From the 7th to the 15th of November, 2016, Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), VNU conducted a fieldtrip to Mui Ca Mau Biosphere Reserve. This is the following trip after Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve in October that is part of the nationally independent research project: “Developing a set of criteria and process of monitoring and evaluation of management effectiveness of biosphere reserves in Viet Nam”, managed by Ministry of Science and Technology and implemented by CRES. The aim of this fieldtrip is to review the current state of management related to conservation and development activities at the Mui Ca Mau Biosphere Reserve.
Joining this trip has various scientists having expertise in natural, social researching and policy analyzing from many research institutes and universities such as: Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Vietnam Environment & Sustainable Development Institute (VESDI), Institute of Anthropology, Hanoi University of Science, Hanoi University of Agriculture, and Vietnam MAB National Committee.
During this trip, the research group has worked with Board of Management of Biosphere Reserve core areas and local agencies including: U Minh Hạ National Park, Mũi Cà Mau National Park, Board of Management of West Marine Protected Forest and People’s Committee ò Trần Văn Thời, Năm Căn,and Ngọc Hiển districts).
In this trip, the group’s experts focused primarily on the following information including: (i) functions, tasks, resources and organizational structure as well as raising issues of the local government agencies; (ii) roles and levels of participation of the organizations and local government in planning, tasks implementation and monitoring, and management efficiency evaluation of Biosphere Reserve of Western Nghe An; (iii) difficulties, challenges and proposed solutions for overcoming confronting duties of the Biosphere Reserve.
The research group has received a very enthusiastic reception of the local government agencies and satisfactorily gathered enough essential information. Besides, experts from the research groups has exchanged frankly and given recommendations to local agencies and authorities for better implementation of missions and promoting the strengths of local area in social-economic development, community based tourism and ecotourism, orientation for sustainable development and conservation of natural resources.
The results, obtained from the fieldwork at Mui Ca Mau Biosphere Reserve and other fieldtrips at previous biosphere reserves, are going to help the project to fulfill its main mission – “building criteria and process building of monitoring and evaluation of management effectiveness of biosphere reserves across Viet Nam”, that contribute to the better management of the biosphere reserves and support effectively in conservative activities and sustainable development of Viet Nam.
