The Hanoitimes - Vietnam presently has four Ramsar sites of Wetlands of International Importance, with a surface area of 43,120 hectares. In 1988, the Ramsar Convention Bureau designated Xuan Thuy Natural Wetland Reserve, in the northern Nam Dinh Province as Vietnam's first Ramsar site, which was followed in 2005, by the designation of the Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) Wetlands and Seasonal Floodplains in the Ramsar list. In 2011, Ba Be National Park was listed as Vietnam's third Ramsar site. Recently, Tram Chim National Park has officially become the fourth Wetland of International Importance. Xuan Thuy National Park Xuan Thuy National Park is located in Giao Thuy district (Nam Dinh province), 150 km south-east from Hanoi. It is the largest coastal wetland ecosystem in the north of Vietnam and placed in the south of the Red River mouth. Xuan Thuy National Park is a staging and wintering area for shorebirds, gulls and waterfowl in the coastal zone of the Red River Delta. The National … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s four Ramsar sites
Ramsar sites
A Visit to Vietnam’s Ramsar Site
We were delighted to see a flock of more than 40 black-faced spoonbills (out of the world's remaining 1000-plus spoonbills) at Xuan Thuy National Park, the first Ramsar site in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. It is home to migratory birds including some species listed in the Red Book, and rich in flora and fauna. The platform of diverse species of birds and flora "Follow each other, move slowly, and keep low", we reminded ourselves when the distance between our cameras and the spoonbills was only about 30m. We were strangers at the site and any loud noise could set them in flight, spoiling our efforts of spending the whole day to find them. Standing behind us, old farmer Nguyen Van Thang who is well-known for his diligence in protecting the birds in the wetland blissfully told us: "You are lucky because the spoonbills do not have a specific habitat in this Ramsar site". In early winter every year, apart from the spoonbills, many species of birds make a stop-over at this area to gather … [Read more...] about A Visit to Vietnam’s Ramsar Site
Tram Chim Ramsar site facing big challenges
Having been recognized as the 2000th Ramsar site of wetlands of international importance, Tram Chim National Park has shown Vietnam’s effort in implementing the Ramsar Convention. Tram Chim National Park recognized as a Ramsar site The Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong district of Dong Thap province is the only left wetland in Dong Thap Muoi area. Covering a total area of 7313 hectares, with a diversified system of swamps, grass plots and natural canals, the park is an original habitat in South East Asia, and one of the 8 important bird areas of Vietnam. There are 191 species of plants, 150 species of freshwater fish, and nearly 231 species of water birds. Some of these are listed in Vietnam’s Red Book of rare and threatened species. Especially, Tram Chim has been famous for red headed cranes (Grus antigone), which is listed as a threatened kind of birds by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Book. Red head cranes disappear Scientists have … [Read more...] about Tram Chim Ramsar site facing big challenges
Preservation stepped up at world’s new Ramsar site
Preservation and other conserving activities, including patrols by soldiers and overnight shifts, have been accelerated at Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province ever since it was recognized as the world’s 2,000th Ramsar site early February. Accordingly, the park is now deemed a wetland area of international importance in line with the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty providing a common framework for wetland preservation. The management and preservation work at the park has been strengthened in order to meet the new benchmarks as laid out in the convention, Nguyen Van Hung, Tram Chim director told Tuoitrenews in an exclusive interview. The main threats to the fertile and bushy site include fire and local poachers illegally trespassing on it for fish, waterbirds, honey, and firewood, Hung said, adding patrols are now carried out frequently to detect them on time. The Dong Thap authorities have recently agreed to send around 120 military soldiers to help … [Read more...] about Preservation stepped up at world’s new Ramsar site
What To Gain From A Ramsar Site?
Tram Chim National Park, in Tam Nong District of Dong Thap Province, has been recognized as the 2,000th Ramsar site of the world and the fourth of Vietnam by the Ramsar Convention - the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Weekly interviews Nguyen Huu Thien, an ecologist with over 20 years of experience in conserving wetlands in the Mekong Delta. Q: According to you, why has Tram Chim been certified as a Ramsar site of the world? A: Tram Chim deserves the title of a Ramsar site as it meets eight of the nine criteria of the Ramsar Convention. In addition, BirdLife has also ranked Tram Chim among important bird areas in Vietnam. Today, the original scenes of Dong Thap Muoi have almost disappeared and only some important areas remain, such as Tram Chim in Dong Thap and Lang Sen in Long An. Conserving such remaining areas has multiple meanings in biodiversity, ecology, tourism, culture and scientific research. What makes Tram Chim special compared with … [Read more...] about What To Gain From A Ramsar Site?