Conservation of Key Coastal Wetlands Sites in the Red River Delta: an assessment of IBAs ten years on

[Report 30. Full report 1.76 MB. pdf format [1]]

Executive Summary

In 1996, working with the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) and funded by Danida, the BirdLife International Vietnam Programme conducted a comprehensive evaluation of key coastal zone wetland sites in the Red River Delta and identified seven priority sites for wetland conservation in this biodiversity-rich region of international importance. In 2001, six sites in the coastal zone of the Red River Delta were identified by BirdLife International as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) under internationally recognised criteria: An Hai, Tien Lang (Hai Phong city), Thai Thuy, Tien Hai (Thai Binh province), Xuan Thuy and Nghia Hung (Nam Dinh province).

Since 1996 there have been no comprehensive surveys of the six wetland IBAs in the Red River Delta. This study, funded by the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund (KNCF), aimed to address this lack of information on the current status of these critical sites.

The specific objectives of the study were to:

•Collect and review all available literature on the key wetland sites in the Red River Delta, identify gaps in information and propose additional surveys as required;

•Collect data on the status and distribution of bird species at selected sites in the Red River Delta, particularly globally threatened and congregatory species;

• Collect data on the status of wetland habitats at each site; and

• Assess threats to bird diversity at each site, and formulate appropriate conservation recommendations.

The coastal zone of the Red River Delta supports large inshore fishery and aquaculture industries which are dependent on the maintenance of the ecological integrity of the mangrove forests, intertidal areas and associated habitats. As a result of an increasing human population coupled with economic growth, utilisation of natural resources has become intensive throughout the coastal zone and may no longer be sustainable. Project fieldwork was implemented during a five-month period between November 2005 and March 2006. As well as comprehensive counts of waterbirds at each site, other bird species present were noted and data obtained on the key flora, on socio-economic aspects of each site, on current levels of resource- and land-use by local communities, and on the levels of threats at each locality.

The project confirmed the single most important site for conservation in the Red River Delta is Xuan Thuy National Park, followed in order by Thai Thuy, Tien Hai, Tien Lang, Nghia Hung and An Hai.

With an increasing human population and over-exploitation of natural resources, it was predictable that sites without appropriate management would have fared badly since 1996. Nevertheless, it was particularly disappointing to see the decline in Nghia Hung. In 1996, BirdLife recommended this site was worthy of designation under the Ramsar Convention; today it would fail to meet the relevant criteria. Like other sites in the Red River Delta, it has mainly suffered because of over-hunting and habitat loss caused by over-exploitation of its natural resources.

Specific conservation management recommendations for each IBA are presented. However, addressing the major issues of continuing habitat loss and over-hunting are urgent conservation priorities if the globally important biodiversity in the Red River Delta is to be conserved for future generations.

The Red River Delta is a vital location for biodiversity conservation in Indochina. It is of paramount importance for migratory waterbirds visiting and passing through the region from north-east Asia and Siberia to Australasia, and there is an international obligation to maintain its integrity and habitat quality.

[Report 30. Full report 1.76 MB. pdf format [1]]