Project Detail

Contributing to biodiversity conservation of Tam Dao National Park

The project will be carried out in Tam Quan and Dai Dinh Communes (Tam Duong District) and Dao Tru Commune (Lap Thach District), the three buffer zone communes of Tam Dao National Park. Tam Dao National Park was established in 1996 and contains the Tam Dao mountains and its surrounding buffer zones stretching the three provinces of Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc and Tuyen Quang. It contains highly valuable biological resources of the tropical rainforest ecosystem, which is the home of many rare and endemic species. The high level of biodiversity can be partly attributed to the location of the Tam Dao mountains, located on an ecological frontier zone with species from the tropical forests of south east Asia, the temperate forests of southern China and the alpine forests of the eastern Himalaya. In addition, the forest plays a vital role in conserving and supplying water resources for a wide range of users around the mountains. Conservation and sustainable use of biological resources of the Tam Dao National Park is therefore identified as a national priority in the Vietnam National Biodiversity Action Plan.
However, unsustainable natural resource exploitation has resulted in biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation of the Park. As in other national parks in Vietnam, the task of management and protection of the Park is not effective due to the problems of poor co-ordination between national, provincial and local levels of government, and the limited participation of the local authorities and community. The current threats to the park are forest clearing, high levels of firewood collection, agricultural encroachment, tourism development, forest fires, mining, development of dams and reservoirs, and especially the development of wildlife trade. This trade is rapidly leading to many species of birds and entomological species (butterflies, moths, beetles and other insects) and other wild animals becoming threatened. The project will help to mitigate pressing biodiversity threats through enhancing awareness of the local authorities and community in the project area on conservation issues, improving their living standard and encouraging the community to participate actively in the management and protection of the Park and its buffer zone so as to assure their livelihoods while conserving biodiversity.
The project expects to contribute to the implementation of the potential macro GEF project on biodiversity conservation of Tam Dao National Park, which has been initiated and developed by UNDP-GEF Vietnam, through creating favourable conditions for the macro GEF implementation by raising awareness and appreciation on the Park of the local authorities and community, and enhancing the co-operation in the Park management and protection between the Park management board and the local authorities and the community. In addition, it will provide the macro GEF project with the lessons learned on an integrated conservation and development model in the buffer zone. The project will also join the effort of the international communities, including UNDP Vietnam as well as the Government in contributing to alleviating poverty of the ethnic communities in the project area through sustainable use of natural resources while conserving the biodiversity. The project will be carried out in Dao Tru Commune, where the UNDP project on poverty alleviation has been taken place and therefore, contributing to enhancing the UNDP project impact.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Farmers' Association of Vinh Phuc Province

Country:

Viet nam

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 27,054.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 1,548.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 31,419.00

Project Number:

SGP/VN/99/023

Start Date:

9/2000

End Date:

9/2003

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Capacity - Building Component

- 3 training workshops in order to raise awareness of environmental protection and biodiversity in Tam Dao National Park. - 3 meetings with the three local governments on implementation of the project, consulting on the project planning. - 1 training on the policies in watershed forest management, operational practice in the prevention of forest fires for Forest Fire Prevention Teams of 8 communes buffer (90 participants). - Visiting Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang to share experience about income-raising production model and promote the role of the community in the management and protection of Tam Dao National Park. - 1 contest to promote understandings of the community about Tam Dao National Park

Notable Community Participation

- Disseminate information about the project to the community, with the participation of community representatives in the conference on development, control, completion of the project. - Facilitate community participation in all activities of the project. Project Management Board organized a community voting for the households involved in the project based on the criteria set by the Management. Households participating in the project must meet the following requirements: + Voluntarily participate, as demonstrated by the contract with the project management and loan management. + Strictly follow regulations and the agreements with the management of the project. + Promote endogenous capacity in combination with effective support from the project. - The project facilitate community participation in monitoring and evaluation of performance models and learning to apply to his family. - Mobilize the community to contribute to the building of the model. - Focus on the customs and traditional practices of the community to build training content accordingly.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

- Tam Dao National Park is located in the Tam Dao mountain range. The total area of the national park is 52,398 hectares. - Biological diversity of the park is very high, there are more than 2000 species of plants, many rare species such as sam bong, po mu, kim giao, etc.; 281 species belonging to 114 families, 26 orders, including 47 species of rare animals, 10 species are in danger of extinction as snub-nosed monkey, the Tam Dao toad .... - Living conditions of the people here are quite low. - Main source of income is from agricultural production: rice cultivation, vegetable combined with livestock and poultry. Average food per capita reaches 200-220 kg / year. - Reasons leading to poverty of the residents in the area includes: + the lack of knowledge of the scientific and technical cultivation method + No household production model matching social and economic conditions. + No traditional industries with high economic efficiency (though the local have a few extra professions) + The population growth + The lack and inefficiency of capital for investment in the production. + Lack of land for agricultural production.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Replication of project activities

Project replication The success in the project production models for alternative income has been replicated, creating a campaign in changing the cropping patterns, bringing about high economic efficiency in all the hamlets of the three project communes; the campaign has also been replicated in another 5 communes in the buffer zone. The additional income helping to improve the people?s life in the buffer zone has led to a decrease in the dependence on the income from natural resources exploitation in Tam Dao National Park and a decrease in illegal exploitation of natural resources, contributing to regreening barren land in the province. There was an increase of 15.9 ha for the model of sustainable cultivation on sloping land and fruit tree growing. The area for growing fruit trees increased to 150 ha in the three participating communes. The loan for the model of changing cropping pattern on farming land was revolved 3 times. The number of households which received the loan during the project implementation was 211.

Project sustainability

Project sustainability The capacity of the local government and related sectors and organizations in environmental project management was built and enhanced. The main local stakeholders had the chance to work international projects and to improve their capacity in project design, management and monitoring and evaluation. The awareness and understanding of local people in environmental issues, biodiversity, Global Environment Facility and Small Grants Programs of Global Environment Facility inVietnam were raised. The working relationship was established and consolidated between the government, other organisations and sectors of different levels in Vinh Phuc province; Farmers Associations of different levels and the communities in 8 communes in the buffer zone of the national parks (especially in 3 communes of Dao Tru, Dai Dinh, Tam Quan) were established and consolidated in close cooperation for the project implementation with the participation of the community in addressing environment issues and biodiversity. The Farmers? Associations of different levels were consolidated; activities were renewed and improved, promoting the credibility of the Farmers? Association to its members and the community, simultaneously creating the conditions for the promotion of other mass organisations? roles in mobilising the community to participate in environment protection and Tam Dao national park protection. The project had achieved the objective of raising the awareness and understandings about the environment, about the necessity in protecting Tam Dao Natural Park, upstream forest, the valuable natural resources for the provincial socio economic development in the buffer zone and in neighboring areas. The key stakeholders fully understood the responsibilities of the government and the community in participating in the management and protection of Tam Dao National Park.

Policy Influence

There is no clear policy link.

Linkages gef projects

There is no linkage with other GEF initiatives.

Planning gef grant

There is no plan for scaling up by GEF funding. The grantee will continue to use the project revolving loan to assist the community to replicate the project models.

Planning non gef grant

There is potential that the local department of agriculture and rural development and the national park will replicate the project models in their agro-extension programmes in the buffer zone of the national park.

Project Results

Project results:
Various activities aiming to raise community awareness in environment and biodiversity of Tam Dao national park on environmental days and traditional festives were successfully organized by the project In cooperation with the Management board of Tay Thien place of interest and Tam Dao National park.
Results of building the model of agricultural production for alternative income:
Model of sustainable cultivation on sloping land and fruit tree growing
36 participating households, 18.5 ha, 150,000VND of the project revolving loan programme
9 training classes were organised for 450 participants by the project. In addition, in response to the needs of the community in the 3 communes, the Farmers? Association in the three communes had cooperated with local department of agriculture to organise 19 classes for 1,500 participants.
3 Gardeners? Associations were established with 65 people and well-operated.
The model of GEF/SGP project showed its superiority over other project programs implemented in the local areas, such as farm forestry programs, or 120CP project.
The model of changing crop patterns on farming land:
60 participating households, the project loan of 90 million VND
The income increased over 1.5 times and 62 households had an income increase of 1.5 - 1.9 times. 90 households had an increase of 2 - 3.4 times, and 59 households had an income increase of over 3.5 times.
The management and protection of Tam Dao National Park and Tay Thien were strengthened.
Three training classes were organised for capacity building in protected area management for Tam Dao National Park

A study visit was organised to exchange management experience of Tam Dao National Park with Thai Nguyen province.
Staff and members of farmers? Association in 8 communes in the buffer zone signed commitments in full implementation of the regulations for protecting Tam Dao National Park.
The 8 communes in the buffer zone received training and practice in forest fire prevention and control. Essential equipment was provided to the forest fire brigades.
The understanding and knowledge on environmental issues in general and on biodiversity conservation in particular, and capacity in project implementation and management and M&E of the project grantee organization staff were considerably enhanced thanks to the project implementation and management, and training activities, such as training workshops, study tour, exchange on project management, provided by GEF/SGP office.

Project sustainability
The capacity of the local government and related sectors and organizations in environmental project management was built and enhanced.
The main local stakeholders had the chance to work international projects and to improve their capacity in project design, management and monitoring and evaluation. The awareness and understanding of local people in environmental issues, biodiversity, Global Environment Facility and Small Grants Programs of Global Environment Facility inVietnam were raised.
The working relationship was established and consolidated between the government, other organisations and sectors of different levels in Vinh Phuc province; Farmers Associations of different levels and the communities in 8 communes in the buffer zone of the national parks (especially in 3 communes of Dao Tru, Dai Dinh, Tam Quan) were established and consolidated in close cooperation for the project implementation with the participation of the community in addressing environment issues and biodiversity.
The Farmers? Associations of different levels were consolidated; activities were renewed and improved, promoting the credibility of the Farmers? Association to its members and the community, simultaneously creating the conditions for the promotion of other mass organisations? roles in mobilising the community to participate in environment protection and Tam Dao national park protection.
The project had achieved the objective of raising the awareness and understandings about the environment, about the necessity in protecting Tam Dao Natural Park, upstream forest, the valuable natural resources for the provincial socio economic development in the buffer zone and in neighboring areas. The key stakeholders fully understood the responsibilities of the government and the community in participating in the management and protection of Tam Dao National Park.

Project replication
The success in the project production models for alternative income has been replicated, creating a campaign in changing the cropping patterns, bringing about high economic efficiency in all the hamlets of the three project communes; the campaign has also been replicated in another 5 communes in the buffer zone. The additional income helping to improve the people?s life in the buffer zone has led to a decrease in the dependence on the income from natural resources exploitation in Tam Dao National Park and a decrease in illegal exploitation of natural resources, contributing to regreening barren land in the province.
There was an increase of 15.9 ha for the model of sustainable cultivation on sloping land and fruit tree growing. The area for growing fruit trees increased to 150 ha in the three participating communes.
The loan for the model of changing cropping pattern on farming land was revolved 3 times. The number of households which received the loan during the project implementation was 211.

There is no plan for scaling up by GEF funding. The grantee will continue to use the project revolving loan to assist the community to replicate the project models.

There is potential that the local department of agriculture and rural development and the national park will replicate the project models in their agro-extension programmes in the buffer zone of the national
park.

There is no linkage with other GEF initiatives.

There is no clear policy link.

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