Establishment of the "Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary Natural Heritage and neighboring areas"

BDK.VN - On May 27, 2025, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment (DARD) Vo Van Ngoan and Dr. Le Thi Thuy Duong - Lecturer of the Faculty of Biology - Biotechnology, University of Natural Sciences chaired a workshop to consult on the results of the project "Assessment and proposal of natural heritage for Vam Ho bird sanctuary and surrounding areas", with a total area of ​​over 16,148 hectares. Representatives of leaders of provincial departments, branches, and the University of Natural Sciences attended.

According to Dr. Le Thi Thuy Duong, information on project implementation results.

At the workshop, Dr. Le Thi Thuy Duong, project manager, informed the results of "Assessment and proposal of natural heritage for Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary and surrounding areas". The project aims to: Research and develop a dossier to establish the "Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary Natural Heritage and surrounding areas" at the provincial level to conserve birds and wildlife, maintain and develop biodiversity in the area. Propose procedures and organize the implementation, monitoring and effective management of natural heritage. Propose solutions for tourism development combined with environmental protection and improving the livelihoods of people living around the area.

According to Dr. Le Thi Thuy Duong, through consultation with households and local authorities (districts and communes of the “projected buffer zone”), it was shown that all representatives from management agencies agreed with the policy of establishing and the proposed boundaries of the Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary Natural Heritage Area and surrounding areas.

Most households agree on the establishment of a Natural Heritage Area, aiming at sustainable development, protecting biodiversity and further promoting local socio-economic development. People are eager to develop effective tourism. In particular, community-based tourism, taking advantage of the great potential from existing livelihoods associated with tourism products, brings a typical image of the Southwest region to tourism products.

In addition, the people also proposed a number of issues that need to be focused on in the process of building, establishing and developing the Natural Heritage Area, including: Clarifying issues of land overlap with the Management Board of Protective and Special-Use Forests along with appropriate solutions. It is necessary to speed up the process of reviewing and granting land use rights (red books) to households. It is necessary to have appropriate mechanisms for alluvial areas and coastal protective forests so that local people can exploit resources along with afforestation and forest protection. Managing water resources well, preventing pollution from upstream waters from polluting the area. Improving transport infrastructure and electricity and water infrastructure for people in the area.

Delegates attending the workshop highly appreciated the importance of the project. At the same time, they discussed and requested clarification of a number of issues related to the legal basis. In particular, the official dispatch of the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment provided professional opinions on the draft dossier for establishing a provincial natural heritage. The opinions were clarified by the Department of Environmental Management and Climate Change under the Department of Agriculture and Environment and experts from the University of Natural Sciences .

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Ngoan delivered a concluding speech at the workshop.

In his concluding remarks at the workshop, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Ngoan affirmed the Party and State’s viewpoint of harmonious development between economic growth and environmental protection; not trading off the environment and social security for economic development. Therefore, continuing to protect and develop nature reserves is a necessary task.

Ben Tre has 2 conservation areas, including: Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary, area of ​​67ha and Thanh Phu wetland, area of ​​more than 2 thousand ha, need to be preserved and protected. Considering that the biodiversity of Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary has gradually declined over time, management lacks sustainability, and has not yet promoted the potential for effective economic exploitation. With the task of preserving and developing Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary, the Provincial People's Committee has a policy to carry out the task of "Evaluating and proposing natural heritage for Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary to expand downstream of Ba Lai River, coastal alluvial area to form a provincial natural heritage area.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Ngoan highly appreciated the opinions expressed at the workshop. From there, there is a basis and feasibility when advising the Provincial People's Committee to establish the Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary Natural Heritage Area and the surrounding area on the basis of the Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary Conservation Area. The establishment of the Vam Ho Bird Sanctuary Natural Heritage Area and the surrounding area brings many benefits to the province and the heritage community.

News and photos : Tran Quoc

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/thanh-lap-khu-di-san-thien-nhien-san-chim-vam-ho-va-khu-vuc-lan-can--27052025-a147268.html