Scene at the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (Photo: sodulich.ninhbinh.gov.vn)Ninh Binh (VNA) – The Van LongWetland Nature Reserve in the northern province of Ninh Binh has beenrecognised as Vietnam’s ninth Ramsar site.
After receiving its certificate ofrecognition at a ceremony on May 22, the reserve is now the 2,360th Ramsar site in the world. The recognition will help Vietnam call forinternational support to research, conserve and sustain the wetland eco-systemamid challenges from climate change.
Located on the northernmost tip of the PuLuong-Cuc Phuong limestone mountain range, the area is one of the few intactlowland inland wetland areas remaining in the Red River Delta. It is centred ona block of limestone karst outcrops that rise from the flat coastal plain ofnorthern Vietnam.
The freshwater lake, marshes and swamps thatsurround the karst, together with subterranean hydrological systems, form awetland complex that is very rare in the region.
The limestone hills provide a habitat forthe critically endangered Delacour’s langur, one of the world’s 25 mostendangered primates. The reserve is home to more than half of the animal’s globalpopulation and the only place where the species can be observed in the wild.
It is also an important refuge and breedingground for several aquatic species, and home to waterbirds.
The wetland offers important ecosystemservices for the surrounding communities, including its aquatic andagricultural resources and its scenic beauty for recreation and ecotourism.
Ramsar, or the Convention of Wetlands, is anintergovernmental treaty that provides a framework for conservation and wiseuse of wetlands and their resources. It was adopted in the Iranian city ofRamsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.-VNA
VNA
