (Photo: baotainguyenmoitruong.vn) 
