As many as 200 domestic and foreign environmental experts, scientistsand managerial officials on April 12 gathered at a forum in southernCa Mau province to discuss ways to preserve natural and cultural valuesfor the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region.

Themed “Maintaining ecosystem services in the Mekong Delta region”,the event was held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmentin coordination with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), StockholmUniversity of Switzerland and the provincial People’s Committee.

At the forum, delegates shared research findings on hydrographicsystems and levels of sediment in the Mekong River and delta,defined ecosystem services in the delta and their roles in climatechange adaptation, as well as tools and methods to manage ecosystemservices.

Post-discussion outcomes are expected toraise the community and management officials’ awareness of thebenefits the natural ecosystem creates for people in the region, andshow the importance of maintaining ecosystem services in response toclimate change for the region’s sustainable development.

The forum is part of a project to integrate climate change adaptiveecosystem-based approaches and preserve biodiversity in Vietnam .Capital for the project is channelled by the Swedish InternationalDevelopment Cooperation Agency, the Vietnam Environment Administrationof the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and WW.-VNA