Impact of local people on plant biodiversity in Ben En National Park, Vietnam

Hoang Van Sam

                   Ben En National Park, Vietnam

Hundreds of millions of people worldwide currently derive a significant portion of their subsistence needs and income from gathering plant and animal products. Moreover, those people who are most economically dependent on these resources tend to be the poorest members of the community. Sustainable harvesting is therefore not only essential for conservation of the plant species, but also for the livelihoods of many rural peoples. In this study we will focus on the question under which conditions Timber and Non Timber Forest Product harvesting can be used as a viable way to conserve tropical forests, i.e. without over exploiting plant resources. Based on the outcome of this study we will provide recommendations for sustainable harvesting that minimize the impact on forest vegetation structure, composition and diversity. The study will be carried out in Ben En National Park, Thanh Hoa province,  Vietnam. The diversity of plants and animals at Ben En National Park remains high, about 737 plant species, 64 mammal species, 194 bird species, 28 amphibian species, 58 fish species, and a high diversity of Lepidoptera. More than 18,000 people live in the buffer and core zones of the national park, and continue to exert an influence on the natural environment. Illegal logging by both local people and people from outside the national park continues. The Park thus forms a typical example of the many tropical forest areas that face increasing pressure of human exploitation

[Home] [Staff] [Research Projects] [Publications] [Meetings] [Links]

[Nationaal Herbarium Nederland]

Last updated

3 June 2005