UNDP strengthens community role in ecosystem conservation

On September 16, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Viet Nam held a closing meeting of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net) Project for the 2022-2025 period. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and SwedBio.

Supporting 800 people and communities in conservation

The project has directly benefited more than 800 people, restored over 110 hectares of wetlands, and created new momentum for sustainable livelihood models linked with conservation at Tram Chim National Park and Van Long Nature Reserve.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Minh Hai, Head of the Science, Technology, and International Cooperation Department at Tram Chim National Park, BES-Net came to Dong Thap to restore wild rice and Eleocharis species, which are the main food sources of the endangered sarus crane directly affected by climate change. BES-Net also controlled invasive alien species and promoted flood-adaptive livelihoods for local people.

Mr. Hai noted that water level regulation in subzones A1-A5 of the Park, combined with intervention measures, has brought clear changes. In 2023, high water levels affected vegetation. But by 2024, thanks to the support of UNDP and the Conservation and Development Plan for sarus cranes at Tram Chim National Park (2022-2032), the ecosystem has improved: Eleocharis plants have grown back, wild rice has begun to recover, and many rare bird species have returned. Notably, in 2024, after a two-year absence, four Sarus cranes reappeared in subzone A5 of Tram Chim National Park.

Flood-adaptive livelihood activities have also been strengthened. UNDP Viet Nam has supported 5/14 community groups in Dong Thap province to develop livelihoods by engaging in organic rice farming under the rice - fish model: reducing from three to two rice crops and using one season for fish farming.

In Binh Thanh Hamlet (Dong Thap), the Quyet Tien Cooperative conserves freshwater fish during the flood season on an area of more than 200 hectares. Each flood brings abundant aquatic resources along with fish eggs and juveniles carried into the fields by the water. According to the Cooperative’s representative, "We do not make additional investments but simply retain the natural fish and eggs. Over time, the fish grow quickly, yield is high, and local people gain significant extra income, earning about 50,000 VND per time." Initially, implementation faced challenges as traditional fishing practices made it difficult for people to adapt to the idea of "reserving for nature" instead of overexploitation. However, after awareness-raising and advocacy, the community reached a strong consensus and solidarity in sharing the benefits.

Within the BES-Net framework, UNDP Viet Nam has also partnered with Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) to carry out activities at the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh. The project works to safeguard the habitat of 300 Delacour’s langurs - an endemic primate species as well as around 200 migratory and native bird species. In addition, it helps raise community awareness on responsible tourism.

According to UNDP, conservation efforts can only be sustainable when they encourage the participation and consensus of communities, cooperatives, and local people. This also makes an important contribution to Viet Nam’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to 2030, with a vision to 2050.

All activities under the BES-Net project are people-centered. The project prioritizes social inclusion, with particular attention to the roles of youth, women, and vulnerable groups, to ensure that everyone can participate in and benefit from conservation.

The first wetland ecosystem services payment scheme

According to Ms. Trinh Thi Mai, BES-Net Project Coordinator (UNDP Viet Nam), one of the key components of BES-Net is piloting the first grassroots wetland ecosystem services payment scheme at Tram Chim National Park. This serves as an important foundation for developing future policies for wetlands and marine areas.

The project has collected scientific evidence and data to identify four groups of ecosystem services: provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting. Within this framework, it proposes two main payment activities: aquaculture and ecotourism, aimed at piloting a long-term financial mechanism for conservation.

According to Mr. Trieu Van Hung, an environmental economics expert, the project will continue to conduct in-depth studies to assess the value of ecosystems, providing a solid basis for determining fair and persuasive payment levels. Regarding policy, the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanism has not yet been widely applied and needs to be designed in a clear, practical, and user-friendly manner. He emphasized that it should start with pilot projects, learning from the experience of the previous forest environmental services scheme, as PES is a policy priority area for conservation.

Therefore, he expects the management board of Tram Chim National Park, in coordination with the Dong Thap Department of Agriculture and Environment, to approve a pilot scheme for wetlands, which could begin with ecotourism activities.

According to Mr. Vu Thai Truong, Head of Climate Change and Environment at UNDP Viet Nam, BES-Net complements and contributes to the capacity building of the Viet Nam Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Partnership Forum (VBPF), fostering the development of a multi-stakeholder cooperation mechanism. The forum is expected to become operational soon, connecting the scientific community, sharing practical experiences, and providing policy recommendations.