Impacts of eco tourism on biodiversity in van long wetland nature reserve ninh binh province

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT VIETNAM NATIONAL FORESTRY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENT THESIS Title IMPACTS OF ECO-TOURISM ON BIODIVERSITY IN VAN LONG WETLAND NATURE RESERVE, NINH BINH PROVINCE Major: Natural Resources Management Code: D850101 Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management Student: LE THI THUY Student ID:1453091737 Class: K59B Natural Resources Management _Advanced Education Program_ Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA Course: 2014 - 2018 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr HOANG VAN SAM Ha Noi…/2018 ACKNOWLEDGE After more than four years of study and training at Vietnam National University of Forestry, to complete and evaluate my curriculum, I obtained the consent of Vietnam National University of Forestry, Department of Forest and Environmental Resources Management I have done the theme "Impacts of eco-tourism on biodiversity at Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, Ninh Binh province" On the occasion of completing this thesis I would like to send my thanks to: - Assoc Prof Dr Hoang Van Sam who directly guided me throughout the course of the thesis - Teachers of Forest and Environmental Resource Management Department – Vietnam National University of Forestry - The staffs of VLWNR Management Board, Ninh Binh province and local people helped me to facilitate this thesis - All my colleagues and relatives helped me in the preparation of the thesis as well as studying and training at Vietnam National University of Forestry As I am beginning to get acquainted with scientific research, within a limited of time and my experience, the thesis is inevitably lacking Hopefully, I will be received ideas of teachers and others interested in this issue to complete the thesis I sincerely thank! Hanoi, 5th October 2018 Lê Thị Thúy ACRONYMS  PA: Protected Area  NR: Nature Reserve  NP: National Park  VLWNR: Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve  BC : Biodiversity conservation LIST OF TABLE  Table 1: Table information on sample plots  Table 2: Preliminary identification sampling in the sample plot  Table 3: Statistics on population status of communes belong to the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve management  Table 4: Phyla biodiversity in Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (2010)  Table 5: The most diverse families of flora in Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (2010)  Table 6: The status of tourists to Van Long from 2004 to 2013  Table 7: The status of tourists to Van Long in July,2018  Table 8: The survey on quality of service and conditions of tourism development at VLWNR for 861 tourists (4th – 9th, Jul 2018)  Table 9: General assessment of tourists on natural and environmental conditions  Table 10: The standard plots information  Table 11 : The list of plant diversity that we have listed from the standard plots of 300m of the tourist route (Den Mau, Dam Cut)  Table 12: The list of plant diversity that we have listed from the standard plots of 100m of the tourist route (Den Mau, Dam Cut)  Table 13: Species biodiversity index LIST OF FIGURE  Figure1: Map of waterway and road trips at Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve  Figure 2: Map of geographic location of Van Long wetland nature reserve, Ninh Binh province  Figure 3: The route from Hanoi city center to Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (2018)  Figure 4: The route from Ninh Binh city center to Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (2018)  Figure 5: Number of tourists to Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in 2004 to 2008  Figure 6: Number of tourists to Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in July, 2018  Figure 7: The chart of the survey on quality of service and conditions of tourism development at Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve for 100 tourists (4th – 9th, Jul 2018)  Figure 8: General assessment of tourists on natural and environmental conditions  Figure : Image simulation standard plot location TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGE ACRONYMS LIST OF TABLE LIST OF FIGURE I INTRODUCTION II RESEARCH OVERVIEW 2.1 Definitions 2.1.1: Eco-tourism 2.2 The relationship between eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation 2.2.1: Coexistence: 2.2.2: Contradiction 2.2.3 Symbiosis III GOALS, OBJECTIVES, METHODS OF RESEARCH 3.1 Goal 3.2 Objectives 3.2 Objective 3.3 Methods 3.3.1 Secondary data methods 3.3.2 Research methodology on plant biodiversity 3.3.3 Plot inventory 3.3.4 Sampling method 12 3.3.5 Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) 13 IV STUDY SITE 14 4.1 Natural conditions 15 4.1.1 Geographical location 15 4.1.2 Climate 15 4.1.3 Geomorphology 16 4.2 Socio – Eco – Cultural conditions 16 4.2.1 Population and labor force 16 4.2.2 Social and economic conditions 17 4.3 Forest resources and Biodiversity 18 4.3.1: Status of forest resources 18 4.3.2 Biodiversity in Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve 19 V RESULTS AND DISSCUSSION 21 5.1 The status of ecotourism development at the protected area 21 5.1.1 Eco-tourism development conditions 21 5.1.2 Labor force and worker's income 23 5.1.3 Statistics of the number of tourists to VLWN 24 5.1.4 Services and goods 26 5.1.5: General assessment of tourists on natural and environmental conditions 29 5.2 Indicators of plant biodiversity along to the tourism transects 30 5.2.1 Biodiversity along the road travel routes 30 5.2.3 Biodiversity along the travel waterways: 37 5.3 Impacts of ecotourism on Biodiversity in Van Long Nature reserve 39 5.3.1 Positive impacts: 39 5.3.2 Negative impacts: Current and future threats and constraints for biodiversity management and conservation 39 5.3.3 Challenges posed to management staffs when developing ecotourism in the NR 40 5.3.4 Proposed solutions 40 VI CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 43 6.1 Conclusions: 43 6.2 Recommendations 44 REFERENCES 45 I INTRODUCTION In recent years, tourism service industry has become a strong economic sector in many countries around the world Tourism contributes a large part of the country's GDP and generates income as well as enhances the quality of life of local people and organizations Therefore, many types of tourism has been born to meet the increasing demand and abundance of tourists such as cultural tourism, tourist resorts, religious tourism and ecotourism In which, type of eco-tourism that new forms are formed but strong growth attracted the attention of many countries and there is also the strategic goal of Vietnam tourism on the development path This is a type of tourism associated with nature and contributes to preserve nature, protect biodiversity and community culture, and improve the quality of life of local communities and development and socioeconomic Therefore, eco-tourism in the international eco-tourism organization is: "Eco-tourism is a type of tourism that is responsible for the natural world in preserving the environment and improving the quality of life of local community " Vietnam is a country located in the tropical monsoon climate with the topography of three-fourths of the area is hills and plateaus, the coast stretches over 3200 km with thousands of islands large and small There is also a diversity of forest ecosystems and human ecosystems The harmonious combination of natural landscape and traditional culture is the basis, the potential for eco-tourism development in Vietnam Among the potential tourist attractions of Vietnam, the role of NPs, NRs are increasingly prominent and interested In recent years, NPs and NRs are not only places to conserve natural environment values, scientific research, but also places for people to visit, entertain and enhance environmental awareness VLWNR, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province was established in 2001 by the People's Committee of Ninh Binh province The total area of the management unit is 2,736 ha, which is one of the largest wetlands in the Northern Delta; Van Long has a tropical forest ecosystem in the limestone mountains is rich and diverse VLWNR is located in the North East of Ninh Binh Province On the territory of 07 communes of Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province VLWNR has limestone mountains (intercalated with a few sandstone hills), which make up about ¾ of the NR, running in the northwestern and southeastern direction of Ninh Binh province The limestone mountain here has an average elevation of less than 300m, intermingled with mountains with the area of 342 ha, accounting for 11.8% of total natural area This NR offers many beautiful landscapes as limestone cliffs with the same name as: Meo Cao Mountain, Mam Xoi, Hom Sach, Da Ban Cave, Bong Cave, Elephant Mountain, Kem Tram Not only that, VLWNR is also high biodiversity, with a variety of rare animals and plants reside in diverse habitats Of these, more than 30 species are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam, VLWNR is the largest protected area in the Vietnam Northern Delta The NR has over 1,139 species of plants and animals that reside in diverse habitats and habitats Van Long has 457 species of higher plants, including eight species listed in the Red Book of Vietnam such as Abstinence, Flowerpot, Leaflet, Butele, Sunflower, According to the survey, field surveys conducted by Mai Dinh Yen of the University of Natural Sciences (2008) recorded 682 species of vascular plant belonging to 440 genera and 152 families; with the dominant species of the Euphorbiaceae, the Asteraceae and the Poaceae In addition, there are 39 species of animals, including 12 species of rare animals such as Delacour's langur, bear, serow, large lion, red face monkey In the dry season, Van Long is home to many birds migrating from the north to the feeding, dozens of pheasants, gray herons, hundreds of large birds, gongs, thousands of storks Due to the convergence of elements of landscape, biodiversity and favorable location associated with many famous sites such as Trang An - Bai Dinh; Cuc Phuong NP, Hoa Lu ancient capital So every year, VLWNR attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from many parts of the world to visit, relax and research However, currently, a number of tourism infrastructure development projects have been implemented and operated in many PAs and special use forests such as Phu Quoc, Hoang Lien, Ba Na, Ninh Binh included VLWNR This has raised public concern about the tradeoff between nature conservation and economic development Besides, because of the increasing demand for tourism, tourism infrastructure, tourism activities as through garbage; Demand for commodities such as souvenir materials, species orchids, wood have been affecting the plant biodiversity of this area That is why, I chose the topic "Impacts of eco-tourism on biodiversity in Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, Ninh Binh province" with purposes are assessment of tourism development and eco-tourism development potential of VLWNR, Ninh Binh province; Assess the impacts of eco-tourism activities on biodiversity in the study area; Provide accurate and up-to-date scientific documents as a basis for proposing directions for the protection of biodiversity at the protected area and raise awareness of the characteristics of flora in VLWNR II RESEARCH OVERVIEW 2.1 Definitions 2.1.1: Eco-tourism  Definition of eco-tourism? Currently, eco-tourism has become familiar to the society When it comes to eco-tourism, we think of places such as PAs, NPs, rural areas, and so on Places associated with nature Based on the specific characteristics and development goals, each country and each organization develops its own definition of eco-tourism In Vietnam, there are many definitions for this type of tourism: "Eco-tourism is a nature-based tourism, supporting sustainable management activities and biodiversity conservation.” In the workshop on "Formulation of a national strategy for eco-tourism development in Vietnam" (9/1999) with the participation of international organizations and experts, for the first time gave the most common definition on eco-tourism in Vietnam as follows: "Ecotourism is a type of tourism based on nature and indigenous culture associated with environmental education, contributing to efforts to conserve and develop sustainably with the active participation of the local community "  What are eco-tourism resources?  The Law on Tourism of Vietnam (2005) defines: - Tourism resources are natural landscapes, historical relics, revolutionary relics, human values, human creative works that can be used to meet the tourist demand, are weak Basic form of tourist sites and resorts to create tourist attractions - Eco-tourism is an important part of tourism resources, including the natural values expressed in a specific ecosystem and indigenous cultural values that exist and develop inseparably that natural ecosystem However, not all natural and indigenous cultural values are considered eco-tourism resources but only natural components and aggregates, indigenous cultural values associated with a system specific ecological and ecological tourism resources can be exploited to create eco-tourism products for the purpose of developing tourism in general and eco-tourism in particular, which is considered ecological tourism resources  Eco-tourism resources include: - Specific natural ecosystems, especially where biodiversity is high - Agro-ecological systems (orchards, farms, flower villages, ornamental plants ) Do you intend to buy souvenirs here? o Yes o No Satisfaction on service conditions: Very Satisfied Satisfied Unsatisfied Dissatisfaction Satisfied Unsatisfied Dissatisfaction Communications Electricity, Water supply Transportation Road Price Quality service Overall satisfaction: Very Satisfied Weather condition Environment View You want to improve the quality of: o o o o o o Cleaning Contact Water supply system Quality of service Traffic Other: 10 You want to add more o Transportation within the PA 47 o Cultural exchange: camping, food o Boats 11 Purpose of the visit: o Tourism resort o Scientific research 12 How you know about the PA? o Communication o Friends, relatives o Self-study based on work needs 13 In the future, you plan to return to the PA? o Yes o No 14 Promoting investment in tourism development, ecosystems and biodiversity of the PA will be largely affected by the exploitation, construction and increase of human impacts (the amount of waste increase) What you think about this idea? And should not promote tourism development? What solutions you have to contribute to the sustainable tourism development the PA 48 1.2 : Interview the staffs and local people about the recommendations and solutions 1.2.1 Local people interview  How you think about both upgrading the infrastructure in the reserve to develop tourism?  What you think about the role of nature, the forest for the locality?  Should eco-to development in this locality be promoted?  As a direct beneficiary of eco-to, what you think is the choice between resource protection and economic development?  Which benefits you have? Are you willing to support research activities? 1.2.2 The staff’s interview  How did the forest change before and after the development of eco-to (number of species, number of species, species density, and coverage)? - Overall assessment of current management status of the forest?  If tourism is developed in the nature reserve, what is the management plan for the PA?  The conservation area management board has anticipated or studied to reduce the impact of the conservation Could economic development on the environment be maximized? Sincerely thank you for your valuable comments! 49 APPENDIX 2: Tourism transect lines 50 Tourism activities Interview process 51 Set up plots and gather data Some plant 52 APPENDIX 3: DATA COLLECTION Number of tourists to VLWNR (2004 – 2013) NUMBER OF TOURISTS TO VLWNR Year Total International visitors Domestic tourists 2004 15879 15300 579 2005 79887 78103 1784 2006 67040 62375 4665 2007 45000 40000 5000 2008 43085 41868 1217 2013 56178 52133 4045 Number of tourists to VLWNR during the survey time (2018) NUMBER OF TOURISTS TO VLWNR (2018) Date Total International tourisms Domestic tourisms 4-Jul 80 76 5-Jul 87 46 41 6-Jul 200 200 7-Jul 127 112 15 8-Jul 220 185 35 9-Jul 147 93 54 861 53 % 3.784314 2.284163 7.478958 12.5 7.886259 % 47 12 16 37 Quality of service and tourism condition at VLWNR for 100 tourists on the survey time (2018) N No of Services o tourists Tour 82 Form of tourism Individual, families 18 Private vehicles Form of Public transit 13 transportation Means provided by the travel 82 company Hotel 82 Place of stay Relatives 18 day 68 Duration of stay 2-3 days 28 days Yes 45 Buy souvenirs No 55 Cleaning 100 Contact 32 Water supply system Quality improvement Quality of services 80 Traffic 27 Souvenirs 65 Transportation within the PA 68 Activities Cultural exchange: camping, food, 85 improvement festival Quality of boat 13 Tourism resort 95 Purpose of the visit Scientific research The media and combine on tour with 71 in other places Communication Friends, relatives 24 Self-study based on work needs Yes 35 10 Return plan No 65 54 General assessment of tourists Very Satisfied Satisfied Unsatisfied Dissatisfaction Weather condition 35 64 Environment 95 View 80 20 Plots information Vegetation Location Plot number status Cover (%) Location Slope species (degree) Coordinate good bad Cut Dam N:202310 (plot 2) E:1054913 Cut Dam N:202309 (Plot 1) E:1055426 Mau Temple N:202345 (Plot 1) E:1054941 Mau Temple N: 202348 x 80 60 45 10 x 89 10 to 20 x 70-75 52 10 to 20 x (plot 2) No E:1054942 55 4.1 List of families in plot Dam Cut and Den Mau (plot 300m) No Vietnamese name Family name 1 Sấu ANACARDIACEAE Đào lộn hột Xoan Bồng bồng APOCYNACEAE Dừa cạn ARACEAE 10 ARECACEAE 11 Ráy Cau 13 Dâu gia xoan 12 BURSERACEAE Trám Múc Ráy Hoa Bản hạ ( xác chết) Mây Mây rừng Búng báng Móc Cọ Trám trắng 56 No Trees, grass, shrub Scientific name Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre Spondias lakonensis (Pierre) Stapf Choerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt & Hill Calotropis gigantea Holarrhena Antidysenterica (Roxb Ex Flem.) A.DC Alocasia indica Schott Amorphophallus titanum Becc Daemonoropes draco Calamus tonkinensis Becc Arenga pinnata (Wurmb) Merr Caryota urens L Livistonia saribus (Lour.) Merr ex A Chev Canarium album Raeusch t t t s 175 t s 12 g 42 s s s t 11 30 385 s 40 t 13 CONVOLVULACEAE 14 DIOSCOREACEAE Bìm bìm Bìm bìm núi Củ nâu Củ nâu 15 Đậu FABACEAE Porana volubilis Burm f Dioscorea cirrhosa Lour s s 210 Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr Dalbergia tonkinensis s 23 t 12 Cà ổi vọng phu Castanopsis ferox (Roxb.) Spach Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C B Bời lời nhớt Robins Long não Cinnamomum tonkinense Re xanh (Lecomte) A Chev Aglaia spectabilis (Miq.) Jain & Gội nếp Bennet Xoan Lát hoa Chukrasia tabularis A Juss Keo Acacia caesia (L.) Willd Keo tràm Acacia confusa Merr Trinh nữ Acacia auriculiformis A Cunn Keo tai tượng ex Benth Xấu hổ Mimosa pudica L Duối Streblus asper Lour t t 40 t t t t t t g t 3150 250 t t 16 10 17 FAGACEAE 18 11 LAURACEAE 19 12 20 MELIACEAE 21 22 23 13 24 MIMOSACEAE 25 26 14 27 28 MORACEAE Sắn dây rừng Sưa Dẻ Dâu tằm Mỏ quạ bụi Maclura fruticosa (Roxb.) Corn Maclura cochinchinensis (Lour.) Corn Mỏ quạ nam 57 29 30 15 31 MUNTINGIACEAE Trứng cá 16 32 MUSACEAE Chuối 17 33 MYRTACEAE Đào 34 18 35 POACEAE Lúa 37 19 38 POLYPODIACEAE 20 39 ROSACEAE Dương xỉ Hoa hồng 40 RUBIACEAE 41 Streblus ilicifolius (Vidal) Corn Ficus benjamina L Trứng cá Chuối hoa rừng Ổi Muntingia calabura L Lau Tre gai Musa coccinea Andr Psidium guajava Dendrocalamus sinicus L.C.Chia & J.L.Sun Thysanoleana latifolia (Roxb.ex Hornem.) Honda(T.maxima O.Ktze) Erianthus arundinaceus (Retz.) Jeswiel ex Heyne Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss Dương xỉ Microsorum pteropus Mâm xôi Dọt sanh bắc Rubus alcaefolius Poir Ruột gà vùng Borreria Laevis (Lamk.) Griseb Bương 36 21 Ơ rơ Si Cà phê Đót 58 Pavetta tonkinensis Bremek t t t s t s 12 s 55 g 1050 s 45 s 3150 g 50 t s 350 22 42 SAPOTACEAE 43 44 23 SOLANACEAE 45 46 24 47 STERCULIACEAE Hồng xiêm Cà Chôm 48 50 51 52 Lòng mang Sang mác 25 49 URTICACEAE 26 Vú sữa Cà dại hoa tím Cà gai leo Cà nồng Tầm bóp VERBENACEAE Tầm ma Roi ngựa Gai gang Hoa bọ mò trắng Hoa ngũ Sắc Nàng nàng t: tree s: shrub g: grassland 59 Chrysophyllum cainino L Solanum indicum L Solanum procumbens Lour Solanum torvum Sw Physalis angulata L Pterospermum heterophyllum Hance Sterculia lanceolata Cav Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich Clerodendron fragrans Vent Lantana camara L Callicarpa cana L t t t t t 12 14 210 t 105 t t 19 t 420 s s Total : 490 10431 5.1.1: Trees information of plots 300m a Dam Cut plot Species No Vietnamese name DBH (cm) Scientific name Perimeter Diameter Sấu Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre 82 10.2 Múc Holarrhena Antidysenterica (Roxb Ex Flem.) A.DC 22 5.3 Dâu gia xoan Spondias lakonensis (Pierre) Stapf 32 6.4 Sấu Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre 57 4.4 Cà ổi vọng phu Castanopsis ferox (Roxb.) Spach 23 5.4 Re xanh Cinnamomum tonkinense (Lecomte) A Chev 35 6.7 Gội nếp Aglaia spectabilis (Miq.) Jain & Bennet 48 7.8 10 11 Lát hoa Keo Keo Keo Chukrasia tabularis A Juss Acacia caesia (L.) Willd Acacia caesia (L.) Willd Acacia caesia (L.) Willd 39 38 42 39 7.0 7.0 7.3 7.0 12 Ơ rơ Streblus ilicifolius (Vidal) Corn 35 6.7 60 Note có gai hạt dẻ chùm, chín màu đen đỏ, có bao vỏ trắng bên ngồi 13 Trám trắng Canarium album Raeusch 46 7.7 14 Si Ficus benjamina L 13 4.1 15 Sấu Dracontomelon duperreanum Pierre 56 8.4 16 Múc Holarrhena Antidysenterica (Roxb Ex Flem.) A.DC 22 5.3 17 Dâu gia xoan Spondias lakonensis (Pierre) Stapf 31 6.3 18 Xoan Choerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt & Hill 25 5.6 19 Xoan Choerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt & Hill 18 4.8 20 Xoan Choerospondias axillaris (Roxb.) Burtt & Hill 27 5.9 21 Múc 28 6.0 22 Trám trắng Holarrhena Antidysenterica (Roxb Ex Flem.) A.DC Canarium album Raeusch 12 3.9 23 Cà ổi vọng phu Castanopsis ferox (Roxb.) Spach 23 5.4 24 25 Keo tai tượng Keo tai tượng Acacia auriculiformis A Cunn ex Benth Acacia auriculiformis A Cunn ex Benth 29 35 6.1 6.7 26 Keo tai tượng Acacia auriculiformis A Cunn ex Benth 17 4.7 61 giống xoài non, to đầu ngón tay ... trips at Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve  Figure 2: Map of geographic location of Van Long wetland nature reserve, Ninh Binh province  Figure 3: The route from Hanoi city center to Van Long Wetland. .. and Environmental Resources Management I have done the theme "Impacts of eco- tourism on biodiversity at Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, Ninh Binh province" On the occasion of completing this... geographic location of Van Long wetland nature reserve, Ninh Binh province 4.1 Natural conditions 4.1.1 Geographical location The buffer zone of the Wetland Nature Reserve is located in communes: