Proposal to maintain the inter-provincial national park management mechanism.

The Vietnam Association of National Parks and Nature Reserves warns of the risk of ecological fragmentation if management is divided according to administrative boundaries.

Managing inter-provincial national parks presents a challenge not only in terms of organizational structure, but also directly relates to how Vietnam protects its last remaining biodiversity hotspots amidst increasing development pressures.

Cuc Phuong National Park is Vietnam's first national park, notable for its ancient primary forest ecosystem and as a leading rescue center for endangered primates in the region. Photo: Department of Forestry and Wildlife.

Official letter No. 04/CV-VNPPA dated May 25th, recently sent by the Vietnam Association of National Parks and Nature Reserves to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, reflects these concerns. According to the Association, the policy of continuing organizational reform and promoting decentralization of management is necessary to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of national governance.

However, with national parks located across multiple provinces and cities, transferring their entire management to local authorities requires particularly careful consideration, as this is not simply an administrative matter.

Modern inter-provincial national parks represent some of Vietnam's most important ecosystems. They preserve primeval forests, rare genetic resources, biodiversity corridors, and many endangered plant and animal species that have been formed and restored over decades. According to statistics, the parks managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment currently cover a total area of ​​nearly 270,000 hectares, spanning numerous localities and representing the country's unique ecological regions.

The association argues that national parks should be viewed from the perspective of inter-regional ecosystems rather than administrative boundaries. In modern conservation management, the natural boundaries of forests, water sources, wildlife, or habitats do not coincide with provincial or district boundaries. A population of langurs, elephants, or tigers does not move along administrative dividing lines. The same applies to rivers, vegetation, or biological corridors.

Butterfly season at Cuc Phuong National Park. Photo: Department of Forestry and Wildlife.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thai, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Center in Vietnam (SVW), acknowledged that the most worrying aspect of splitting inter-provincial national parks under the management of individual localities is the risk of fragmentation in conservation management.

According to him, wildlife conservation requires unity on an ecosystem scale, while management based on administrative boundaries can make it difficult for forces to coordinate effectively, especially with species that migrate over wide areas or inter-provincial rescue operations.

In fact, many effective wildlife rescue models are currently concentrated in national parks under central government management. These are almost the only networks capable of receiving, rescuing, and coordinating wildlife nationwide, rather than being limited to a single province. According to Mr. Thai, parks like Cuc Phuong and Cat Tien not only do a good job of conservation but also develop relatively effective ecotourism models, generating resources that are reinvested in nature conservation efforts.

If forest management is fragmented according to administrative boundaries, the risk of "ecological fragmentation" can occur. In nature, the value of a forest lies not in individual plots of land, but in the interconnectedness of the entire ecosystem. When a biological corridor is disrupted, many large animal species almost lose their chance of long-term survival.

Sunset over Bau Sau, Cat Tien National Park. Photo: Department of Forestry and Wildlife.

That is also why many countries manage national park systems according to a unified national strategy. The United States, Australia, South Africa, China, Indonesia, and Thailand are examples. The entire national park system is under the purview of a centralized agency responsible for wildlife conservation. Thanks to this unified coordination mechanism, the forests in these countries maintain better ecological connectivity and effectively conserve many large animal species.

From a legal perspective, Vietnam's current legal framework clearly defines the central government's direct management role over national parks located across multiple provinces and cities. The 2017 Forestry Law, the 2025 Law on Local Government Organization, and numerous related decrees all affirm the legal basis of the current model. This indicates that the issue lies not only in the transfer of management authority but also in the consistency of the entire legal system regarding nature conservation.

More importantly, in recent years, many national parks have demonstrated relatively stable governance effectiveness. Many have become models of conservation linked to scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable ecotourism development. Several of Vietnam's protected areas have been recognized by UNESCO as World Biosphere Reserves or listed in the IUCN Green List. These are not only international accolades but also reflect the increasingly high standards of conservation management.

In the context of climate change and biodiversity loss becoming global challenges, the role of national parks is no longer limited to forest protection. They are becoming important "ecological shields" that help regulate water resources, absorb carbon, mitigate natural disasters, and maintain livelihoods for communities in buffer zones.

Gaur, an animal considered endemic to Cat Tien National Park. Photo: Department of Forestry and Wildlife.

With nearly 15 million hectares of forest and approximately 2.25 million hectares of special-use forests, Vietnam currently possesses an ecosystem of strategic importance to national environmental security. While inter-provincial national parks only account for about 12% of the special-use forest area, they are home to the majority of intact ecosystems and many rare and endangered species of global value.

Therefore, the Vietnam National Parks and Nature Reserves Association recommends a scientific and objective assessment before making any major changes related to the management of inter-provincial national park systems. The Association proposes that, if a transfer to local authorities is truly necessary, the risks that could lead to future ecosystem damage must be clearly identified, and a plan must be in place to ensure that the transfer does not sacrifice the environment and landscape for purely economic growth.

In reality, the pressure to develop infrastructure, tourism, exploit resources, or change land use in many localities is increasing. If all national parks were transferred to local authorities, the risk of commercialization of forest resources or increased pressure for economic development under the forest canopy would need to be considered. Meanwhile, the quality of Vietnam's natural forests has already deteriorated significantly in previous decades, and most of the current restoration area consists mainly of planted forests, which cannot completely replace the ecological value of primary forests.

A fragmented ecosystem can take decades to recover, or may even be irrecoverable. An extinct species cannot be brought back to life by any economic means. That is why many countries now consider biodiversity conservation as part of their national security strategy, rather than just an environmental concern. "The integrity of an ecosystem is paramount," emphasized Mr. Nguyen Huu Dung, Chairman of the Association of National Parks and Nature Reserves.

Conservation is inseparable from the role of local authorities. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment affirms that local authorities remain the key force in managing buffer zones, ensuring security and order, developing livelihoods, and promoting community-based ecotourism. However, the core of conservation work, especially for special-use forests of national or inter-regional value, needs to be placed within a unified, robust, and long-term coordinating mechanism.

In Document No. 4768/BNNMT-KHTC sent to the Government Office on May 13th, the Ministry views inter-provincial national parks as the nation's "natural laboratories" and "policy testing grounds." These parks are places for accumulating long-term data on biodiversity, ecosystem changes, and the impacts of climate change to serve national-level conservation policy planning.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/de-xuat-giu-co-che-quan-ly-vuon-quoc-gia-lien-tinh-d814590.html