News Detail - Quang Tri Portal

The event was organized by the Management Board of PNKB NP in coordination with the Technical Cooperation component (GIZ) - PNKB NP Region Project.

The participants included leaders of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST); the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO; the Department of Forest Resources Management - Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Lao DPR); the Lao National Commission for UNESCO; representatives of international organizations operating in the fields of biodiversity conservation and transboundary cooperation for biodiversity conservation; leading representatives of provincial and local authorities, relative agencies and units of Quang Binh province and Khammouane province.

PNKB NP in Quang Binh province and HNN NPA in Khammouane province, covering one of the most biological important regions of the Annamite mountain range, are considered to be of global importance for biodiveristy conservation.

Especially, PNKB NP was recognized as World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003 for geological and geomorphologic values and the Hin Nam No National Biodiversity Conservation Area is considered as a candicate to the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

Given the importance of the two protected area as one of the connected largest karst landscapes in Southeast Asia, to make conservation of its high biodiversity and essential ecosystems possible requires both sides agree on certain concerted activities and support each other.

During the past years, with the concern of the governments of Vietnam and Lao PDR, international organizations, relative ministries and agencies, especially leaders of Quang Binh and Khammouane provinces, the biodiversity conservation cooperation between the Management Board of PNKB NP and HNN NPA has resulted in achievements of information and knowledge exchanges on forest protection, biodiversity conservation, law enforcement, scientific research, community-based tourism development and improvement of living standards for local people, contributing to strengthening cooperative relationship between Quang Binh and Khammouane as well as the friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

The workshop is organized in two days with main topics including introduction to transboundary cooperation in PNKB NP and HNN NPA, best practice examples on transboundary conservation, exchange of concerns by key stakeholders from Khammouane and Quang Binh; development of a vision, mission and goal and shared values for the transboundary cooperation; discussion and exchange of experience on transboundary cooperation for biodiversity conservation; building an Action plan on transboundary cooperation between PNKB NP and HNN NPA; establishment of a joint secretariat between Khammouane and Quang Binh to strengthen transboundary cooperation and so on.

The workshop spends much time for the sides discussing and agreeing upon such important issues as vision, mission, goals and shared values in transboundary cooperation in biodiversity conservation between PNKB NP and HNN NPA; roadmap for transboundary cooperation in biodiversity conservation between PNKB NP and HNN NPA until 2020; feasible action plan for 2014-2015 and detailed action plan for 2014 and initial proposal for multi-stakeholder dialogue approach in transboundary cooperation in biodiversity conservation between PNKB NP and HNN NPA.

Reported by Minh Huyen
(www.quangbinh.gov.vn)