Experts discussed issues related to conditions and factors to promote natural forest restoration in localities and contribute to ensuring ecological security and minimising damage caused by natural disasters and floods during a conference held yesterday in Hà N?i. The conference was held by the Centre for People and Nature (PanNature).
Last Saturday, the 1st international workshop on biodiversity conservation and sustainable tourism development in the central region and highlands took place in Da Nang.. It was jointly organised by the municipal Union of Science and Technology Associations, the Nuoc Viet Xanh (GreenViet) Biodiversity Conservation Centre, the Centre for Humans and Nature (PanNature), and the Environment and Biological Resource Teaching Research Team of the Da Nang University (DN-EBR).
On July 21th, 2018, in Danang, People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) in collaboration with Da Nang Union of Science & Technology Associations, GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Centre (GreenViet) and Environment & Biological Resource Teaching Research Team (DN-EBR) organized the first international workshop on "Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the Central and Highlands", with the 2018 topic is “Lesson learnt on tourism development in National Parks and Nature Reserves”.
The review recorded Pinus armandii subsp.xuanhaensis as a new conifer observed in Vietnam. Pinus armandii subsp.xuanhaensis was discovered and collected samples in Xuan Nha Nature Reserve (Son La province) by the research team of People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) in the implementation of the project: "Conservation and development conifer tree species in Xuan Nha Nature Reserve" supported by the Rufford Small Grants. According to field survey results of PanNature’s team, this species currently has a population of about 200 trees, distributes in/covers an area of about 80 km2. Together with Prof. Phan Ke Loc, PanNature’s research team has collected, described, classified and announced this unique new conifer of Vietnam.
Since June 2017, for the purpose of promoting scientific research activities in Hang Kia - Pa Co and Xuan Nha Natural Reserves in order to create a database for conservation interventions, People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature) has started a Field Research Fellowship Program for senior students, graduate students and fellows.
“The carrying capacity of facilities at eco-tourism sites, and the monetary value of biodiversity loss caused by eco-tourism, are the two most difficult factors to evaluate,” said Nguy?n Vi?t D?ng, deputy director of People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature).
On February 8th 2017, People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) and People and Nature Reconcilliation (PanNature) signed an agreement to jointly undertaking work on biodiversity conservation and forest governance in Vietnam. The geographical scope of this agreement shall be Vietnam, with particular focus on sites such as Tuyen Quang province and the Central Highlands.
In the early 1960s, a young ornithologist successfully persuaded Vietnam’s top leaders, including its founding president, Ho Chi Minh, to designate a tract of land near the capital as the country’s first national park.
Attention has recently been paid to how REDD+ mitigation policies are integrated into other sectoral policies, particularly those dealing with climate adaptation at the national level. But there is less understanding of how subnational policy and local projects are able to incorporate attention to adaptation; therefore, we use a case study in Vietnam to discuss how REDD+ projects and policies address both concerns of mitigation and adaptation together at subnational levels. Through stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and household surveys in three provinces of Vietnam with REDD+ activities, our research sought to understand if REDD+ policies and projects on the ground acknowledge that climate change is likely to impact forests and forest users; if this knowledge is built into REDD+ policy and activities; how households in forested areas subject to REDD+ policy are vulnerable to climate change; and how REDD+ activities can help or hinder needed adaptations. Our findings indicate that there continues to be a lack of coordination between mitigation and adaptation policies in Vietnam, particularly with regard to REDD+. Policies for forest-based climate mitigation at the national and subnational level, as well as site-based projects, have paid little attention to the adaptation needs of local communities, many of whom are already suffering from noticeable weather changes in their localities, and there is insufficient discussion of how REDD+ activities could facilitate increased resilience. While there were some implicit and coincidental adaptation benefits of some REDD+ activities, most studied projects and policies did not explicitly target their activities to focus on adaptation or resilience, and in at least one case, negative livelihood impacts that have increased household vulnerability to climate change were documented. Key barriers to integration were identified, such as sectoral specialization; a lack of attention in REDD+ projects to livelihoods; and inadequate support for ecosystem-based adaptation.
Road building projects that would pass through natural reserves have been proposed, while many resorts have been built in national parks.