Thai Binh redefines the area of Tien Hai Nature Reserve

The Conservation Area was established, but the area and scale have not been accurately measured

According to the People's Committee of Thai Binh province, recently, press agencies have reflected on the locality's issuance of Decision 731 on determining the location, size of the area, and boundaries of special-use forests in three coastal communes of Nam Hung, Nam Phu and Nam Thinh belong to Tien Hai district (called Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve) with an area of 1,320 hectares. Meanwhile, in Decision No. 2159, dated September 26, 2014, of Thai Binh province, Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve has an area of 12,500 hectares. This adjustment has almost eliminated the Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve by reducing its size to nearly 1/10 of the original area.

Recently, Thai Binh province worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to clarify related content.

Thai Binh province said it is a historical land associated with the reclamation of sea dykes. During the reign of Nguyen Cong Tru, the entire Tien Hai district was established from reclamation lands. In the 1960s, the South Tien Hai area was just a beach, but villages and industrial zones have now formed.

Before 1986, the annual rate of sea reclamation in Thai Binh was over 70m. After the hydroelectric system on the Da River (Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant, Son La Hydropower Plant) was installed, the amount of alluvial sedimentation flowing to the Red River downstream decreased significantly. At the same time, it creates a very high risk of erosion.

Before the 1980s, the coastal area of Thai Binh province was mainly flooded tidal flats. Most of the flooded areas became places for livelihoods and aquaculture. Some areas were deposited with silt with the potential for mangroves.

With the desire to preserve alluvial land and sea reclamation to create livelihood space for people, on September 26, 2014, Thai Binh Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 2159/QD-UBND, approving the Project to establish a Special Forest Area in Nam Hung, Nam Phu, and Nam Thinh communes.

However, unlike other decisions, Decision No. 2159/QD-UBND does not explicitly define forest boundaries on the ground but is mainly intended as planning, orientation, and policy toward forming a Wetland nature conservation forest area. Therefore, this special-use forest is called Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve, with an initial provisional area of 12,500 hectares because the process of establishing this forest has not carried out specific measurements but only estimates—redundant area data from 5 different data sources.

Redefining the area of Tien Hai Wetland Nature Reserve

According to the People's Committee of Thai Binh province, in 2017, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 36/QD-TTg to establish Thai Binh Economic Zone. In 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1486/QD-TTg approving the General Planning for constructing the Thai Binh Economic Zone with an area of more than 30,500 hectares.

To build the Thai Binh Economic Zone, a part of the coastal forest land area is planned for the economic zone, including a special-use forest area established by the province in 2014, and the forestry land area is included in the planning. Plans for economic development are mainly swamp land, aquaculture ponds, rivers and creeks, sand dunes with sparse and fragmented forests that do not meet the criteria for special-use and protection forests, and many locations are severely eroded for forest protection and development.

Therefore, Thai Binh province has adjusted the forest protection and development planning for the period 2012 - 2020 and determined the location, area size, and boundaries of special-use forests established by the province in Decision No. 2159/QD-UBND dated September 26, 2014, specifically:

Adjusting the planning for forest protection and development in Thai Binh province for the 2012 - 2020 period (decision No. 600 dated March 28, 2023). According to this decision, all forestry land areas (forested and non-forested) overlapping with Thai Binh Economic Zone are adjusted outside the forestry planning.

Decision No. 731 has just been issued determining the location, size of area, and boundary of the special-use forest in the area outside the sea dyke in 3 communes of Nam Hung, Nam Phu and Nam Thinh; The boundary is determined by 38 coordinate points from P1 to P38; Area scale is 1,320 hectares. This area has the best and most continuous forests, so conducting biodiversity conservation and forest development is very convenient. This location is at the end of the Red River, with a system of interwoven rivers, creeks, and natural tidal water, ensuring the best conditions for forest trees and other creatures to grow and develop.

Regarding the scale and area of the Wetland Nature Reserve in Tien Hai district, this province believes that due to many different data sources and incorrect coordinates on the ground, it is necessary to determine whether the specific scale and area can be adapted to actual conditions.

In the coming time, the People's Committee of Thai Binh province will coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to review and determine in detail the scale and area of the forest and wetland nature reserve in Tien Hai district on Field; Prepare documents to establish a wetland nature reserve in Tien Hai district under the provisions of the Law on Biodiversity as a basis for preserving and developing biodiversity, ensuring socio-economic development and implement Decision No. 1486/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister.