Context
The Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park located in Quang Binh Province in central Viet Nam. With more than 85,000 hectares, it was first declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2003 due to its unique geological and geomorphological features. In July 2015, an extended park area of 126,236 hectares was inscribed on the World Heritage List again for its high level of biodiversity and significant ecosystems. It is home to a large number of endangered and endemic species. The extension of the park to the West protects its natural integrity with the karst landscape of Hin Nam No National Protected Area in Laos.
The natural resources of the national park are under pressure from illegal logging, poaching, shifting cultivation patterns and other problems. Quang Binh Province is considered one of Viet Nam's poorest regions. Approximately 65,000 people live in the 13 communes that make up the buffer zone of the park, and they largely depend for their livelihoods on the natural resources in their environment. Besides agriculture, sources of income are very limited, and they have few opportunities to improve their agricultural production as their legal access to land is restricted.
The park authorities have launched a range of protection efforts, but they need to improve their efficacy in areas such as biodiversity monitoring and the enforcement of forest laws. At the same time, the rapid development of tourism within this fragile ecosystem poses further challenges.
Objective
The pressures on the natural resources of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park have been reduced and incomes of people living in the park region have improved.
Approach
In the project, GIZ is cooperating with the Provincial People's Committee of Quang Binh, and with KfW Entwicklungsbank. The activities currently focus on four areas:
1. Biodiversity monitoring. The project is introducing the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) to the Sub-department of Forest Protection to support the patrolling activities of forest rangers. The aim is to strengthen forest law enforcement and inter-agency knowledge exchanges at the provincial level, enabling government agencies to make informed and appropriate decisions on integrated nature conservation (especially resources allocation), while taking biodiversity factors into consideration.
2. Biodiversity-friendly livelihood models. At provincial and district levels the project is assisting the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to develop new approaches to income generation based agriculture and forestry practices in the buffer zone. While securing livelihoods, these models will also help preserve biodiversity. The measures are designed to address the needs of women and ethnic minorities in particular.
3. Transboundary cooperation. The project supports the national park in developing ways of improving cross-border cooperation between the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and the Hin Nam No National Protected Area in Laos. These include systematic information exchanges and dialogue, as well as the creation of a permanent joint working group.
4. Lessons learnt for policy advice. The experiences and know-how of integrated nature conservation gained in the national park region are shared with a wider audience both nationally and internationally. This information will support improved decision-making at various levels.
Results achieved so far
• A plan for sustainable tourism in the park region was developed in collaboration with different stakeholders. It has since been used by the province and all relevant stakeholders to enhance the development of tourism in the area.
• Green village development planning processes have been introduced as an innovative approach linking nature conservation and local development planning. In collaboration with the national park administration, people can now analyse the effects of their income-generating activities and lifestyles on natural resources in the park.
• Land use plans which consider the long-term land use rights of the local population have been developed in a participatory manner in 10 of the 13 buffer zone communes.
• A conservation-oriented socioeconomic development plan has been developed, which includes crosscutting issues such as climate change, gender, poverty and ethnicity. After the participatory development process, the plan was approved by the Provincial People’s Committee, which now also coordinates its implementation.
• More than 1,000 households in the park region have received assistance in developing alternative sources of incomes. The local authorities in the buffer zone are now able to use the biodiversity-friendly livelihoods approach to provide local communities with further support.
• The Sub-department of Forest Protection or Forest Protection Department now uses the Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool (SMART) to improve the effectiveness of their nature conservation efforts. The use of SMART in two pilot areas has proved a success and the Forest Protection Department now plans to scale it up to include other forest areas.
• A vision, objectives and a roadmap have been jointly established by the key stakeholders for the transboundary cooperation between the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Hin Nam No National Protected Area. Its implementation is about to start. A joint permanent working group has also been established between the two entities, which will facilitate regular cross-border dialogues and information exchanges on biodiversity conservation. To enhance their regional cooperation, a mechanism has been put in place for the systematic exchange of information and interactions between the park and the protected area.
• The findings of a feasibility assessment on jurisdictional REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) in Quang Binh were fed into the development of a REDD+ Action Plan for the province, as well as the national coordination of REDD+. They have also helped to secure World Bank funding for the elaboration of an emission reduction programme for Northern Central Coast of Viet Nam (which includes Quang Binh).
• The project has supported a wide range of capacity building measures with its partners at different levels.