World Wetlands Day (February 2, 2025) was launched by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat with the theme “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future”. This is also the theme of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP15) in 2025, emphasizing the joint efforts of the community to protect wetland ecosystems, aiming for a world where everyone continues to benefit from the life-sustaining services that wetlands provide.

People in Bac Phuoc Islet, Trieu Phuoc Commune, Trieu Phong District exploit and use wetlands to bring economic efficiency - Photo: NHON BON

In response to World Wetlands Day 2025, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has guided and directed ministries, branches and localities to strengthen communication activities to raise awareness of the value and importance of wetlands for human life and nature, and the threats affecting wetland ecosystems. Integrate the content of wetland protection and sustainable use into educational programs, and call on all people to commit to protecting and sustainably using wetlands, and strengthen management and restoration of degraded wetland ecosystems.

Pursuant to Official Dispatch No. 559/BTNMT-BTDD dated January 23, 2025 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Official Dispatch No. 214/VP-KT dated February 4, 2025 of the Provincial People's Committee Office on responding to World Wetlands Day 2025, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment requests provincial departments, branches, and People's Committees of districts, towns, and cities to promote communication, education, and raise awareness of the value and importance of the province's wetlands, especially important wetlands that have been planned and managed such as Con Co Island Marine Reserve, Vinh Thai-Kim Thach coastal reefs, and other important wetlands such as Thuy U lagoon, Tra Loc lagoon, and mangrove forests along Thach Han river...

Integrate the content of wetland protection and sustainable use into educational and propaganda programs of agencies, units and localities. Call on officials, civil servants, workers and people to commit to protecting and sustainably using wetlands, strengthening management and restoring degraded wetland ecosystems. Implement regulations on conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

Effectively implement the National Action Plan on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands for the 2021-2030 period according to Decision No. 1975/QD-TTg dated November 24, 2021 of the Prime Minister. Integrate the content on protection of wetland values, management, restoration and sustainable use of wetlands into programs, planning, plans, projects, tasks and topics of the sector and localities.

Promote solutions to protect wetland ecosystems based on nature and community. Replicating effective wetland use models, especially models in important wetland areas. Promoting initiatives to protect the environment, conserve nature and biodiversity, and measures to adapt to and mitigate climate change for wetlands. Building and operating a database system and mechanisms for sharing, exchanging and managing information on wetlands.

Strengthen supervision of law enforcement on the protection and sustainable use of wetlands. Mobilize and diversify resources. Enhance the capacity of staff; enhance international cooperation and promote community participation to support and enhance the effectiveness of the management and conservation of wetlands in the province.

Comparing with the criteria specified in Article 8, Decree No. 66/2019/ND-CP dated July 29, 2019 of the Government on conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, Quang Tri province has proposed a list of important wetlands including: Important wetlands are the Con Co Island Marine Reserve which has been planned and managed with an area of ​​4,532 hectares with wetland types such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, coastal cliffs, including offshore cliff areas.

In which, important wetland criteria are met such as island wetlands, black coral, red coral, branch coral, plate coral, and sea crabs. Through preliminary assessment, Quang Tri province has 3 wetlands that meet the criteria of important wetlands for the locality: Thuy U lake, Tra Loc lagoon, and mangrove forest along Thach Han river.

Through that, use natural resources rationally and economically, implement models of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity associated with hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and new rural construction.

Tan Nguyen