Efforts to conserve biodiversity

Recognizing the crucial role of biodiversity in protecting the ecological environment, the Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection Department has implemented numerous solutions to prevent illegal hunting, trading, transportation, and use of wild animals, while simultaneously striving to conserve and develop biodiversity resources.

Forest rangers release wild animals (a python) back into their natural habitat - Photo: LA

With over 248,189 hectares of forest, Quang Tri is considered one of the regions with high biodiversity. Its rich flora and fauna boast over 2,600 species, including many endemic, endangered, and rare species such as the white-crested pheasant, saola, gaur, large muntjac, striped rabbit, sun bear, Ha Tinh langur, brown-footed langur; as well as pine, slipper orchid, and agarwood...

However, Quang Tri is also facing biodiversity degradation, with many rare and endangered wild animal and plant species experiencing a significant decline in numbers. One of the main reasons is the profit derived from the illegal hunting, trading, transporting, and consuming of products from wild animals.

Faced with this situation, in order to combat and prevent violations of the law and crimes in the field of wildlife management and protection, especially rare animals listed in the Vietnam Red Book, the Forest Protection Department has coordinated with relevant agencies and local authorities to actively promote awareness among the people to prevent the illegal hunting, consumption, transportation, and trading of wild animals; and signed commitments with restaurants and eateries not to consume wild animals.

For aquaculture facilities, registration and licensing in accordance with regulations are required. For forest owners, such as management boards of protection and special-use forests, the requirements include enhancing responsibility in managing and protecting assigned forests; effectively implementing sustainable forest management plans; strengthening basic biodiversity surveys to understand and develop conservation plans; systematizing and standardizing biodiversity patrol and monitoring activities and forest resource changes. Prompt and strict detection and handling of violations are necessary to enhance the educational and deterrent effect on offenders.

To date, the province has established 3 Nature Reserves (NRs): Dakrong NR, Bac Huong Hoa NR, and Con Co Island NR; 2 landscape protection areas: the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail Landscape Protection Area and Ru Linh Landscape Protection Area; and 1 Biodiversity Corridor connecting Dakrong NR and Bac Huong Hoa NR, aiming to maintain and develop biodiversity resources in general and protect endemic, endangered, and rare animal and plant species in particular.

In the province, there are 42 wildlife breeding facilities with 14 species/4,595 individuals, including 25 facilities breeding endangered, rare, and precious wildlife with 8 species/1,593 individuals; and 17 facilities breeding common wildlife with 6 species/3,002 individuals. Since the beginning of the year, registration numbers have been issued to 3 facilities breeding endangered and rare forest animals; and 2 decisions have been issued to revoke the registration numbers for 2 facilities.

The units under the sub-department have completed the paperwork for releasing 4 wild animals back into their natural environment, with a total weight of 42.5 kg. They also received and handed over 1 pangolin weighing 0.12 kg to the Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Development Center - Cuc Phuong National Park.

In addition, the Provincial VFBC Project Management Board, in coordination with the Biodiversity Conservation Component of the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation (VFBC) Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is implementing synchronized activities ranging from livelihood development, capacity building in biodiversity management and monitoring, application of technology in forest patrol and protection, and increased community participation in field conservation activities, establishing community-based forest patrol and trap removal teams; and simultaneously communicating to raise awareness about biodiversity conservation and reduce the demand for wildlife consumption...

According to Phan Van Phuoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and head of the Forest Protection Sub-Department, the implementation of many comprehensive solutions in advising, issuing guiding documents, disseminating laws on the protection of wild animals, and strengthening patrol and inspection work, dismantling, confiscating, and destroying tools used for illegal hunting and trapping of wild animals has resulted in better management and protection of wild animals in the province. The breeding of wild animals is supervised according to regulations and facilitates economic development for breeding facilities.

These are practical and specific solutions to improve the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation and nature protection, aiming for sustainable resource development, serving the socio-economic development and environmental protection strategies of the province in particular and the country in general.

Le An

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/no-luc-bao-ton-da-dang-sinh-hoc-187479.htm