Spending nearly 300 billion VND to expand Dong Thap Muoi Ecological Reserve

mở rộng Khu bảo tồn sinh thái Đồng Tháp MườÁP - Ảnh 1. — Dong Thap Muoi Ecological Reserve (Tan Phuoc 2 Commune, Dong Thap Province) seen from above - Photo: MAU TRUONG

Located in the middle of the Dong Thap Muoi depression - once known as the "sea of water" of the West, Dong Thap Muoi Ecological Reserve (Tan Phuoc 2 commune, Dong Thap province) is one of the rare remaining green patches of the typical wetland ecosystem of the South.

Why is it necessary to expand the conservation area?

According to the Management Board of Dong Thap Muoi Conservation and Ecotourism Area, the existing ecological conservation area has an area of 106.8 hectares (Tan Phuoc commune, Dong Thap province), surrounded by four large canals including: Xang 3 canal (North), Xang 4 canal (South), Tay canal (East) and Lam Nghiep canal (West).

Mr. Le Nguyen Duc Tai, acting director of the Dong Thap Muoi Conservation and Ecotourism Management Board, said that although the area is only about 106 hectares wide, it welcomes more than 25,000 waterfowl and migratory birds to nest and breed each year. This density far exceeds the national standard of "important wetlands", but is also putting the conservation area at risk of ecological overload.

The leader of the Dong Thap Muoi Conservation and Ecotourism Management Board commented: "Crippled living space, declining food sources, and gradually shrinking habitats... if there is no solution to expand, the flooded Melaleuca forest ecosystem may be degraded, affecting both bird populations and endemic aquatic species of the region."

Based on that reality, the local government has approved the investment policy for the project to expand the Dong Thap Muoi Ecological Reserve with a total additional area of 60 hectares (of which 32 hectares to the South, 28 hectares to the North).

The project aims to preserve and restore wetland ecosystems, plant new Melaleuca forests, increase green areas and build modern forest management, fire prevention and fighting infrastructure.

Mr. Nguyen Dam Thanh Tuyen, Director of the Project Management Board for Investment in Construction of Agricultural Works and Rural Development of Dong Thap province, the project investor, added:

"The expansion of the Dong Thap Muoi Ecological Reserve aims to conserve biodiversity of wild animals and plants, especially rare and endangered species and typical ecosystems of the region, and to maintain and develop unique natural landscapes of the Dong Thap Muoi region."

More than 293 billion VND to carry out expansion

According to the plan, the project will be implemented in the period of 2025 - 2028. Mr. Nguyen Dam Thanh Tuyen said that the investor has submitted the feasibility study report to the Department of Agriculture and Environment for appraisal, preparing for approval and compensation implementation.

The project has a total investment of about 293.3 billion VND, expected to recover about 57 hectares of land from local people, the rest is public land managed by the People's Committee of Tan Phuoc 2 commune. The total cost of compensation and site clearance support is about 243 billion VND, to be carried out in 2026.

According to Mr. Tuyen, the main items of the project include: Planting 42 hectares of new Melaleuca forests, restoring the natural habitat typical of the Dong Thap Muoi region; digging irrigation and drainage canals combined with forest fire prevention and fighting, about 3.8 km long; building patrol routes, building culverts combined with pumping stations...

Once completed, the reserve will have a total area of over 160 hectares, meeting the criteria of a "nationally important wetland". At the same time, this will be a stepping stone for Dong Thap to develop ecotourism and scientific research associated with biodiversity conservation.