Dong Thap Muoi Proposed Nature Reserve
| Alternative site name(s) Plain of Reeds Province(s) Tien Giang Area 150 ha Coordinates 10°32'N, 106°09'E Agro-ecological zone Mekong Delta Decreed by government No Management board established Yes |
Investment plan prepared Yes VCF eligibility criteria met B, C Social screening criteria met None Conservation needs assessment prepared No Operational management plan prepared No Tracking tool completed No Yes |
Management history
Dong Thap Muoi is situated in Tan Phuoc district, Tien Giang province. The site is not listed on any government decision or official set of proposals regarding the national protected areas system. However, an investment plan to establish a Special-use Forest at the site was prepared in 1999, and, subsequently, a management board was established, following Decision No. 815/XD-UB of Tien Giang Provincial People's Committee, dated 22 March 2000.
According to the management board (in litt. 2003), the management category of Dong Thap Muoi is "ecological protected area", which is assumed to equate to nature reserve. The total area of the site is 150 ha, in addition to which there is a buffer zone of 1,800 ha. The site is under the management of Tien Giang Provincial DARD.
Topography and hydrology
Dong Thap Muoi proposed nature reserve is situated in the Plain of Reeds area of the Mekong Delta. The topography of the site is very flat. The hydrology of the site is characterised by annual flooding events. With the canalisation of many rivers and streams, and the fragmentation of natural habitats, the duration of these flooding events has decreased throughout the Plain of Reeds in recent years, with various ecological impacts.
Biodiversity values
Dong Thap Muoi proposed nature reserve supports one of the last remaining examples of the Plain of Reeds ecosystem, a wetland ecosystem that once covered some 700,000 ha of Tien Giang, Dong Thap and Long An provinces (Buckton et al. 1999). This ecosystem, which was originally dominated by seasonally inundated grasslands, has mostly been converted to agricultural land. In addition to Dong Thap Muoi proposed nature reserve, other significant remnants remain within Tram Chim National Park and Lang Sen proposed nature reserve (see separate site cards).
There have been no detailed biodiversity surveys of the site to date. While the site may be expected to support similar plant and animal communities to Tram Chim and Lang Sen, the relatively small area of the site suggests that it may have lower potential for long-term conservation of a representative example of the Plain of Reeds ecosystem.
Conservation issues
There is little information available about conservation issues at Dong Thap Muoi proposed nature reserve. It can, however, be inferred from other, similar sites in the Plain of Reeds that major threats to biodiversity at the site may include habitat conversion (particularly conversion of seasonally inundated grasslands to agriculture and afforestation with Melaleuca), over-exploitation of natural resources, and changes in wetland ecology due to altered hydrological patterns.
Other documented values
As one of the few remaining examples of semi-natural habitat in the Mekong Delta, the site has potential for recreation, ecotourism, conservation education and scientific research.
Related projects
No information.
Conservation needs assessment
A conservation needs assessment has not been conducted for the site.
Operational management plan
An operational management plan has not been prepared for the site.
Eligibility against VCF criteria
The site is ineligible for VCF support because it does not meet the criteria for supporting forest biodiversity of international importance.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| AI |
|
| AII |
|
| BI |
Proposed Special-use Forest |
| BII |
Nature Reserve |
| BIII |
Under provincial management |
| CI |
Management board established |
| CII |
Social screening requirements
A social screening report has not been prepared for the site.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| A |
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| D |
Literature sources
None.
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