• Exploitation goes hand in hand with conservation
  • By 2030, strive to expand the area, establish new ones, and effectively manage 27 marine reserves.
  • Integrating biodiversity conservation to reduce pressure

Many challenges arise

Ca Mau province has a dense network of rivers and canals. However, the most important and decisive feature of the ecosystem of the old Ca Mau province is that it does not receive additional fresh water from the Mekong River system like other provinces in the Mekong Delta, but depends almost entirely on natural rainfall. This poses great challenges in water resources management, especially in the context of increasingly complex climate change with extreme weather phenomena such as prolonged droughts and increased saltwater intrusion.

The lack of reliable freshwater resources makes freshwater ecosystems in Ca Mau extremely sensitive to climate change and impacts from human activities. This requires conservation strategies to put hydrology at the center of all policy decisions.

With an area of ​​over 8,500 hectares, U Minh Ha National Park is also a place to store, preserve and regenerate many endangered and rare animal and plant genetic resources, which have typical values ​​of the Melaleuca forest ecosystem on peat land of the Mekong Delta. The park records the distribution of 176 plant species, 23 mammal species, 47 amphibian - reptile species, 91 bird species. Among them, there are many waterfowl species that have been protected by Vietnamese and international law such as: Javan elder; Oriental sesban; red heron; grey heron; white stork; cormorant;...

Although it has many values ​​in terms of natural landscape, ecological environment and biodiversity, biodiversity conservation in U Minh Ha National Park is facing many challenges.

According to the assessment from U Minh Ha National Park, water birds are an essential part of biodiversity. However, currently, water birds are facing many serious threats. The main reason is that the propaganda has not achieved as expected, the situation of buying, selling, hunting and transporting water birds still occurs in the area; the coordination between functional sectors is also not close and drastic in preventing and handling violations related to wildlife.

Along with that, climate change and extreme weather also affect the growth and development of species in U Minh Ha National Park, narrowing the living space of animals under the forest canopy, including waterfowl.

Need the cooperation of all parties

Mr. Tran Van Hung, Deputy Head of the Forest Protection Department of Ca Mau province, said: Ca Mau includes 3 main forest ecosystems: coastal mangrove forests, Melaleuca forests on acid sulfate soils and forests on island clusters. In which, the Melaleuca forest ecosystem with the ability to withstand flooding and acid sulfate soils plays an important role in stabilizing the soil and water environment, regulating the climate and protecting biodiversity; helping to retain fresh water and prevent saltwater intrusion , protecting agricultural production activities of the people.

Exploitation combined with conservation is an important requirement in developing biodiversity in freshwater areas in Ca Mau.

“To overcome the challenges in protecting and sustainably developing this precious Melaleuca forest ecosystem, attention and participation from all levels, sectors, organizations and communities is needed. In particular, focusing on improving the management capacity of functional agencies, forest owners and people. Promoting the application of science , technology, remote sensing, and camera surveillance systems in managing and monitoring forest resources and biodiversity. Perfecting mechanisms and policies on forest management, protection and development, ensuring consistency and effectiveness,” Mr. Hung proposed.

In particular, raising public awareness is considered a fundamental and decisive solution to mobilize the proactive and responsible participation of all parties in the protection and sustainable development of biodiversity.

Mr. Mai Huu Chinh, Chairman of the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Ca Mau province, said: Prioritize direct and community-based communication channels, combine digital technology; review and adjust planning towards prioritizing conservation. Develop and effectively implement policies to support sustainable livelihood transformation, participate in conservation. Enhance the capacity and responsibility of State management agencies, especially strengthening law enforcement, strictly handling violations...

Van Dum

Source: https://baocamau.vn/ca-mau-truoc-bai-toan-bao-ton-da-dang-sinh-hoc--a120751.html