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Can engaging local people’s interests reduce forest degradation in Central Vietnam?

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 18, pages 2743–2757 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Governments in tropical countries are still responding to increasing forest degradation by implementing different types of protected areas. In general, due to their negative image as causes of deforestation, local communities are being excluded from any management role in these conservation areas. However, in Vietnam, since 1986 various incentives have been proposed for alternative conservation models. Our surveys used a multidisciplinary combination of methods to work with one Pahy ethnic minority around the degraded forests of the proposed Phong Dien Nature Reserve in Central Vietnam. From the results of these surveys we obtained clear indication that conservation can be enhanced if local priorities, perspectives and wishes are better identified and taken into account. The local communities identified the need for, at least, limited extractive activities in the protected area. They also frequently stressed their willingness to participate in the monitoring and control of the area, and in the selection of local species for reforestation programmes. Communities can and should be actively involved in building a shared understanding of what the forest provides, how it can be conserved and the benefits to be obtained. Conservation in Vietnam has much to gain from local participation. However, suitable safeguards and incentives need to be in place to insure sustainable use of the forest resources.

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Fig. 1

Notes

  1. The 53 ethnic minorities officially account for 14% of Vietnam’s population, according to the 1999 census: http://www.gso.gov.vn/default_en.aspx?tabid=476&idmid=4&ItemID=1841.

  2. http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/vhi/sen/papers/ikemoto.pdf (20/10/2006).

  3. Buffer zones are managed by District and Commune People Committee, State-Forest Enterprises, provincial Departments of Agricultural and Rural Development, and the Department of Land Administration. This complex co-management leads to confusion (ICEM 2003a, b; EASRD 2005).

  4. In this paper, we use the term “forest/s” alone when all three categories are included, and “natural forest” when plantations are not included.

  5. According to the People’s Committee of Thua Thien Hue Province, Steering Committee of Flood and Storm Resistance (Vietnam/Review of protected areas and development in the four countries of the Lower Mekong), severe floods and storms have occurred since 1980. In 1999, these were responsible for the death of more than 300 people in the province.

Abbreviations

5MHRP:

Five Million Hectares Reforestation Plan

CIFOR:

Center for International Forestry Research

CIRAD:

Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement

FPD:

The Forest Protection Department

ICEM:

International Centre for Environmental Management

LUC:

Land Use Certificates

MARD:

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

NGO:

Non-Governmental Organization

NTFP:

Non-Timber Forest Product

PDNR:

Phong Dien Nature Reserve

CPC:

Commune-level People’s Committees

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank first the villagers of Khe Tran for their participation in our surveys and all the scientists who took part in the data collection. We are also grateful to Glen Mulcahy for her editing and valuable comments. We thank the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, which funded this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Campus de Baillarguet, 34398, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    M. Boissière

  2. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Jalan CIFOR, Situ Gede, Sindang Barang, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia

    M. Boissière, D. Sheil, I. Basuki & M. Wan

  3. Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation (ITFC), P.O. Box 44, Kabale, Uganda

    D. Sheil

  4. Plan International in Vietnam, 11, Phan Chu Trinh Str., Dong Hoi City, Vietnam

    Hien Le

Authors
  1. M. Boissière
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  2. D. Sheil
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  3. I. Basuki
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  4. M. Wan
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  5. Hien Le
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Correspondence to M. Boissière.

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Boissière, M., Sheil, D., Basuki, I. et al. Can engaging local people’s interests reduce forest degradation in Central Vietnam?. Biodivers Conserv 18, 2743–2757 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9627-1

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Keywords

  • Central Vietnam
  • Degraded forest
  • Local people
  • Natural resources
  • Perceptions
  • Protected areas

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