Đoàn Hoài Nam, Deputy Director of the Forestry and Forest Protection Department. —Photo baochinhphu.vn

Đoàn Hoài Nam, Deputy Director of the Forestry and Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, speaks to VietnamPlus online newspaper about the urgent need to establish a planned nature reserve to protect the critically endangered Delacour’s langur – a primate species found only in Việt Nam. The newspaper recently reported that nearly 30 stone quarries operating in Kim Bảng area, formerly part of Hà Nam Province, now under Ninh Bình Province, are threatening local biodiversity and the critically endangered Delacour’s langur.

What specific measures should the local People’s Committee take to protect ecosystems and biodiversity, particularly the langur population in Kim Bảng and what steps will the department take to improve conservation efforts nationally, especially for the langur in Ninh Bình Province?

To effectively protect ecosystems and conserve biodiversity, the People's Committee of Ninh Bình Province needs to direct agencies to synchronously and drastically implement strategies and action plans approved by the Prime Minister on forestry, fisheries, environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.

Specifically, the provincial People's Committee needs to focus on reviewing the institutional framework and legal policies to ensure synchronous, unified and practical implementation; comply with legal regulations as well as international commitments; strengthen the organisation of law enforcement and supervision; strictly control activities that affect forest resources and environmental landscapes; ensure resources for forest management, protection, marine conservation and biodiversity activities.

For the Delacour's langur (Trachypithecus delacouri) populations in Kim Bảng, the local authorities need to urgently complete the dossier to establish a special-use forest to conserve the Delacour's langur species and habitat in accordance with the National Forestry Planning for the period 2021-30, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 895/QĐ-TTg on August 24, 2024.

In the meantime, the department is focusing on reviewing and harmonising the legal system to ensure coherence between forestry, environmental and biodiversity laws. At the same time, we’re intensifying implementation of national plans and strategies, enhancing transparency in environmental impact assessments.

We also encourage provinces to firmly reject projects that would severely damage key ecosystems and to accelerate the use of science and technology in conservation.

With some provinces and cities merging administratively and adopting two-tier local government models, do you believe nature reserves should also be merged for more efficient management and specifically, should the planned Kim Bảng Reserve be merged with the Vân Long Wetland Nature Reserve?

The management of special-use forests is governed by the Law on Forestry. Existing special-use forests have generally adhered to the legal framework and have been effectively managed. Some provinces have merged reserve management boards, but there is no conclusive evidence that the model is more effective. Any changes must be based on legal, scientific and practical assessments.

In our opinion, the Kim Bảng Delacour’s langur Species and Habitat Conservation Area should be established separately. The reason is that the National Forestry Planning stipulates the separation of the Kim Bảng Delacour’s langur Species and Habitat Conservation Area from the Vân Long Wetland Nature Reserve.

However, the provincial People’s Committee could consider creating a unified management board for both reserves in line with the Government's push to streamline administrative structures. Since Vân Long already has an existing management team in place, the province could allocate more resources to allow them to oversee both sites. Ultimately, this is a matter for the provincial authorities. In case the province chooses this way, the ministry will be willing to support it if it leads to effective, results-driven management.

Previously, on August 24, 2024, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính approved the National Forestry Planning for 2021-30 under the Decision No. 895/QĐ-TTg, which includes the proposed Kim Bảng Species and Habitat Conservation Area covering 3,182 ha.

The ministry had also issued written confirmation to the province affirming that the project aligns with both the provincial plan, approved under Decision No. 1686/QĐ-TTg on December 26, 2023, and the national forestry plan.

Therefore, the project meets the legal requirements for establishing a special-use forest under Decree No. 156/2018/NĐ-CP. We had provided feedback for improvement and urged local authorities to complete the approval process and promptly begin managing the site.

Thailand has unified the management of all reserves under one national agency – the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Could Việt Nam adopt a similar model?

Each country has a different political system, so the models of State management in each field are also different. We should only refer to successful management models of other countries and apply them appropriately to the conditions and political circumstances of our country.

Any adoption of such a model in Việt Nam would require careful consideration. A thorough, evidence-based study would be necessary before any decisions are made.— VNS