by the irrigation sector (Decree 2018), the land itself is under the jurisdiction of the
land administration sector (VNL 2013), and peat is managed by the industry sector
(VNL 2010). Limited inter-sectoral cooperation in water resource management,
land-use planning remains a major obstacle to peatland management. Conversely,
lack of a logical, scientifically grounded and cross-sectoral decision-making scheme
about degraded peatlands remains a key factor contributing to the continued degradation and loss of peatlands.
When there is a forest fire event, the forest management agencies only worry
about the loss of forest area. The loss of peat and biodiversity is often neglected. It
may be due to the current law, when the forest fire, discipline enforcement to
managers only bases on the size of the forest fire without taking into account the
lost biodiversity (Circular 2007). Besides, damages to biodiversity apply only to
intentional acts in nature reserves including national parks; nature reserve; species/
habitat conservation areas (VNL 2008; Decree 2016).
Although there have been several decrees regarding the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands (Decree 2006, 2019), there has not been any legal document
mentioned the conservation of wetlands and its biodiversity so far. Therefore,
although the conservation and rehabilitation of peatlands are envisaged in numerous
sectoral plans and programs, the reality is that very few cross-sectoral dialogues on
the future of degraded peatlands take into account multi-disciplinary information
(including scientific arguments) and involve local stakeholders.
29.3.1.2 Limited Capacity for Peatland Management
In Vietnam, the degradation and loss of peatlands in the last decades have probably
been partly due to limited scientific knowledge of peatlands function and values,
which has prevented the implementation of protection policies of peatland resources
(Discussion at meeting on peatland management in Ca Mau 2009). The limited
access of scientific literature on peatland resources and related legal documents to
managers can be one of the key causes resulting in a lack of knowledge of peatlands
and limited management capacity at central and local levels (NAP 2015).
The rapid expansion of agricultural land in peatlands and peat extraction was
mainly due to the lack of data and information on the importance of the ecosystem.
Peatlands were considered to be a wasteland and problem soils area in natural
conditions. The case in point is the UMH and UMT National Parks. They are
protected areas in the national system of special-use forests created to protect natural
resources and biodiversity. However, according to MONRE (2014), most of the
leaders and staff in special-use forests do not have any specialized knowledge about
forests and biodiversity and have not undergone training in conservation skills,
particularly knowledge of values and functions of peatlands. As a result of such
shortcomings, local authorities in the MRD still want to extract peatlands as the case
of peat mining proposed in the UMH region (Ca Mau) in 2009, and mining status of
peatlands is still going on in Kien Giang and Long An Provinces (Hung 2010;
Vinacomin 2013; Quoi 2014b; KGPPC 2016).
29 Management of Peatland in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam
785
land administration sector (VNL 2013), and peat is managed by the industry sector
(VNL 2010). Limited inter-sectoral cooperation in water resource management,
land-use planning remains a major obstacle to peatland management. Conversely,
lack of a logical, scientifically grounded and cross-sectoral decision-making scheme
about degraded peatlands remains a key factor contributing to the continued degradation and loss of peatlands.
When there is a forest fire event, the forest management agencies only worry
about the loss of forest area. The loss of peat and biodiversity is often neglected. It
may be due to the current law, when the forest fire, discipline enforcement to
managers only bases on the size of the forest fire without taking into account the
lost biodiversity (Circular 2007). Besides, damages to biodiversity apply only to
intentional acts in nature reserves including national parks; nature reserve; species/
habitat conservation areas (VNL 2008; Decree 2016).
Although there have been several decrees regarding the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands (Decree 2006, 2019), there has not been any legal document
mentioned the conservation of wetlands and its biodiversity so far. Therefore,
although the conservation and rehabilitation of peatlands are envisaged in numerous
sectoral plans and programs, the reality is that very few cross-sectoral dialogues on
the future of degraded peatlands take into account multi-disciplinary information
(including scientific arguments) and involve local stakeholders.
29.3.1.2 Limited Capacity for Peatland Management
In Vietnam, the degradation and loss of peatlands in the last decades have probably
been partly due to limited scientific knowledge of peatlands function and values,
which has prevented the implementation of protection policies of peatland resources
(Discussion at meeting on peatland management in Ca Mau 2009). The limited
access of scientific literature on peatland resources and related legal documents to
managers can be one of the key causes resulting in a lack of knowledge of peatlands
and limited management capacity at central and local levels (NAP 2015).
The rapid expansion of agricultural land in peatlands and peat extraction was
mainly due to the lack of data and information on the importance of the ecosystem.
Peatlands were considered to be a wasteland and problem soils area in natural
conditions. The case in point is the UMH and UMT National Parks. They are
protected areas in the national system of special-use forests created to protect natural
resources and biodiversity. However, according to MONRE (2014), most of the
leaders and staff in special-use forests do not have any specialized knowledge about
forests and biodiversity and have not undergone training in conservation skills,
particularly knowledge of values and functions of peatlands. As a result of such
shortcomings, local authorities in the MRD still want to extract peatlands as the case
of peat mining proposed in the UMH region (Ca Mau) in 2009, and mining status of
peatlands is still going on in Kien Giang and Long An Provinces (Hung 2010;
Vinacomin 2013; Quoi 2014b; KGPPC 2016).
29 Management of Peatland in the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam
785