The fourth forum on natural resources and cultural preservation, towardsthe sustainable development of the Mekong Delta, took place in thesouthern province of Dong Thap on May 21.

Organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, theevent took the theme, “Proper usage of wetlands in the Mekong Delta”.

Participants reviewed Vietnam ’s implementation ofthe Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance anddiscussed opportunities and challenges facing wetlands in the region.

They also shared experience in preserving anddeveloping a number of Ramsar sites in a sustainable manner, discussedthe potential of Lang Sen wetlands and Mui Ca Mau and U Minh Thuongnational parks to become Ramsar sites and proposed criteria and roadmapsfor registering more Ramsar sites in the region from now until 2015.

At the event, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resourcesand Environment Nguyen Van Duc called for more educational campaigns inan effort towards preserving biodiversity, in combination with povertyreduction and coping with climate change.

He alsoasked relevant agencies to zone wetlands of global and nationalsignificance for Ramsar site recognition in the future, increaseinternational cooperation in the environmental field and effectively useglobal financial assistance for the field.

Biodiversity preservation status applies to 2.7 percent of Mekong Deltawetlands, while the remainder is utilised for socio-economicdevelopment.-VNA