HCMCity (VNA) - Proper management of water and fires at the Tram Chim NationalPark in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap holds the key to preserving theRamsar site’s eco-system, experts have said.

The impounding of floodwaternearly year round to prevent fires in the cajeput forests there has upset theeco-system, resulting in a decline in the number of sarus cranes there inrecent years, they said.  

Speaking at a recent seminarheld in Dong Thap on preserving Tram Chim’s bio-diversity, Dr Duong Van Ni ofthe Can Tho University said priority should be given to preserving grasslandsbefore cajeput forests.

This practice of floodwaterimpounding round the year might help prevent forest fires but degradesgrassland communities, he said.

When there is waterloggingalmost all year, foreign invasive species like golden snail, suckermouthcatfish and water hyacinth develop rapidly while co nang (Eleocharis)grasslands shrink and the number of precious sarus cranes plunges, he pointedout.

For the park’s eco-system,the appropriate climate is a cycle of dry season followed by a flooding season.

Eleocharis grasslands are thefavourite habitat of sarus cranes.

Nguyen Duc Tu, co-ordinatorof the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Water and WetlandsProgramme, said the number of sarus cranes in the park has fallen sharply frommore than 1,000 in 1980 to 11 this year.

Nguyen Huu Thien, anindependent expert on the Mekong Delta’s ecology, said Tram Chim officials aretrying to protect cajeput forests from fires because they would be punished ifforests burn.

But this has caused the parkto “suffocate”, he said.

“When a fire occurs, peoplethink everything will die, but this is totally wrong. The world has realisedthat fires are also a part of the eco-system since it makes the forestvegetation thinner and boosts regeneration.”

Concurring, Nguyen Van Hung,deputy director of the province’s Department of Science and Technology andformer director of the park, said: “Prescribed fires are fine. It is necessaryto have controlled burning of forests.”

During the burning, fauna canmove to nearby forest areas, he said.

After a few days of burning,new grass grows and birds, rodents, snakes, and turtles return in largenumbers, he said.

The province People’sCommittee should create a mechanism for controlled burning of grass and othervegetation and water management to sustain the park’s eco-system, he said.

Nguyen Van Duong, chairman ofthe People’s Committee, instructed park officials and other relevantauthorities to draft a detailed plan to manage water and fire to sustain thepark eco-system.

Nguyen Hoang Minh Hai, headof the park’s science and international co-operation division, said Tram Chimhas recovered about 190ha of co nang kim (Eleocharis ochrostachys) and co nangong (Eleocharis dulcis) plants in recent years.

Officials have released morethan 10 rare fish species such as giant barb and black sharkminnow into thepark to reproduce, he said.

Tram Chim spreads over anarea of 7,313ha in the Dong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) region in Tam Nongdistrict.

It is also well-known as ahabitat for other rare birds like the white-winged duck, spotted-billed pelicanand lesser adjutant as well as many fish species listed in Vietnam’s Red Booklike the clown knifefish, Hampala barb, small scade river carp, giant barb, andblack sharkminnow.-VNA