HCM CITY — Recent rains have eased droughts affecting biological diversity at two protected sites: the Láng Sen Wetland Reserve and Tràm Chim National Park in the Mekong Delta provinces of Long An and Đồng Tháp.
Nguyễn Công Toại, deputy head of the Láng Sen Wetland Reserve, said the rains created favourable conditions for the reproduction of fish and growth of mangrove fields, water chestnuts, rice crops and grasslands.
The more than 4,800ha reserve is one of Việt Nam’s eight Ramsar Convention sites – an international agreement on the conservation of wetlands which Việt Nam signed in 1989.
It is home to 148 kinds of water birds, including endangered kinds in Việt Nam’s Red Book, such as the greater adjutant and red-crowned crane, and 20 kinds of fish.
“The annual flooding season’s water level entering into wetlands last year was lower than usual because of climate change and dams on the upper Mekong River, leading to a shortage of water and facilitating saline instruction,” Toại said.
I Word Understanding
Wetland reserve– natural resources care
Favourable condition– beneficial
Adjutant– a military officer who acts as an administrative assistant to a senior officer
Saline– solution of salt in a water
II Have your say
1.How would you care for these things
Mangrove fields
Water
Rice crops
Grasslands
Forest
Vegetable crops
2.What are the unfavourable effects of Drought to economy and society
Farmers
Businesses and Industries
Health
People
Psychological
3.What are the negative impacts of flooding?
Mass migration
Loss of livelihoods
Economic Growth
535 (Country Vietnam) Rains provide relief to parched wetlands
