Bio-diversity

Thai Phin Tung is located on the hillsides and in the valley of the limestone highlands in the northern border district of Dong Van, Ha Giang province. The majority inhabitants are Mong ethnic people. Thai Phin Tung is one of the 17 poverty communes in Dong Van District. 93% households in Thai Phin Tung is living under poverty. The total area of natural land is 2,536 ha. Of which, 1,255 ha are agricultural land, but only an area of 3 ha is for paddy rice cultivation. The remaining area of 1,281 ha is forestry land. Of which, only 9 ha are forests and 1,272 ha are unused and barren land. Thai Phin Tung is one of several locals with a typical pattern of cultivation, which is named as rocky pocket cultivation. This is a special cultivation system of agricultural production on high and dry areas under the condition of dry and cold weather of the high rocky mountains and the customs of cultivating in rocky pocket of Mong people. In addition to income from agricultural production, forest resources used to be a main source of income for the people. However, the over-exploitation of this resource has caused a severe decline in forest areas and quality. The border war in 1979 is also a main cause. Forest loss results in deterioration in vegetation cover, worsening the substantial water shortage, and therefore places so many difficulties for production activities and for the people s lives. Main causes of water shortage include low annual rainfall and karst phenomenon. The overexploitation of forest and the low level of vegetation cover worsens the water shortage. As mentioned above, there are only 9 ha of natural forest remained in the commune. However, results from the most recent survey on forest resources have revealed quite interesting findings on the biodiversity of the remaining 9 ha of the natural forest in Thai Phin Tung. The four rare species, including red pine tree (Taxus chinensis (Pilg.) Rehder), Cupressus funebris Endl., Amentotaxus hatuyenensis (N.T.Hiep et J.E.Vidal) and Podocarpus pilgeri Foxw, listed in the Red Book under the catergory of critically endangered, are found in this area. Amentotaxus hatuyenensis (N.T.Hiep et J.E.Vidal) is a very narrow endemic species in Vietnam, which is first known in Lung Cu. Thai Phin Tung is the second place where this species is found. Taxus chinensis (Pilg.) Rehder was discovered in Pa Co (Mai Chau, Hoa Binh) and Phanxipang (Sa Pa, Lao Cai). Thai Phin Tung is the third place that the red pine is found. The protection of very few remaining trees of the four rare species in a very poor commune like Thai Phin Tung is a very urgent issue but very challenging. Since the biological amplitude of those species is quite narrow, with major changes in their habitat, the regeneration of young trees faces difficulties. Moreover, the awareness and the understanding on biodiversity conservation of the local authorities, relevant agencies and community is still very limited. The project aims to conserve and develop the genetic resources of the four critically endangered species in Thai Phin Tung commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. The project focuses on activities of conservation of these four species, such as conducting a survey on their distribution for protection task and a study on ecological characteristics and planting trees of these 4 species. The project also gives priority to enhance the awareness and understanding of the local authorities, relevant agencies and the community on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources aimed at poverty alleviation and sustainable development for the commune. Other key activities are for generating community income from their agro-forestry production, contributing to hunger eradication and poverty alleviation.

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