Conservation and management

Patrol work shall be carried out regularly to get the latest situation and problems in the nature reserve in time, and formulate corresponding solutions. Hanma cooperated with Forest Police of Greater Khingan Mountains in Inner Mongolia for moose anti-poaching, ensure good connectivity of migration corridors, protect wildlife from poaching and reduce human interference. Hanma cooperated with Alongshan Forestry Bureau, Jinhe Forestry Bureau and Kuduer Emergency Management Force to prevent wildfires, to avoid large-scale damage to the moose habitat in a short period of time, and to ensure the reproduction and survival of moose population.

Sound legal guarantee

Sufficient law enforcement authority

Professional law enforcement team

A sufficient number of law enforcement officers

The protection of wild animals must be guaranteed by relevant laws, and strong law enforcement force is needed to ensure the implementation of laws, so that people do not want, dare not, and can not poach.

Scientific research and monitoring

Through the fishnet method to set up camera traps, sample plots more than 20% of the nature reserve, collecting moose forage plant samples, feces samples, hair samples, etc. for lab analysis, to investigate the moose population density, genetic and dispersal mechanism, nutritional adaptation strategy, gut microbiological characteristics, movement characteristics in Hanma and adjacent areas, and to formulate protection countermeasures based on these results.

Professional technical team

Sufficient funds

Effective management

The most important thing to monitor moose is to have a professional technical team. Professor Jiang Guangshun from College Of Wildlife And Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University has been conducting investigation and monitoring of wildlife for many years. With professional technical knowledge, personnel, equipment and rich experience, it can ensure the smooth implementation of the project, and the results are quite reliable.

Transmission of study results to the relevant institutions and valorization

This stage enabled a set of action sheets to be drawn up for local managers and institutions (health services, customs, DEAL, Marine Park, etc.). In addition, the inventory was integrated into official databases, and abundance data were incorporated into the regional IUCN plan.

A conference to present the results was offered to the general public. This component enabled us to put words and photographs to echinoderms that are still too little known, and thus to raise awareness among a public previously unaware of the richness of Mayotte's echinoderms and their importance.

To broaden participation by the general public, it would have been desirable to include the creation of a visual exhibition in the project.

Creation of alliances between CIMMYT, farmers, suppliers and experts.

From the beginning, collaboration was one of the pillars of the project; an example of this was the alliance with CIMMYT, whose objective is to technically accompany farmers for three years in the implementation of sustainable agriculture policies.

Similarly, collaboration with one of our corn flour suppliers in Mexico, who was actively involved in the project, was essential for the successful implementation of training and best practices.

  • Having an open mind as a company to go against the narrative that "Being sustainable is not profitable". Innovation and research helped us to demonstrate that the opposite is true.
  • That producers have the certainty that their products can continue to be marketed and that this process will be done in a fair manner.
  • To have a technical-evaluating ally so that the project is useful, efficient and replicable.
  • The alliance with CIMMYT for the implementation of the sustainable agriculture policy was essential to speed up the process and ensure the success of the project.
  • The importance of defining roles and responsibilities between Bimbo and CIMMYT.
  • Defining the scopes from the beginning with those involved so as not to generate false expectations and to ensure that the collaborations are "win-win" for all parties involved.
Implementation of Sustainable Agriculture Policies with an evaluation based on indicators and good practices.

With the help of CIMMYT, we were able to identify good agricultural practices in the region and promote their greater use to increase farmer productivity and the sustainable use of resources in the field.

  • Understand the priorities of the farmers and then seek solutions that meet their needs, explaining the benefits in detail.
  • Follow-up and support the implementation of new practices.
  • During policy development, communication and dialogue between the technical side and the company was very important to create a useful and sustainable product.
  • The way in which new practices are explained is key for farmers to decide to accept them, for example, demonstrating that products with low environmental impact are more sustainable and generate greater benefits for them.
  • Once they have incorporated these practices, farmers should be accompanied to consolidate the learning process.
Creation of awareness, training and communication campaigns with farmers.

With support from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), courses were designed to enable farmers to gain new knowledge in sustainable practices and achieve the required levels of sustainability.

  • The alliance made with farmers in the Mezquital Valley who were already engaged in sustainable practices was an example for the new members of the Bimbo program, as they served as a kind of "ambassadors" of the initiative. This positive influence motivated more farmers to participate.
  • Working with a technical partner, such as CIMMYT, to design appropriate training for farmers.
  • The topics should be attractive and practical for the farmer, i.e. they should be able to implement them as soon as possible so as not to lose interest.
  • Farmers are eager to learn.
  • Interest makes projects move faster.
  • Ensure effective communication to farmers about the intrinsic benefits of sustainable agriculture and the potential savings in implementing these best practices.
Implementation of incentives based on "Sustainability Levels".

With support from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) to motivate improvement in the application of good agricultural practices.

  • Interest in and ease of capacity building
  • Inspiration to adopt good agricultural practices
  • Producer-driven and easy-to-implement content
  • The topics should be attractive and practical for the farmer, i.e. they should be able to implement them as soon as possible so that they do not lose interest.
  • Farmers are eager to learn; interest makes projects move faster.
  • Ensure effective communication to farmers about the intrinsic benefits of sustainable agriculture and the potential savings in implementing these best practices.
Local Commitment and Participation

Van Long NR was created at the request of the local communities themselves, and they have maintained a strong commitment in their participation of protecting and maintaining ecological and cultural values of Van Long.

This is considered as a unique community-based management model in Vietnam. Given that the Van Long is different to other protected areas in the remoter reaches of Vietnam’s rural hinterland, Van Long is in the heartland of the kinh majority Vietnamese, in a highly human dominated landscape, on the very outskirts of  the Hanoi capital. 

The management board of Van Long maintains strong relationships with stakeholder groups, and continually discuss and exchange in regular meetings to assess the good governance of the wetland.

Effectiveness in Conserving Biodiversity

Although Van Long NR is small compared to other Protected Areas in Vietnam, the core area of biodiversity conservation in Van Long is proving very effective in conserving biodiversity.

Van Long NR maintains to be the biggest inland wetland in the Northern Plain. The Nature Reserve is also the place with the biggest community of of Delacour langur, at present about 150-160 individuals, a very big increase (238%) compared to the number recorded at the time of its establishment, which was 60-67individuals. Delacour langur population is reproducing well. Beside that, water birds are increasing in numbers made Van Long became a interesting bird watching site. In addition, as a result of good management and protection of the limestone ecosystem and karst landscape, the limestone forests has rapidly recovered, contributing to the increased forest cover up to 30%. The Nature Reserve also performs good protection of the biggest inland wetland in the Northen Plain, which contributes to the preservation of valuable genetic sourcesfor aquatic species.

Since its establishment in 2001, Van Long NR has developed and implemented management plans in five-year period such as Operational Management Plan (OMP), Sustainable Conservation and Development Planning, and Annual Operational Plan. The planning process has consulted relevant stakeholders particularlly the local community, used the information about socio-economic conditions and real situation in most conformity.

The design of Van Long NR and development of management plans are suitable with conservation needs for Van Long natural values. The conservation priorities were identified such as limestone ecosystem, wetland ecosystem, Delacour langur population and migrated water birds. The ecosystems and population of Delacour langur are protected through the programs of the government as well as national and international organizations. Conservation and protection activities have generated job opportunities for local communities, improved local livelihood through eco-tourism and local participation in forest management and protection. However, till now, the expansion of the Nature Reserve is needed to preserve the integrity of biodiversity values and ecosystem services. The efforts regarding expansion of the Nature Reserve include the establishment of Kim Bang Nature Reserve (Nam Ha) and  support to patrol for protection of Delacour langur in Dong Tam (Hoa Binh).

Financing and operation

Achieving financial sustainability is the best alternative to effectively manage the Urban Protected Area. The University has the capacity to secure stable financial resources throughout the year and the community of the Faculty of Sciences actively participates in the search for organizations and partners that can support the conservation of the Area.

  1. The Urban Protected Area is part of the University of Buenos Aires, which ensures institutional presence and a monitoring mechanism.
  2. The participation of the University ensures that the financial gaps for the conservation of the site are covered.

In spite of the active conservation work, we must continue to raise awareness so that more and more people recognize the value of these areas.

If people do not get involved, we will not be able to influence public policies and this is a step towards creating effective mechanisms to ensure the long-term financing of the site.

Recognizing the value of the Urban Protected Area allows governments to participate and provide resources for its management and conservation.