UNDP-funded project aims to protect wetlands

15/09/2015

         Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a project to conserve wetland areas and establish two more wetland preservation areas in Thai Binh and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.      The project, sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme's Global Environment Facility (GEF), will be carried out during the next four years at a cost of over US$18 million.      According to the Prime Minister's Decision 1131/QD-TTg on July 9, 2014 on approving the list of programs funded by UNDP, the Project will be carried out by the Viet Nam Environment Administration and the People's Committees of Thai Binh and Thua Thien - Hue provinces, under the management of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.      The Decision seeks to create laws for the conservation of wetlands, establish two new wetland preservation areas, improve the ability of provincial-level governments in protecting and exploiting wetlands and reduce threats from local livelihoods to the areas' environments and biodiversity.      The Project also aims to raise public awareness about the value of wetland ecosystem, targeting sustainable management and the use of larger linked landscapes.      Viet Nam is home to many of the world's important wetland areas, including the Lang Sen Preservation Area in Mekong delta Long An province, Mui Ca Mau National Park in southernmost Ca Mau province and Tram Chim National Park in Mekong Delta Dong Thap province.   Nhật Minh