Viet Nam Net
18 September, 2013
Vietnam, known as one of the world’s biodiversity centers with rich and diversified natural ecosystems, has seen the biodiversity degrading rapidly. The economic growth and the rapid population growth have generated the high demand for natural resources and land. As a result, the areas with natural ecosystems have been gradually narrowed. Scientists have specially rung the alarm bell over the decreases in the numbers of species and individuals of the wildlife at the Ba Tai Mountain in Kien Giang province and Nui Chua National Park.
According to Bui Cach Tuyen, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, 882 species are being in the danger, while 9 species have been thought as exhausted in the wild.
The biggest problem now for Vietnam is that it has been wavering between developing economy and protecting the biodiversity.
Nguyen Dinh Xuan, Director of the Lo Go – Xa Mat National Park in Tay Ninh province, said if Vietnam chooses to protect the biodiversity, it must not think of developing hydropower plants or exploiting minerals. If it prefers the economic development and mining, it would not be able to maintain the biodiversity.
Nguyen Van Yen, Deputy Chair of the Lam Dong provincial People’s Committee, agreeing with Xuan, said Lam Dong has been trying to restrict the development of hydropower plants.
“A small hydropower plant with the capacity of 50 MW would take 100 hectares of forests. And we will also face the desertification in the post-hydropower plant period. This does not deserve to exchange for,” Yen said.