[Report 26. Full report 0.9 MB. pdf format]

Executive Summary

1. Muong Nhe is the only protected area in Vietnam that supports more than 20,000 ha of agricultural land, scrub and non-natural grassland. Ways of reducing the extent of agricultural land, scrub and non-natural grassland through redefinition of this protected area's boundaries should be sought; and

2. The proposal to extend Muong Nhe to 314,000 ha (an increase of 132,000 ha) will mean that over 250,000 ha of non-forest land will be supported inside its boundaries.

As part of the European-Commission-funded project Expanding the Protected Areas Network in Vietnam for the 21st Century, BirdLife International and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) conducted an analysis of Vietnam's protected areas system. During this analysis, BirdLife and FIPI identified nine protected areas that support no natural forest, three protected areas that have less than 10% natural forest cover, and seven protected areas that have less than 25% natural forest cover, of which Muong Nhe Nature Reserve is one. The report states:

In October 2000, FIPI and BirdLife International conducted a rapid field survey of Muong Nhe Nature Reserve, in order to assess the conservation status of the site, and to re-evaluate the importance of the site within Vietnam's protected areas system.

Muong Nhe was established in 1976, after a decision by Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee. The nature reserve was decreed by the central government in 1986. Muong Nhe Nature Reserve is situated in Muong Te district, Lai Chau province, at the point where the borders of Vietnam, China and Laos meet. The total proposed area of Muong Nhe Nature Reserve is over 300,000 ha. Despite its size and status, the site has no management board and nature reserve management regulations are not enforced within the nature reserve.

The dominant vegetation types at Muong Nhe are grassland, scrub, bamboo forest and regenerating forest. In the early 1970s, the site supported significant populations of large mammals, including a population of Asian Elephant Elephas maximus estimated at more than 200 individuals. However, as a result of uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss, all large mammal populations have declined dramatically, and some species, including Asian Elephant, have already been eradicated. The results of the rapid field survey indicate that Muong Nhe Nature Reserve may support remnant populations of a number of species of global conservation concern, including Gaur Bos gaurus, White-cheeked Gibbon Hylobates leucogenys, Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus and Sun Bear U. malayanus.

However, as hunting pressure shows no signs of decreasing, it is likely that all of these populations will continue to decline.

The socio-economic studies undertaken during the rapid field survey revealed a very high level of human dependence on forest resources. The human population density in the area is increasing, particularly as a result of spontaneous in-migration. In Muong Toong commune alone, 82.5% of total population comprises in-migrants. This rapid population increase has led to an increase in forest clearance for agriculture and an intensification of hunting pressure.

Based on the results of the rapid field survey, this report recommends redefining the boundary of Muong Nhe Nature Reserve, to exclude large areas of non-forest habitat of marginal conservation importance. The proposed revised boundary includes a total area of 61,571 ha, comprising parts of Sin Thau, Chung Chai, Muong Nhe and Muong Toong communes. Forest cover within the revised nature reserve would be 59.2%, and the enforcement of nature reserve management regulations within the revised nature reserve would be more feasible. The revised nature reserve would be contiguous with Phou Dendin National Biodiversity Conservation Area in Laos

[Report 26. Full report 0.9 MB. pdf format]