The project titled "Nature Conservation and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Region" is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and executed by the Provincial People's Committee of Quang Binh. Its implementation is jointly supported by the two German development organizations, the GIZ for technical support and the KfW for financial support.

The project is carried out in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Region and its buffer zone, including 13 communes in three districts (seven in Bo Trach, five in Minh Hoa and one in Quang Ninh).

Project overall duration lasts from 2007 to 2016 with three phases, including its first phase from October of 2007 to September of 2010, its second phase from October of 2010 to September of 2013 and its third phase from May of 2014 to April of 2016.

The project's goals are to reduce the pressures on the natural resources of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and improve incomes of people living in the park region.

The GIZ techincal component with a total budget of EUR 22 million covers a total area of 123,000 ha of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and 225,000 ha of buffer zone with 157 villages and hamlets. In the past time, the GIZ component have supported the Sub-department of Forest Protection to set up information system and processes for management, monitoring of biodiversity changes through the patrolling activities of forest rangers. At the provincial and distric levels, the project has assisted the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to develop new approaches for securing alternative livelihoods based agriculture and forestry practices in the buffer zone. The project has supported the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park in developing ways of enhancing cross-border cooperation wiht the Hin Nam No National Protected Area in Laos...

At the conference, participants presented the output results and challenges as well as share experiences in the project implementation process.

Speaking at the conference, Head of Project Steering Committee highly appreciated the project's remarkable contributions to management, protection and loss of pressures on the natural resources in the national park and 13 communes of the buffer zone in the past time.

Vice Chairman urged related agencies and units to maintain and uphold the supporting models of the project, aiming to improve the quality of management and protection of natural resources in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and 13 communes of the buffer zone in the forthcoming time, contributing to socio-economic development of the locality.

By Nhu Y
(Source: Quang Binh Portal)