The primamry aims of the planning grant are to promote the participation of key stakeholders of the proposed project, including local authorities and relevant agencies and communties, and provide scientific assistance for the project development. Major activities of the project include conducting surveys on socio-economic conditions of the proposed project site, identifying proposed project objectives and activities and assessing their feasibility, and providing needed technical assistance in project design and writing project proposal which will be submitted to GEF/SGP for review and appraisal; and identifying possibilities for project synergies and resource mobilisation.
Van Long nature reserve is located in Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province. The Reserve is home of the Delacour's langur which is listed by the IUCN - Primate Specialist Group as a critical endangered species and on the list of the 25 world's TOP most endangered primate's species. Due to the community low environmental awareness and low standard of living, the local community has overexploited the Reserve resources for their daily livelihoods, resulting in the biodiversity loss and deforestation. In addition, illegal hunting from local residents and outsiders is also a big problem in the area and a major threat to biodiversity conservation.
The proposed project is intended to develop a model of integrated conservation and development which promotes the community participation in the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources and the riverine wetland ecosystem of Van Long nature reserve. It isintended to be carried out in the seven communes in the buffer zone of the Nature Reserve. The proposed project focuses on capacity building for the local communities and leaders in nature reserve management, on awareness raising and education activities for the long-term protection of the nature reserve. It aims to establish and test an environmental education curriculum, incorporating teaching biodiversity conservation in other relevant subjects at primary and secondary schools, using the nature reserve as an example for school teaching and learning activities on environment and biodiversity conservation. Creating alternative livelihoods for the local community depending on the Reserve resources for their daily subsistence will reduce community pressure on the Reserve resources, hence contributing to poverty alleviation in the area.