Biodiversity conservation: [End] Preserving green spaces amid urbanization pressure

A precious gene bank

Along the southwestern frontier of Viet Nam, Tay Ninh today is known not only as a dynamic hub for industry and agriculture or as a spiritual destination famed for Ba Den Mountain. Beneath that pace of development lies a precious natural treasure that the province is striving to preserve every day.

The province currently has more than 100,113 hectares of land designated for forestry, including over 47,446 hectares of natural forest. Forest coverage remains stable at above 16.2% - a significant figure for a province in the southeastern region, where forest land resources are relatively limited.

The highlight of Tay Ninh’s biodiversity landscape is Lo Go - Xa Mat National Park, an ASEAN Heritage Park covering nearly 30,000 hectares along the Cambodian border. The park is considered one of Viet Nam’s rare ecological transition zones, where several distinctive forest ecosystems coexist, including evergreen dipterocarp forests typical of southeastern Viet Nam, deciduous dipterocarp forests characteristic of the Central Highlands, and seasonally flooded grasslands resembling those of the Mekong Delta.

This ecological convergence has created an invaluable “living gene bank” with 934 plant species and 581 wildlife species. Within these quiet forests remain many globally threatened species such as the black-shanked douc langur, pygmy slow loris, giant ibis, lesser adjutant, and painted stork. Notably, the area also serves as an important stopover site for the red-crowned crane during its cross-border migration journey.

From another perspective, Dau Tieng Lake and its surrounding watershed protection forests are under strict conservation. These forests not only serve as a “green shield” preserving water resources for agricultural production, but also play a vital role in regulating the climate across the southeastern downstream region.

Alongside the waters of Dau Tieng Lake, a remarkable ecological revival is taking place at Ba Den Mountain National Tourist Area. Once devastated by wartime destruction, the area’s greenery is now recovering strongly. Beneath the forest canopy, rare timber species once thought lost, such as rosewood and Dalbergia, are regenerating, reflecting the resilience of Tay Ninh’s natural ecosystems.

Facing the unique natural conditions of this border region, forest management and protection efforts at Tay Ninh’s conservation areas and national parks are not simply about preserving forests or valuable timber species. They also represent a long-term mission to safeguard habitats - the shared home of thousands of wildlife species living under increasing pressure from climate change and economic development.

Tran Xuan Quan, Head of Forest Protection Unit II under the Tay Ninh Forest Protection Department, said that since the beginning of the year, the unit has conducted numerous patrols and inspections in key areas. As a result, authorities fined one violator USD 1900 for illegally using fire in plantation forests and required the restoration and replanting of damaged forest areas. The contracted party has since completed the remediation in accordance with regulations.

“Our most important goal at present is to prevent forest fire risks from the outset while strictly handling violations related to deforestation and the illegal use of fire in forests,” Quan said.

Technology supporting conservation efforts

In the journey to preserve the green landscapes of southeastern Viet Nam’s border region, Tay Ninh’s forest rangers understand that forest protection cannot rely solely on patrols or law enforcement measures. The most essential and sustainable solution is to raise public awareness so that local communities themselves become the “eyes and ears” helping to protect the forests.

According to forest rangers, public awareness campaigns have long been identified as a fundamental solution in forest management and protection. Through outreach activities and legal awareness programs in buffer-zone communities, local residents have gradually become more conscious of forest protection responsibilities. As a result, the overall situation of forest management and protection in the province has remained relatively stable, with the number of violations showing a downward trend.

However, pressure on Tay Ninh’s forests remains significant. Vast forest areas, complex terrain, and limited numbers of specialized personnel have made forest management increasingly challenging. In this context, the province is gradually accelerating the application of technology and digital transformation in forest management, viewing these tools as an “extended arm” for forest protection forces.

In recent years, forest management boards across the province have been equipped with various modern technologies, including drones, surveillance cameras, and forest fire warning systems. Under the 2025-2028 plan, the Tay Ninh Provincial People’s Committee is expected to invest more than USD 1.52 million to strengthen forest fire prevention and firefighting capacity.

The investment package includes unmanned aerial vehicles, early fire warning systems, and specialized equipment for firefighting and forest management. The provincial Forest Protection Department is currently advising the Department of Agriculture and Environment to submit the implementation plan to the provincial authorities.

According to the forest protection sector, the application of technology is expected to significantly improve management efficiency under conditions of limited manpower. Modern equipment enables authorities to detect risks early and from a distance, strengthening area monitoring and helping promptly prevent violations.

A solution for sustainable conservation

According to assessments by the agriculture and environment sector, forest protection and biodiversity conservation efforts in Tay Ninh are facing mounting pressure as the number of specialized personnel remains limited while the forest areas requiring management are vast and geographically complex. Although investment and support have increased in recent years, current funding and equipment are still insufficient to fully meet practical demands.

At the same time, livelihood pressures have led some residents living in buffer zones to continue illegally hunting wildlife and exploiting forest resources. In particular, Tay Ninh’s border location adjacent to Cambodia has made management even more challenging, as cases of illegal forest intrusion from across the border still occur.

Beyond human impacts, conservation areas in Tay Ninh are also struggling against the spread of dangerous invasive alien species such as giant sensitive plants, Mimosa diplotricha, golden apple snails, red-eared slider turtles, and suckermouth catfish. These species reproduce rapidly, compete with native organisms for resources, and can seriously disrupt ecosystems if not controlled in time.

Amid all these pressures, Tay Ninh’s journey to conserve biodiversity continues day by day. Behind every protected forest lies not only the green canopy of trees, but also the survival of an entire precious ecosystem in the southeastern border region of Viet Nam.

According to Tran Khac Phuc, Deputy Director of the Tay Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, during the 2025-2030 period, the province’s agriculture and environment sector has identified biodiversity conservation as a mission that must go hand in hand with green economic development and sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

The province is currently advancing several strategic projects, including a comprehensive survey and assessment of the black-shanked douc langur population in the Ba Den Mountain area to develop stricter conservation measures. At the same time, Tay Ninh is accelerating efforts to complete the nomination dossier for Lo Go - Xa Mat National Park to become a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. If successful, the recognition would create major opportunities for Tay Ninh to develop ecotourism, expand international cooperation, and enhance the value of its forest resources.

At the same time, the province is also promoting a model of forest-environment leasing to develop ecotourism combined with environmental education. This approach is expected to generate additional revenue for forest protection efforts, improve local incomes, and strengthen community awareness of nature conservation.