VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam, known as one of the world’s biodiversity centers with rich and diversified natural ecosystems, has seen the biodiversity degrading rapidly.

The interest conflicts

The economic growth and the rapid population growth have generated the high demand for natural resources and land. As a result, the areas with natural ecosystems have been gradually narrowed. Scientists have specially rung the alarm bell over the decreases in the numbers of species and individuals of the wildlife at the Ba Tai Mountain in Kien Giang province and Nui Chua National Park.

The primeval forest in Ninh Thuan Province.

According to Bui Cach Tuyen, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, 882 species are being in the danger, while 9 species have been thought as exhausted in the wild.

The biggest problem now for Vietnam is that it has been wavering between developing economy and protecting the biodiversity.

Nguyen Dinh Xuan, Director of the Lo Go – Xa Mat National Park in Tay Ninh province, said if Vietnam chooses to protect the biodiversity, it must not think of developing hydropower plants or exploiting minerals. If it prefers the economic development and mining, it would not be able to maintain the biodiversity.

Nguyen Van Yen, Deputy Chair of the Lam Dong provincial People’s Committee, agreeing with Xuan, said Lam Dong has been trying to restrict the development of hydropower plants.

“A small hydropower plant with the capacity of 50 MW would take 100 hectares of forests. And we will also face the desertification in the post-hydropower plant period. This does not deserve to exchange for,” Yen said.

How to preserve the biodiversity?

Local authorities understand well that it would be a foolish move to sacrifice the biodiversity and forests for hydropower plants and long term consequences. However, more and more hydropower plants still have been built and projected, while it is getting more and more difficult to protect the natural ecosystems.

Analysts have noted that the more forests and biodiversity natural reserves the localities have, the poorer they are.

They have been told to spend their money to protect the forests and sanctuaries in the name of the country. This means that it is the localities which have to spend money to preserve the national assets.

Since local people have to live in poverty amid the “golden forests,” they have been trying to use the special use forests for economic development.

Under the current regulations, if using more than 50 hectares of forests for other purposes, investors must get the approval from the National Assembly. However, if shifting special use forests into economic development forests, they don’t have to. It is the legal loophole which has prompted people to destroy forests to exploit minerals for bigger economic benefits.

Xuan said that local authorities should be given support from the central agencies to protect local forests. The localities with more forests need to be given bigger support. Only by applying such a mechanism, will the local authorities and local people will protect the forests, with all their heart.

Xuan also noted that currently, “protecting the forests” is understood as “putting everything in its places and no one can take anything from the forests.” Meanwhile, the people, who are assigned to protect forests, should be allowed to get benefits from forests.

VNN/DDK