Project News

The 8th Lang Biang World Biosphere Reserve Management Board (LB-BR MB) meeting was held on 7th November 2019 in Dalat City, Lam Dong Province, with more than 50 participants under the theme of "Biodiversity Conservation".

The project has developed Biodiversity Monitoring System (BMS) based on the results from biodiversity baseline survey conducted during 2016-2017, and in order to ensure that the BMS is continuously implemented by Bidoup Nuiba National Park Management Board which manage the core area of LB-BR, various types of supports including the series of trainings in the office as well as in the field were provided.

At the meeting, in addition to these assistances, major achievements made through the above survey and monitoring activities were presented such as finding a snake which is under the registration to be recognized as a new species (Oligodon rostralis), large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) categorized into "Critically Endangered" in IUCN^[1] Red List and many other rare species of mammals and birds in the red list. Then, under the theme of "Biodiversity Conservation of LB-BR", series of presentations were made which provide diversified perspectives to the participants; MAB (Man And Biosphere) ^[2] Vietnam on the roles and efforts made at BRs in Vietnam, Kyushu University/ Dalat University on the plant diversity survey, and the German Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research on the systematic surveys on mammals and birds, and also SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation) and GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit) on the summaries of planned and implemented activities in their forest conservation projects in LB-BR. These presentations provided opportunities for participants to deepen the understanding on the one of the richest biodiversity in the country which LB-BR encompasses.

In the discussion followed by presentations, a wide range of lively exchanges of opinions were conducted such as BMS is an advanced initiative in the country that comprehensively covers plants/ mammals/ birds /amphibians /insects; in conducting BMS, it is essential to have collaborations with external research institutes conducting surveys and research in LB-BR such as Kyushu University / Dalat University and Leibnitz Wildlife Research Institute, etc.; and utilizing collected data for ecotourism and environmental education programs in order to widely share the values of LB-BR is also important.

The purpose of the monitoring is not the data collection itself, but the effective use of the collected data to identify threats to the ecosystem at an early stage, take necessary countermeasures, and contribute to the conservation of the biodiversity including the precious animals and plants in LB-BR. It is expected that BMS will be continuously implemented and the efforts on biodiversity conservation through collaboration among LB-BR MB related organizations will be strengthened.

Next LB-BR MB meeting will be held around June 2020.

Meeting

Large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) categorized into "Critically Endangered" in IUCN Red List