About 2,000 people participated in the day for cleaning environment and growingmangrove trees at the Biosphere Reserve of the southern province of Kien Giangon Nov. 8.

This is part of activities of a four-year project onconservation and development of Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve implemented by theGermany Technical Cooperation Organisation (GTZ) from 2008.

The 1.7million EUR project, funded by Australia, aims to improve management capacityof the protected areas and sustainable management of the natural resources ofKien Giang province.

The project has been implemented in U Minh Thuongnational park, Phu Quoc National Park and the Kien Luong-Hon Chong Coastal Area.

The three places boast unique biodiversity characteristics and viewswith U Minh Thuong National Park being one of the last remaining wetlands in theMekong Delta. Covering nearly 150,000 ha, the park is home to several rareanimals and provides fresh water and fish for people living around the park.However, biodiversity in these areas are being threatened due to unsustainabledevelopment activities.

In order to help Vietnam protect the naturalresources and environment sustainably, since 1993, GTZ has carried out manysustainable development activities in Vietnam.

The organisation iscurrently implementing 20 projects in health care, natural resource managementand economic development in Vietnam with funding from the German Government.

Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve is said the largest one in the SoutheastAsian region. Covering nearly 1.15 million ha, the area consists of both coastaland marine ecosystems with wetlands, swamps, mangrove forests, coral reefs andtropical primeval forests and specious species of animal, including dugong,turtle, and grey douc langur.

The area was recognised the world’sbiosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2006, becoming the largest out of nine biospherereserves in Vietnam receiving the title./.