Maintain the 12,500 ha of the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve

Preserving the original area

On the morning of August 23, in Tien Hai District, the People's Committee of Thai Binh Province held a conference to announce the location, boundaries, and area of the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve.

The boundaries, location, and area of the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve were established by Decision No. 1357 on August 20, 2024, by the People's Committee of Thai Binh Province.

Accordingly, the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve is located outside the dikes No. 5 and No. 6 of Tien Hai District, bordered to the north by the Tra Ly estuary and the planned Con Vanh - Con Thu service urban area; to the south by the Ba Lat estuary and the planned Con Vanh - Con Thu service urban area; to the west by the planned high-tech aquaculture zone, the planned Con Vanh - Con Thu service urban area, the coastal reclamation area, and the planned Dong Chau coastal urban area; and to the east by the East Sea.

The boundaries of the reserve are defined by 33 coordinate points with a total area of 12,500 ha, including a strict protection zone of 2,726 ha and an ecological restoration zone of 9,774 ha. The buffer zone of the reserve covers an area of 3,446.5 ha, defined by 40 coordinate points, and extends 1,000 meters from the boundary of the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve.

The Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve aims to preserve the wetland ecosystem of the Tien Hai coastal area, conserve species and habitats, protect aquatic resources, and particularly safeguard the migratory areas of waterfowl species. The reserve seeks to harmonize nature conservation with economic, cultural, and social development following the principles of sustainable conservation and development, ensuring connectivity with related habitats.

Commitment to "not trading the environment for the economy"

At the conference, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thai Binh Province Lai Van Hoan emphasized that the local government consistently combines economic development with nature conservation and environmental protection, without sacrificing the environment for mere economic growth.

The locality also commits to adhering to international environmental protection conventions and the policies and laws of the Party and State through the establishment of the position, boundaries, and area of the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve, while focusing resources on the continued conservation and development of the reserve.

The provincial government has assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to directly manage and oversee the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve Management Board. Relevant departments and agencies are responsible for coordinating and supporting the Management Board in implementing the reserve’s programs and objectives, as well as managing tourism, particularly international visitors, during eco-tourism and scientific research activities in the area.

Vice Chairman of the Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee Lai Van Hoan has requested that central ministries and agencies provide expertise, resources, and project support, and mobilize resources from domestic and international organizations, businesses, and the public to jointly conserve the wetland nature reserves in Thai Binh.

In April 2023, Thai Binh considered reallocating coastal special-use forests for an urban development project, leading to the reduction of the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve's area from 12,500 ha to 1,320 ha. At that time, Mr Lai Van Hoan, representing the provincial government, signed Decision No. 731 on April 17, 2023, determining the location, scale, and boundaries of the coastal special-use forest area in the three coastal communes of Nam Phu, Nam Hung, and Nam Thinh (Tien Hai District).

According to Decision 731, the special-use forest area has an area of 1,320 ha, including 632 ha of mangrove forest and 688 ha of non-forest land, located outside the dikes of the three communes: Nam Phu, Nam Hung, and Nam Thinh.

Thus, compared to the newly adjusted scale, the mangrove forest area (also known as the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve) now covers less than one-tenth of its original size.

Following media reports and public feedback on the issue, in the Thai Binh Provincial Plan for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the province was compelled to retain the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve at its original size of 12,500 ha.

The plan outlines strategies for the conservation and sustainable development of important natural ecosystems within the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve and the Thai Thuy Wetland Nature Reserve. It aims to manage, utilize, and effectively exploit the wetland area, ensuring that economic development is aligned with environmental protection and the preservation of ecosystem diversity within these nature reserves.

The Thai Thuy Wetland Nature Reserve spans approximately 6,560 ha and is located outside the dike number 8 in Thai Thuy District. The Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve has a planned area of approximately 12,500 ha, situated outside dikes number 5 and 6 and within the mangrove forest, coastal sandbanks, and sea areas of the Tien Hai District.

The decision also includes placing the Strict Protection Zone within the Thai Thuy and Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserves into a strict environmental protection zone.

In addition, the plan outlines tasks such as developing a proposal to study the vegetation along river mouths and the main communities within the mangrove forest ecosystem to promote the sustainable development of the natural ecosystem in Thai Binh Province and the Red River Delta region in general. It includes stringent control over the conversion of coastal mangrove forests to other uses, reclaiming ineffective aquaculture areas for reforestation to close the forest belt, and maintaining the stability of the planned forest areas.