The Coca-Cola Foundation is supporting WWF-Vietnam to help improve the capacity of wetlands, a nature-based solution to sustainable livelihood and biodiversity enhancement in the face of the unpredictable drought and flood patterns in Upper part of the Mekong Delta. Long-term and continued support from The Coca-Cola Foundation to WWF-Vietnam to address water challenges to become more resilient to climate changes.
The Coca-Cola Foundation on March 23 announces its continuing support of US$150.000 (equivalently to VND3,5 billion) for WWF-Vietnam to enhance the natural ability of ecosystems to control water flow and absorption capacity of Tram Chim National Park and surrounding floodplains.
The support will contribute to the restoration of its health and natural function of the 2000th world Ramsar site, a designation given in recognition of the previous success of rehabilitation work in the national park.
Today Tram Chim National Park, which is located in the upper part of the Mekong Delta, represents the last remaining one percent of the wetland. Over the decade, the partnership has worked on the advancement of conservation of the wetland through various activities including restoring the soil health, removing invasive species, and reestablishing hydrologic connection. This has allowed the wetland to continue to support 130 fish species, and 256 bird species, including the park’s endangered Sarus Crane. Not only that, it also supports the community of 50,000 people who live in and around the park through ecotourism.
This approach of using the natural ecosystem services of wetland to manage flooding and drought, instead of man-made intensive dyke system, is a nature-based solution. Nature-based solutions not only promise lower maintenance costs than man-made structures, but also bring many benefits such as water access, flood protection, biodiversity, recreation as well as provision of food and raw material.
In its first year of a long-term journey to address water challenges through nature-based solutions in Vietnam, The Coca-Cola Foundation is again supporting Tram Chim National Park. Through the support, WWF-Vietnam and Tram Chim National Park will engage 1,000 people and youth from four communes, improving their awareness and supporting actions in water conservation and environmental protection including river and canal water way clean up, adopting agricultural methods that are using less water and less chemicals.
Further research and stakeholder engagement in the first year will lay out the business cases for the public-partnership model of financing for nature-based solutions, restoring and building up multi-functional wetlands as well as showcasing more nature-based solutions as proof of concept.
Commenting on the support provided by The Coca-Cola Foundation, Ms. Tran Thi Hai, WWF-Vietnam’s Footprint Conservation Director, said: “WWF-Vietnam has long-term vision and strategies for Tram Chim National Park and Dong Thap Province. Our vision is that the floodplain ecosystem service in the Plain of Reeds is restored and integrated as a part of the economy and social development. These strategies for floodplain restoration will be applied across the Upper Delta and in communities where people are seeking approaches to mitigate flooding sustainable livelihoods. We appreciate the support of The Coca-Cola Foundation in helping us achieve these objectives.”
Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, shared: “We’ve been proud to see the impact from our support to WWF-Vietnam over the years in restoring the local wetland biodiversity and ecosystem in Tram Chim National Park and helping people around the area improve their livelihoods. We’re excited about the next chapter of the program.”
