Xuan Thuy is the 50th Ramsar site worldwide (1989) and the first Ramsar site in the Southeast Asia. In 1995, Government decided to establish Xuan Thuy Wetland Natural Reserve in the area, which was upgraded to Xuan Thuy National Park (XTNP) (2003).

With a community-based management approach and encouraging their participation into the process of preservation and development, Xuan Thuy National Park (XTNP) has obtained important achievements in the sustainable management of wetlands resources of the region. The opinions of the community are always listened and addressed. One of them is about management issue in the mangrove forest and the resources under the forest canopy in the park’s buffer zone.

Teaching English, updating website, planting trees, and doing farming with local people

Balancing economic development and environmental conservation are often difficult to maintain and usually results to clashes in favor of the former goal. Such case was experienced in Xuan Thuy National Park.

Uncontrolled wastes not only are threatening the living environment of local people, but also are potential risks of wetlands ecosystem. Over the last two years, the community in Giao An commune – one of the communes in the buffer zone of Xuan Thuy National Park has become a pioneer in solid waste management in the region with supports of the local government, Xuan Thuy National Park, and Asian Coastal Resources Institute-Foundation (CORIN-Asia).

VND2 million a month – a dream has come true for many mushroom farmers in the Xuan Thuy National Park region. In 2009, “the total value of mushroom products reached over VND200 million, with the labor average of VND130,000 / day. The mushroom model has been developed in a sustainable direction” Mr. Vu Phuong Thao – chairman of the mushroom production club of Xuan Thuy National Park reported.

Balancing economic development and environmental conservation is often difficult to maintain and usually results to clashes in favor of the former goal. Such case was experienced in Xuan Thuy National Park. Fortunately, the park has successfully addressed the issue by remanaging free cattle grazing activities in the core zone and creating alternative livelihoods for local farmers.