Celebrating the Declaration of U Minh Thuong National Park as an ASEAN Heritage Park

As a result of the Asean Peatlands Forest Project (APFP) activities and efforts in biodiversity conservation and rehabilitation of U Minh Thuong National Park in the past years, U Minh Thuong National Park was declared as an ASEAN Heritage Park (AHP) by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) in September 25^th, 2013.

Under support of APFP Vietnam Component, on 12 August 2013 at Kien Giang Province People's Committee Office, Prof. Dr Bui Cach Tuyen, Vice-Minister of Natural Resources (MONRE), presented the Certificate of Declaration of ASEAN Heritage Park for U Minh Thuong National Park of Kien Giang Province. This is the 5th ASEAN Heritage Park in Vietnam and the first ASEAN Heritage Park in peatlands of the Lower Mekong Delta. 

According to MONRE, U Minh Thuong National Park is highly rated in terms of biodiversity. This is one of Vietnam's national parks participating in the APFP to restore and sustainable use of peatlands in Southeast Asia. 

On this occasion, MONRE, U Minh Thuong NP and scientists also discussed the preparation of documents related to U Minh Thuong National Park for submission to the RAMSAR Convention to be recognized as a Ramsar site in the Mekong Delta in 2013.

U Minh Thuong National Park covers over 21,000 hectares in the two communes of An Minh Bac and Minh Thuan of U Minh Thuong district, Kien Giang province. The core zone includes 8,038 ha. Featuring typical ecosystems of mixed semi-primary forest, seasonally inundated grasslands, and aquatic swamps, U Minh Thuong has the tropical wetlands biodiversity which is very rare in the world.

Representatives of MONRE, Kien Giang Provincial People’s Committee, District People Committee, and scientists from institutes, Universities heard report of management of peatland natural resources in U Minh Thuong National Park.  (11 August 2013).

Participants visited the U Minh Thuong National Park (11 August 2013).

Vice-Minister of MONRE presented the Certificate of Declaration of Asean Heritage Park to Director of U Minh Thuong National Park (12 August 2013).

Discuss the preparation of document of U Minh Thuong National Park to submit to RAMSAR Convention to be recognized as a Ramsar site in the Mekong Delta.

 (Prepared by Dr Le Phat Quoi, APFP National Expert for Vietnam)

 

Stopping the Haze in Riau

 

In line with the Stop the Haze Campaign, we have channeled funds to our counterparts in Riau, Indonesia for fire prevention efforts. 

Today, Mr Hisam Setiawan of Mitra Insani Foundation reported that in our project site in Harapan Jaya, Indragiri Hilir district, 4 FDRS (Fire Danger Rating System) boards have been erected. The boards are designed to inform local communities of the risk of burning in peatland areas. Blue indicates low risk while red is high. Therefore, communities will be more informed and will know when not to do any burning on their lands. The boards are also funded by EU through the SEApeat project. 

A portion of the funds was distributed to the community fire control team in Harapan Jaya to be used specifically for equipment, patrolling, fuel for the pumps etc. 

In another site, Teluk Binjai, they are still preparing to implement a fire prevention system based on village regulations. This system, which penalises those who cause damage by fire, is already practised in Harapan Jaya. The results speak for itself when it recorded very few fires this year.