The Coca-Cola Foundation has supported US$150,000 for WWF-Viet Nam to enhance the natural ability of ecosystems of Tràm Chim National Park and surrounding floodplains. Photo courtersy of WWF-Vietnam/Đào Quốc Bình

HCM CITY – The Coca-Cola Foundation has announced its continuing support of US$150,000 (equivalent to VNĐ3.5 billion) for WWF-Viet Nam to enhance the natural ability of ecosystems to control water flow and absorption capacity of Tràm Chim National Park and surrounding floodplains.

WWF-Viet Nam said the support would contribute to restoring the health and natural function of the 2,000th world Ramsar site, a designation given to recognise the previous success of rehabilitation work in the national park.

Tràm Chim National Park, located in the upper part of the Mekong Delta, represents the last remaining 1 per cent of the wetland.

Over the decade, the partnership has worked on advancing wetland conservation through various activities, including restoring soil health, removing invasive species, and reestablishing hydrologic connections.

This has allowed the wetland to continue to support 130 fish species and 256 bird species, including the park’s endangered Sarus Crane. It also helps the community of 50,000 people who live in and around the park through ecotourism.

Using the natural ecosystem services of wetlands to manage flooding and drought instead of a man-made intensive dyke system is a nature-based solution. Nature-based solutions promise lower maintenance costs than man-made structures, but they also bring many benefits such as water access, flood protection, biodiversity, recreation, and provision of food and raw material.

In its first year of a long-term journey to address water challenges through nature-based solutions in Việt Nam, the Coca-Cola Foundation is again supporting Tràm Chim National Park.

Through the support, WWF-Viet Nam and the park will engage 1,000 people and youth from four communes, improving their awareness and supporting actions in water conservation and environmental protection, including river and canal waterway clean up, adopting agricultural methods that use less water and fewer chemicals.

In the first year, further research and stakeholder engagement will lay out the business cases for the public-partnership model of financing for nature based solutions, restoring and building up multi-functional wetlands, and showcasing more nature based solutions.

The landscape of Tràm Chim National Park. Coca-Cola foundation provides support for WWF’s freshwater resources conservation of the park. Photo courtesy of WWF-Viet Nam/Nguyễn Văn Hùng

Trần Thị Hải, WWF-Viet Nam’s Footprint Conservation Director, said: “WWF-Viet Nam has a long-term vision and strategies for Tràm Chim National Park and Đồng Tháp Province. Our vision is that the floodplain ecosystem service in the Plain of Reeds is restored and integrated as a part of the economy and social development.”

“These strategies for floodplain restoration will be applied across the Upper Delta and in communities where people seek approaches to mitigate flooding sustainable livelihoods. We appreciate the support of The Coca-Cola Foundation in helping us achieve these objectives.”

Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, said: “We’ve been proud to see the impact from our support to WWF-Viet Nam over the years in restoring the local wetland biodiversity and ecosystem in Tràm Chim National Park and helping people around the area improve their livelihoods. We’re excited about the next chapter of the programme.”

The Coca-Cola Foundation is supporting WWF-Viet Nam to improve the capacity of wetlands, a nature based solution to sustainable livelihood and biodiversity enhancement in the face of the unpredictable drought and flood patterns in the upper part of the Mekong Delta.

Long-term and continued support from The Coca-Cola Foundation to WWF-Viet Nam aims to address water challenges to become more resilient to climate change. VNS