BAMBOO GENETIC RESOURCES OF VIETNAM

December 26, 2005 by

BAMBOO GENETIC RESOURCES OF VIETNAM


I. INTRODUCTION


Vietnam is a tropical country located in the South-East Asia with total area of about 331,220 km2 ranging from latitude 90 N to latitude 230 N, of which 20 million ha is forest and forest land (about 60% of the country’s area)(General Statistical Office, 1994). According to statistical data, forest area up to the end of 1993 is as follows,


· Natural forest : 8,630,000 ha

· Plantation forest : 758,000 ha

· Forest land without forest : 11,420,000 ha.


At present, the forestry sector is responsible to manage 19 million ha forest and forest land (except more than 1 million ha limestone mountain) of which there is 9,650,000 ha forest with 29.1% forest cover (General Statistical Office, 1994). According to utilization purposes, the forest is divided into three categories :


· Special-use forest : 924,000 ha

· Protection forest : 2,798,500 ha

· Production forest : 5,926,400 ha.


The flora of Vietnam is very abundant and diverse. Only Ptesidophyta, Gymnospermae and Angiospermae can contain 11,000 species of more than 2500 genera (Tran Dinh Ly, 1993). Since thousands years, Vietnamese people have used thousands plant species for food, foodstuff, fodder, medicine, raw materials, ornamental plants, landscape trees or other purposes. In the year 1993, the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources listed about 1900 used plant species of almost 1000 genera and 230 families in Vietnam (Tran Dinh Ly, 1993), however the number of the species used in Vietnam will be increased by studies and detailed field surveys in the future. Vu Van Chuyen, Le Tran Chan and Tran Hop (1987) divided plants into the following groups :


· Species for wood : 1200 species of 100 genera,

· Raw material for pulp and paper : 100 species,

· Essential oil-supplying species : 500 species (160 are of high value)

· Vegetable oil-supplying species : 260 species,

· Tannin-supplying species : 600 species,

· Dye-supplying species : 200 species,

· Medicinal plants : 1000 species.


Vietnam’s flora is characterized by high ratio of endemic species, about 33% in North Vietnam (Pocs Tamas, 1965) and 50% for the whole country (Thai Van Trung, 1970). The highest number of endemic species can be found in three mountain ranges : Hoang Lien Son, Da Lat plateau and central plateau. According to Biodiversity Action Plan (1995), biodiversity in Vietnam has high speciality : 10% of the world’s animal, bird and fish species is found in Vietnam; more than 40% of plant species is endemic and can not be found in any other areas outside Vietnam.


An anxious fact is that the area of natural forest of our country has been decreased considerably. According to Biodiversity Action Plan (1995), there are about 28% of animal species, 10% of bird species and 21% of reptiles and amphibian species in Vietnam are facing danger of extinction.


The main components of global change which have been mentioned mostly in literature are changes in land coverage, land use and increase of greenhouse gases amount in atmosphere mainly due to human activities.


According to scenarios with current environmental destruction rate, up to the year 2030, temperature of the earth surface will increased by 0.6-1.7 0C, while up to the year 2070, that will be 1-4 0C. For coastal ecosystems, according to the IPCC’s scenarios in 1990 which was based on some climate models, average sea level will be increased by 20 cm in 2030 and by 65 cm in 2100 if the mankind does not have positive efforts to prevent this process (Bird, 1994).


Due to lost of tree cover layer, land surface is exposed to direct effects of atmosphere; C, N and P cycles as well as dynamic of organic matters are also affected. Decrease in forest coverage causes considerable effect on erosion, flooding and drought in Vietnam.


Enironment and nature protection and conservation of biodiversity including protection of forest ecosystems is a urgent and especially important requirement.


II. CURRENT EFFORTS TOWARDS CONSERVATION AND BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION.


The first efforts relating to nature protection have been started in early 1960s with the establishment of the first national park in Vietnam : Cuc Phuong national park in July 1962. In 1972, the Decree for Forest Protection served as a base for establishment of forest ranger system with about 10,000 forest rangers in the whole country. The “Protected forest” concept was first mentioned also in this Decree.


Based on the Decision No. 194/CT of the Council of the Ministers signed on the 9th of August 1986, the Government decided to establish a system of special-use forests which includes 87 protected forests over the whole country with a total area of about 1 million ha and three main forest kinds : National Parks, Nature Reserves and Cultural-Historical-Environmental Forests. At present, this system of special-use forests has contained more than 90 protected forests including 10 national parks namely Ba Be, Ba Vi, Bach Ma, Ben En, Cat Ba, Con Dao, Cuc Phuong, Nam Cat Tien, Tam Dao and Yordon.


In 1991, the Government issued the Laws for Forest Protection and Development and in 1994 the Laws for Environment Protection as well as many other decrees, decisions which can serve as a basic legal base for establishment and management of the system of special-use forests.


The Tropical Forest Action Plan (TFAP) issued in 1991 has also contributed to integrated planning of forest lands in the whole country. With efforts obtained from many scientists, the Vietnam Red Data Book has been published of which the first volume (published in 1992) presented 347 endangered animal species and the second volume (published in 1996) included 350 rare and endangered plant species.


In regard to research on conservation of forest genetic resources, since 1988, the research project entitled “Conservation of Forest Plant Genetic Resources” managed by the Forest Science Institute of Vietnam (FSIV) has got continuous funding from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE). Strategic orientation, selection of conservation forms and priority species to be preserved have been given for further consideration and improvement.


Regarding international cooperation, Vietnam has participated in some programs such as Man and Biosphere Program (MAB) and World Heritage Convention (1972) of the UNESCO so that Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province) and Hue City (Thua Thien-Hue province) now are in the World Heritage List; RAMSAR Convention (International Convention for Protection of Wetlands) in which Xuan Thuy Reserve (Nam Dinh province) in 1989 is one of the internationally important wetlands, especially for water birds and Vietnam became the 50th member of this convention. Vietnam has also signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1994 and thus Vietnam now has the responsibility with other countries to control and manage trade of wild species.


Vietnam also signed the Biodiversity Convention in 1993 and express its commitment to support conservation efforts in Vietnam and in the world. This convention has been ratified in October 1994 so that Vietnam now acts according to the ideas of this convention. One example is that the Biodiversity Action Plan of Vietnam which was formulated by MOSTE, local scientists and assistance from international organizations (GEF, WWF, IUCN etc.) has been approved by the Prime Minister in the Decision No. 845/TTg issued on 22th of December, 1995 and the National Environmental Action Plan (VNNEAP) formulated by MOSTE with participation and support from World Bank (WB), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC) in 1995.


The main documents and important points of time relating to environment protection and conservation of biodiversity in Vietnam are as follows,


1962 : Decision to establish Cuc Phuong National Park.

1972 : Decree for Forest Protection.

1986 : Decision No. 194/CT to approve 87 protected forests.

1986 : MOF Decision No. 1171/QD for management regulations of special-use forests.

1987 : Started formulation of national program on conservation of genetic resources.

1988 : Started implementation of research project on conservation of forest plant

genetic resources.

1988 : Land Laws, modified in 1993.

1989 : MOF Decision No. 276 to ban exploitation of 38 wild species.

1989 : Member of RAMSAR Convention.

1991 : Laws for forest Protection and Development.

1991 : National Plan for Environment and Sustainable Development.

1991 : Tropical Forest Action Plan (TFAP)

1992 : Decree No. 18/HDBT to ban exploitation of 13 plant species and 36

animal species and to limit exploitation of 19 plant and 10 animal species.

1992 : Published Vietnam Red Data Book, Volume 1, Animals.

1993 : Signed the Biodiversity Convention.

1994 : Approved the Biodiversity Convention.

1994 : Approved and issued Laws for Environment Protection.

1994 : Signed the CITES.

1995 : Issued Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)

1995 : Draft National Environmental Action Plan (VNNEAP)

1996 : Published Vietnam Red Data Book, Volume 2, Plants.


III. MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT.


The system of special-use forests including 87 protected forests has been established with objectives to protect forest ecosystems; protect animal and plant genetic resources, especially precious and endangered animal and plant species; protect historical, cultural forests and landscapes; protect environment; serve scientific research, develop eco-tourism and sports. This is a relatively complete system for nature protection which contain representatives of most forest ecosystems with most animal and plant species and contribute to protection of biodiversity of Vietnam. With this system, most part of endangered plant species, more than 40 animal species and some hundreds bird species have better chance for survival.


Up to the year 1995, out of 87 protected forests, 34 forests have management boards and feasibility studies to serve as a preliminary base for investment. The national program 327 for forest protection and greening bare hill and denude lands has given a huge financial support for field surveys and carrying out feasibility study for special-use forests. Recently this program is concentrated only on protection forests and special-use forests.


The former Ministry of Forestry (MOF) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) now propose to plan 2 million ha forest, approximately 10% of forest land area and 6% of the country’s area, to establish this system of special-use forests. According to planning, out of 105 protected forests at present, 30 forests have the area of 20,000 ha upwards (table 1).


Through the Decision No. 1171/QD, the Ministry of Forestry has issued the regulations for management of special-use forests with three categories : National Park, Nature Reserve and Cultural-Historical-Environmental Forest as well as regulations for management and protection. At present, national parks have quite complete organization and management structure and they are generally divided into some management zones as follows,

· Core zone or strictly protected zone

· Restoration zone and

· Buffer zone

of which buffer zone has especially important and emphasized role in protection.




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