Forest management at the buffer zone of cuc phuong national park

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY

STUDENT THESIS
FOREST MANAGEMENT AT THE BUFFER-ZONE
OF CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK
Major: Natural Resources Management
Code: D850101
Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management

Student: Nguyen Huu Dung

Student ID: 1353091031

Class: K58A Natural Resources Management

Course: 2013- 2017

Advanced Education Program
Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA

Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. BUI THE DOI

Ha Noi, August 2018


ACKNOWLEGMENTS
This study would not have been possible completed without the supporting of many
people. Many thanks to my supervisor, Assoc .Prof. Bui The Doi, who read my numerous
revisions and helped sense of confusion, for his patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and
immense knowledge. His guidance helped me in all the time of research and writing of this

thesis. I could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor for my study.
My sincere thanks also goes to Ms. Dinh Thi Van from forestry board of Cuc Phuong
commune and Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong from Science and International Cooperative
Department of Cuc Phuong National Park for having the enthusiastic attitude in providing
data, their consultation and introducing to each villages in the interview. Furthermore, I would
also like to thank the participant in my interview for answering the question of local people in
Cuc Phuong commune.
Finally, I must express my very profound gratitude to my friend as a partner Ms. Vu
Thi Anh Hong from Vietnam National University of Forestry for her supporting with snapped
photos, collecting data and making note for highlighted information in the interview.

Author
Nguyen Huu Dung

i


TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEGMENTS .............................................................................................................. i
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... ii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................... iv
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... v
LIST OF DIAGRAM ................................................................................................................. v
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. vi
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1
2. LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 4
3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: ............................................................................................... 7
3.1. Goals .................................................................................................................................... 7
3.2. Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 7
3.3. Scopes: ................................................................................................................................. 7

4. STUDY METHODS .............................................................................................................. 8
4.1. Selection of study site .......................................................................................................... 8
4.2. Data collection ..................................................................................................................... 8
4.2.1. Secondary data .................................................................................................................. 8
4.2.2. Primary data...................................................................................................................... 9
4.3. Data analysis ...................................................................................................................... 12
5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ........................................................................................ 13
5.1. Natural condition and socio-economic characteristics ...................................................... 13
5.1.1. Natural condition characteristics .................................................................................... 13
5.1.2. Socio-economic characteristics ...................................................................................... 17
5.2. Forest management situations ........................................................................................... 26
5.2.1. Planting and protecting forest situations ........................................................................ 26
5.2.2. Some main issues existed in forest management ........................................................... 28

ii


5.3. Solutions ............................................................................................................................ 32
6. Suggestions for future research and conclusion ................................................................... 39
REFERENCES
APPENDIX

iii


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Abbreviations

Full letter

CIFOR

Center for International Forestry Research

CP

Cuc Phuong

CPNP

Cuc Phuong National Park

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization

FSC

Forest Sustainable Certification

GHGs

Green House Gasses

MARD

Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development

NP

National Park

NRs

Natural Resources

NTFPs

Non-timber forest products

PRA

Participatory Rural Appraisal

Rs

Rupees

SFM

Sustainable Forest Management

SPSS

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

SUF

Special-use forest

UNFF

United Nations Forum on Forests

USD

United State Dollar

VND

Vietnam dong

iv


LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: The average temperature measured at CP hydro-meteorological station (2009-2017)
.................................................................................................................................................. 14
Figure 2: The average humidity measured at CP hydro-meteorological station (2009-2017) 15
Figure 3: Total rainfall measured at CP hydro-meteorological station (2009-2017) .............. 16
Figure 4: Population structure of CP commune 2009 and 2017............................................... 18
Figure 5: Gender comparison of CP commune between 2009 and 2017 ................................. 19
Figure 5: Labor structure of CP commune in gender comparison .......................................... 20
Figure 6: Total estimation value in breeding of CP commune in 2017 .................................... 21
Figure 7: The changing of some agriculture crops area in 2009 and 2017 .............................. 23
Figure 8: Total estimated value of some main agriculture crops in CP commune 2017 .......... 24
Figure 9: Total income of some sectors in CP commune 2017 ................................................ 25
Figure 10: Total area of some forest types managed by CP commune .................................... 26
Figure 11: Households living standard structure of CP commune 2017 .................................. 29

LIST OF DIAGRAM
Diagram 1: Relationships between natural resources and local people activities .................... 32

v


ABSTRACT
Sustainability has emerged as an important factor of forest management in the buffer
zone, which has a great number of discussions on sustainable forest management. However,
basic factors in the specific differences have not been explored. It means each local region has
differences in natural condition and socio-characteristics. It leads to the difference in
strategies of forest management. This study sought to determine those differences which were
in the scope of the research. CP commune has also those specific differences with
approximately 86% of Muong ethnic, 17.2% of poor households with 570 residents having
risk hungry before harvested season (CP commune, 2017). In addition, 91.4% of the buffer
zone residents participated in forest exploitation [20]. From those data, this study used
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and interview methods to approach local people,
and for the most important goal to assure that the varied voices of the community are heard
[15]. This study revealed some characteristics of socio-demographic (gender, number of
labors), socio-economic (agriculture, handicraft industry, forestry and services) of CP
commune. It aims to take a fully understanding in forest management towards sustainability
strategies. For approaching interview and PRA method, further researches would have some
ideas for proposing a strategy in finding forest management models. This study suggested for
some topics in community forest management to encourage local people in participatory
forest management. The significance of this study would be considered as a basis for planners
and managers in the trend of sustainable forest management.

vi

1. INTRODUCTION
Vietnamese has a locution that: “Forest is gold, ocean is silver”. To be honest that
forests are credibly important to human life by its significances. It is not only economic
aspects but also many positive effects to environmental matters. For examples: reducing
GHGs and climate change, providing oxygen, and so on. Therefore, sustainable forest
management has become a big concern, and more and more complicated. Especially with
forest in the buffer zone in which the local people was living and having impacts on its
resources [28].
In fact, the optimum solutions for forest management are more effectiveness, the
balance with negative impacts of local people on natural resources at buffer zones are
essential. Recent research results indicated that the vulnerable people in many communes,
villages and remote areas, who live nearby the forest was overusing forest resources and
destroying the nature. More than 1.6 billion people around the world depend on forest at
varied degrees for their livelihoods: not just for foods but also for fuel, livestock grazing
areas and medicinal products [2]. At least 350 million people live inside or close to the dense
forests, largely dependent on these areas for subsistence and income, while about 60 million
indigenous people are wholly dependent on forests [7]. In the forested landscapes of India,
people depend on the forest for a variety of forest for products such as food, fodder,
agriculture and housing. It was estimated that 100% people near forest depend on forest
resources for firewood house construction materials and non-timber forest products; occupied
approximately 32% of total income from forest. This dependence has resulted in forest
resources degradation [1].
In Vietnam, there are numerous researches on forest management such as Do Anh
Tuan (2001) [6], Nguyen Thi Phuong (2003) [21], Pham Quang Huy (2006) [28]. All of
results from these authors indicated that local people who lived in buffer zone has either
negative and positive impacts on forest resources by many ways such as exploitation for

1

timber, fuel-wood, cultivation activities, and also in socio-economic aspects. Therefore, it is
strongly believed that forest management at the buffer zone has become extremely necessary.
In spite of the numerous functions of forest management strategies, forest ecosystems in
general and forest resources in particular are gradually degrading in quality under threats as a
result of growing population and expanding consumption of forest resources [7]. To be honest
that we cannot deny that at the buffer zone of national park, traditional cultivation and overexploitation happened and so many negatively consequences of local people who lived in
buffer zone. So that sustainable forest management is the best management plan in this case
and the most important point is that to improve local people‟s livelihoods and living
standard.Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong National Park (CPNP) is the first and largest
national park in Vietnam. With large areas, CPNP with 22,200 hectares belongs to three
provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa (Appendix 4). With 1,944 flora species;
2,000 vegetative species; 71 animal species; 319 bird species; 33 reptile species; 16
amphibian species, etc. CPNP has become the most important biodiversity home in Vietnam.
Eco-tourism is a potential in CPNP. With a large area, Cuc Phuong is a virgin tropical forest
situated at 80 km southwest of Hanoi, a buffer zone of 6,550 ha which located in 14
communes in four districts of three provinces. A recent survey of the buffer zone found it to
be inhabited by 1,737 families with 8,560 people of whom 3,690 were the main labors.
Almost 90 percent of the families belong to the Muong minority. Agriculture is dominated by
low productivity, extensive rice farming and annual production averages less than 250 kg of
paddy rice per person. Especially in the upland areas of the zone, degraded land is
increasingly the norm. More than 50 percent of the families suffer food shortages during at
least one to three months of the year. About 20 percent of the families still practice a seminomadic lifestyle and often enter into the protected area of the park to hunt illegally, harvest
wood for fuel and construction or to gather other forest products, both for subsistence and as
cash crops [31]. From those characteristics of national park, with a big number of populations,

2


traditional cultivation, and having low education level caused by generality of ethnic

minority, it leads to be probably complicated in forest management.
In addition, total coverage of CP forests were approximately 75.2 % [20] and whole
territory of Vietnam was 41.45% accorded to Decision no. 1187 / QD-BNN-TCLN
announcing the status of forest nationwide in 2017. Therefore, having 91.4% local people at
the buffer zone of CPNP who participated in exploitation and hunting in forest. Traditionally,
the Muong lived in mountainous limestone country, primarily in the narrow valleys, within a
distinct territorial area. They engaged in shifting slash and burn agriculture in forest clearings,
hunting and timber cutting, and some irrigated rice growing in valleys. The forest clearings
were used to grow cotton, cassava, maize and some pumpkins and gourds [23]. The Muong
today also engage in animal breeding, mostly small animals such as pigs and poultry.
Buffaloes are raised for meat, as well as being used as draught animals. The Muong diet is
traditionally supplemented with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, wild tubers and vegetables and
sometimes meat from forests [3].
In order to deal the issue, this research is to identify activities that local people are
implementing with the forest and to propose the managers had a deeper look into forest
management strategies in future. On the other hand, there is no specific study on the
community's participation in forest management in the buffer zone of CPNP. There are no
reasons to prevent people from participating in forest protection and management. Wishing to
understand the current status of forest protection and management in the buffer zone of
CPNP, from that to suggest solutions are in order to attract local communities to protect forest
resources. Thus reduce the pressure of communities living in the buffer zone to the national
park. Hence the topic: “Forest management at the buffer-zone of CPNP” has been
implemented.

3


2. LITERATURE REVIEW
People probably mentioned about Cuc Phuong National Park (CPNP) with wild
animals conservation area, primary forest, or as a paradise place for eco-tourisms. However, a

little bit of people who has known about the buffer zone of CPNP, its significant and forest
management in order to protect wild animals, forests and to be our lifebuoy. In this study, Cuc
Phuong commune located in the buffer zone of CPNP chosen for study field. A study on
forest management in Cuc Phuong commune of the buffer zone CPNP was the new topic
which discussed on forest management in the commune for further studies related to the
matter.
The novelty of the topic was impressed by outwardness from study method. The
informed consents and semi-structured questions were designed to interview people who was
directly participated and related to the forest management in which they live. Instead of
choosing other objects for the research, this study focused on interview results to archive the
final aim to propose some solutions for forest management in Cuc Phuong commune.
With the random interview on 14 communes, the case study has a large of study sites
[27]. Author indicated that the survey distributed on all of communes in CPNP buffer zone
may be a weakness of research. To be honest, with a large area of the buffer zone in 3
provinces, the author may not choose the object who strongly related to his survey. In general,
the natural and socio-economic conditions of those communes are mostly different. For
example, the ethnic composition, culture, education level, and socio- economic which directly
related research topics. In this study, having 3 criteria were taken in the selected area.
However, with Pham Thi Trang in term of forest management in Ba Vi National Park [29]. In
the report has not included any idea for how many people would participate to those surveys.
In my desire, I recommend that having a specific in method personally. Because of the model
or sample must be enough size, random and representative for the object.

4


About the theoretical basis, the concept of buffer zone was institutionalized in
Decision no. 186/2006 / QD-TTg, August 14th, 2006 of the Government. Once again, the
buffer zone is located outside the national park. This decision mentions a relatively
comprehensive description of the location, functions, tasks, activities and coordination among

the stakeholders in socio- economic and development in the buffer zone. According to this
decision, the buffer zone was defined that is a forest, land or water surface adjacent to the
national park (NP) or nature reservation zones that covers all or a part of the commune, wards
or townships adjacent to the NP and the natural resources (NRs). The buffer zone is
established to prevent and reduce the vulnerability of people to the NP and the nature
reservation zone. Investing for the buffer zone development aims to mitigate the threats,
challenges and difficulties in protecting biodiversity. The important requirement for buffer
zone management is to involve stakeholders whom it was in particular highlighted the roles,
responsibilities and rights of local people [35]. Besides, having a great number of definitions
about the buffer zone and most of the noteworthy one belongs to D.A. Gilmour 1999 [5]. It
also mentioned about the activity for community development, about socio-economic, living
standard for local people who live in the buffer zone. For these reasons, the object is the one
of stakeholders who has been focused on this research would be local people in the buffer
zone (CP commune).
Undoubtedly, the local people and their significant couldn‟t be denied anyway. The
combination of local communities in forest management is called: “Community forest
management” [35]. And a model was designed for: “best of both worlds” between
“civilization state” and “aboriginal people” [33]. Obviously, the research was impressed by
the coordination between “native knowledge” and “government policy” in community forest
management. Buffer zone management is seen as a long-term interventions aimed at
achieving ecological, socio- economic sustainability. Because of that argument, the both
social and the economic matters should be focused [10].
Moreover, “the contractual agreement” was mentioned in forest protection and
management [17]. The buffer zone communities are involved in the cooperation with a
5


number of stakeholders to manage natural resources in the buffer zone for the tourist service.
The benefits of community participation in resource management are about 30% - 50% of
gross benefits from eco-tourisms would be return to return investment for the economic

development and social development of the community [26]. This research has only attracted
the attention of communities to the management of forest resources for tourism in the buffer
zone. Residents have demonstrated their ability to organize their own conservation activities,
and in collaboration with the Royal Forestry Department, develop management systems for
forest management to ensure ecological stability the same as serving the interests of the
people in the region. They insisted that if the government had a policy of encouraging and
transferring power, they would surely succeed in controlling overexploitation of forest
resources, deforestation and the impact on the environment [30].
In Vietnam, according to Decision no. 24/2012/QD – TTg, June 1st, 2012 period of
time 2011 to 2020 about investment policy for special-use forests development, the decision
probably mentioned about the policy encourages the development of forest ecosystem
services. Thus, promoting the role of communities in managing these resources is both a
matter of promoting tradition and of creating a more effective and sustainable way of
managing resources, consistent with the development trend of the world [35]. Therefore,
people completely agree with the idea: “tourism impacts on resident who live in the buffer
zone” [27]. In following that argument, this research reports on opposite sides of how the
resident impacts on the buffer zone of CPNP that frankly helps the novelty impress with
readers and researchers.
Finally, the natural conditions was gathered in this research may help other
researchers, readers, managers having a noteworthy materials for sustainable forest
management and socio-economic development of CP commune. This topic would improve
that the inter-relationship between socio-economic and forest management in local people
awareness and so on.

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3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
3.1. Goals
This research aims to evaluate forest management status in Cuc Phuong commune – one of

14 communes around the Park, and propose some solutions for sustainable forest management
in Cuc Phuong National Park.
3.2. Objectives
-

To identify characteristics of socio-economic and natural conditions in Cuc Phuong

commune of Cuc Phuong National Park.
-

To analyze effectives and limitations of forest management in Cuc Phuong commune

of Cuc Phuong National Park.
-

To propose some solutions for sustainable forest management in Cuc Phuong National

Park.
3.3. Scopes:
-

Spatial: Cuc Phuong National Park and Cuc Phuong commune of study site (Appendix
3)

-

Timing: The result and data was collected in a period of April to July 2018. Besides,
related data from 2009 to 2018 were used for inheritance.

7

4. STUDY METHODS
4.1. Selection of study site
There are many National Parks in Northern of Vietnam were considered as the potential study
site for this research. Cuc Phuong National Park was selected for two main reasons:
-

It is the first National park of Vietnam (established in 1962) with 55 years for

foundation and development; and with 22,200 hectares belongs to three provinces Ninh Binh,
Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa.
-

It has about 50,000 people living in total area of 30,625 hectares of buffer zone [9].

-

It has diverse components of population included many ethnic minority communities.

For the selected study area (commune) should be representative for the whole area and
respond to these criteria:
-

Be one of the 14 communes in the buffer zone of Cuc Phuong National Park

(Appendix 3).
-

Having deserved ethnic groups (≥2 groups).

-

Gross strictly or restriction protected forest is the largest area compared with another

commune in CPNP buffer zone.
Selected villages represent for that commune (number of households and ethnic group,
economic customs) and selected household represent for that village (some wealthy, poor
ones, some closed-poor families) [29].
From those criteria and based on CPNP‟s documents, Cuc Phuong commune were
satisfactorily selected and the interview would be conducted in 10 villages of Cuc Phuong
commune.
4.2. Data collection
4.2.1. Secondary data


To collect the data to present the changes of forest areas in recent years (2009- 2016)

8




To gather information about exploitation activities of local people and socio-economic

aspects, and their livelihoods.


To review reports of communal people‟s committee related to forest management, and

projects from foreign and government organizations.


Most secondary data will be collected from head offices of local government,

communes and the service center of Cuc Phuong National Park.
4.2.2. Primary data


Semi-structured interview
We use semi-structured interview method for interviewing stakeholders who related to

forest management in Cuc Phuong National Park (included by visitors). In order to conduct
interviews, some samples for questionnaire were established and developed for each one of
actors.


Sample size and sampling technique

Fortunately, the data regarding the population size has been recently updated, the researcher
surmised that the actual commune population could be not far above the abovementioned
figure of 916 households with 3196 residents (CP commune, March 2017); hence, it was
decided that the representative sample size would comprise approximately 320 residents, or
equal to 10% of the total population of the study area [12]. A combination of systematic and
stratified random sampling approaches was employed for the sample selection.
Decisions regarding the number of people to sample at each village were based on the
following formula:
Village = 10 = k
n = 916 households
n/k = 916/ 10 = 91.6

Therefore, approximately 91 households in 10 villages were approached to participate in this
interview, after they sent the survey questionnaire.
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In this manner, a total of 91 households were contacted and the returned questionnaires with
missing data were eliminated from analysis for example missed interviewer information,
empty, or not local people. For this following eliminated process, a total of 140 response
questionnaires with complete data were retained for the analysis, which indicates a response
rate of 43.75%.


Interview officials of Cuc Phuong commune and CPNP

Based on questionnaire, the study conducted an interview of 2 officials of Cuc Phuong
National Park and 2 officials of Cuc Phuong commune in forestry division and department
respectively. To be honest that the questions are about changes of forest in buffer zone by
communes in recent years and some information about cooperation programs between
National Park and local communities in buffer zone for forest management plans.


Interview forest rangers or patrollers

The questionnaire used to interview 2 head officers of forest ranger department, 1 head
official in each of the commune. This activity aims to certainly recognize and gain exact
information about forest management, policies and some investments from programs for
forest protection and sustainable management.


Using PRA tools for interviewing commune members

Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is a growing combination approach and method that
enable rural people to share, enhance and analyze their knowledge of life and condition to
plan, act, monitor and evaluate their situation and finding solutions. The role of outsiders is
that of a catalyst a facilitator of processes within a community which is prepared to alter their
situation.
RRA methodology is a method of using a combination of tools for the purpose of collecting
information to identify problems and programming rural development plans. The RRA
method, however, is not a purely informative methodology, but rather a creative use of a

10


range of investigative tools to assess a common situation, a problem. The RRA sets out the
following principles [37]:
- Use cross-checking to check the accuracy of the information.
- Use interdisciplinary knowledge to tackle holistic and practical issues (eg assessment
of environmental aspects).
- Use local knowledge to promote the self-management capacity of the community.
- Be implemented in multi-disciplinary team to create learning process.
RRA can be used in the assessment of all rural development-related activities, which assess
activities related to forestry and community forest management. RRA toolkits used by many
different professionals at various levels include:
- Method of document study.
- Method of observation and field survey.
- Meeting method: flexible interview method. This method uses six questions: what,
who, where, when, how much and how?
- Methods of analysis and synthesis of data such as general methodology by household
groups, statistical methods of analysis, modeling and modeling methods
In this thesis, PRA tools used to interview leaders of village members and households in each

village. Immediately interview leaders or managers of villages when arrived to those villages.
In order to gather more information of socio-economic, population, livelihoods, trend of
labors, exploitation activities, land and forest resources consumption and selling sources. This
activities aims to provide information from leaders and managers gained, awareness of local
people and tested by village members for whole of those provided information.
Randomly interviewing household‟s leaders at Cuc Phuong commune in total number of 120
households. This interview aims to find out economic issues, trend of labors, main ways of
negative effects, its causes and some solutions to improve in policies or related issues for
sustainable forest management. With another goals that learned more about some

11


organizations at local such as Women Association, Communist Youth Union, Elder People
Association… etc. Some short questions and semi-structure questions will be applied for these
objects. (Appendix 2)
4.3. Data analysis
Secondary data was gathered from officials of Cuc Phuong National Park and Cuc Phuong
commune supports to the overview of forest situation, forest management, and some related
information. Data from conducting survey by interview questionnaires will be saved and
analyzed by Excel software. In order to build data and statistics from output such as trend of
labors, changes of forest in order to predict trends of socio-economic, benefits comes from
sustainable forest management.

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5. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
5.1. Natural condition and socio-economic characteristics
5.1.1. Natural condition characteristics

-

Cuc Phuong commune was located in the west of Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh

province. It is 30 kilometers far away from 1A highway, and the southwards for 120
kilometers from Hanoi and 42 km from Nho Quan town. Total natural area is approximately
12.373,5 ha (CP commune, 2017). With a large area and having 2 villages in the core zone of
NP, the commune perfectly is able to develop eco-tourisms services. It is adjacent with 7
communes of 2 provinces Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa [29].
-

With high topography, the commune surrounded by limestone mountains absolute

altitude is average 400-450m above sea level. The elevation of the valleys is approximately
200 - 350m (CP commune, 2017). The karst topography is the most popular terrain of CP
commune. Karst topography is a three-dimensional landscape shaped by the dissolution of a
soluble layer or bed rock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite [11]. These
landscapes display distinctive surface features and underground drainages, and in some cases
there may be little or no surface drainage. For these topographical characteristics, the high
elevation of CP commune completely affects socio-economic, culture, cultivation methods
[8].


Climate characteristics

The average year temperature of CPNP was recorded 22.5 ˚C. The highest break recorded
average value is 23.7˚C (1998). The lowest one is more than 15.8˚C. The lowest month
average temperature recorded is 5.3˚C (January, 1993) and the highest one is 38.4˚C (June,
1997), the average temperature in rain season is 26.4˚C mostly in the summer and dry season
18.6˚C in the winter [20]. The average temperature of northern Vietnam closely equal to

25˚C. Compared with CP value measured at hydro-meteorological station, thus 2.5˚C is the

13


number of the unequal temperature. People perfectly believe in forest could be useful in
reduce GHGs and local temperature [16].
Figure 1: The average temperature measured at CP hydro-meteorological station
(2009-2017)
Unit: Celsius degree (˚C)

The average temperature in the period of time
2009-2017
24
23,5
23
22,5
22
21,5
21
2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Source: CPNP, 2017
The bar chart compares the average temperature of CP commune and CPNP. It is clear that
the average temperature is mostly flat. There is only 1.7 ˚C from highest 23.6˚C (2015) to the
lowest one 21.9˚C (2016). With the stable year temperature and the cooler weather is a superb
condition for ecosystem development. In general, the air humidity of CP commune which was
recorded in CP hydro-meteorological station is completely high (approximately 84.8%).
Relatively high humidity from early January to April and dry season from October to
December.

14


Figure 2: The average humidity measured at CP hydro-meteorological station
(2009-2017)
Unit: percent (%)

The average humidity in the period of time 20092017
88
87
86
85
84

83
82
81
80
2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Source: CPNP, 2017
-

The bar chart compares the humidity is mostly high and stable in the period of time

2009-2017. However, according to CP hydro-meteorological station, caused by prolonged
drought in dry season from October to January 2015, and the rainfall value is strongly low and
sparse from June to September. The humidity of 2015 is 82.7% and highest value is 2017 with

86.8%.
The average of total year rainfall which recorded approximately from 1700-2000 mm/yr.
Therefore, the rain season from May to October, the precipitation estimated for 89.1% in
total. The dry season from November to April next year estimated for 10.9% [20]. Low
precipitation and temperature in the dry season make the weather harsher and negatively
affect the local people such as crops, cultivation, and ecosystem…etc.

15


Figure 3: Total rainfall measured at CP hydro-meteorological station
(2009-2017)
Unit: millimeter per year (mm/yr)

Total rainfall in the period of time 2009-2017
2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Source: CPNP, 2017
-

The chart bars compare the total precipitation data from 2009 to 2017. The average

value in this period equal to 1716.3 mm/yr. CP has a great number of rainfall from those years
data. It is 1076 mm/yr compared between highest 2013 and lowest value in 2015. Fortunately,
all of values are mostly close in general. It is probably considered a superb condition for
ecosystem development. However, the rainfall mostly distributed in rain season is four
months. Otherwise, the dry season is more than 6 months. Especially in 2015, the average
value is 1126 mm/yr.
In the wind regime, CP commune is probably affected by two types of monsoons. The rain
season has the hot southeast monsoon, with wind speed from 4 to 12 m/s. The dry season has
the cold northeast monsoon, with wind speed from 4 to 20 m/s which usually bring dry and

16

cold air. At the end of season has fog and hoarfrost is the same with Vietnam climate
characteristics. It negatively damaged to crops, animals and ecosystems…etc.


Hydrological characteristics

In hydrological: due to karst topography, CP has not much of surface flow. Otherwise the
chemical characteristics of karst with limestone, having pretty number of underground
streams (Nga village). From these characteristics about Hydrological of CP commune which
compare the positive and negative impacts of karst topography:
+ Positive impacts: having a great number of underground of streams lead to be a
great number of local companies could be exploited for agriculture services such as the
mineral water spring bath, resorts or drinking bottled water…etc.
+ Negative impacts: lack of water supply especially in dry season, water is easily
contaminated from human activities.
To conclude of natural conditions of CP commune, it probably would be had a big
number of tourism exploited potential for nearby CPNP, and with the positive impacts of
climate, it could be considered to be a favorable conditions for local people living, cultivation
activities and ecosystem in general. For the last mentioned about topographical and wind
regime, CP commune has got the goodwill from natural condition characteristics for the karst
terrain, and great cooler temperature which compared with surrounding areas. However, it has
some negative impacts of natural conditions. Caused by the karst topography, the lack of
water supply for communities in the commune has become a big problem when the dry season
prolonged more than 5 months. The underground water from streams easily polluted which
has considered a serious problem.
5.1.2. Socio-economic characteristics


Population and labor structure

- Population structure

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With large natural area is approximately 12373.5 ha, CP commune has a modest
population 3196 residents on total 916 households. The population of CP commune is
approximately 26 persons/ km2 [20].
Figure 4: Population structure of CP commune 2009 and 2017
Unit: persons

Population structure comparion between 2009 and 2017
3500
2009

3000

2017

2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Total population

Kinh ethnic

Muong ethnic

Source: CP commune, 2017
The bar charts compare total population and ethnic group structure of CP commune.
The total population increase by 321 persons of both ethnic groups Kinh and Muong
respectively. Muong ethnic group is 90% with 2587 persons (2009), Kinh ethnic is 10% with
289 persons respectively. However, Muong ethnic resident reduce 86% with 2735 persons
(2017) and Kinh ethnic is 14% with 461 persons in total population respectively. After 8 years
from 2009 to 2017, the average population increase was more than 40 persons each year. It
meant to be about 1.1% per year. It is the pretty number for commune‟s population growth,
because of overpopulation or having a superb low rate of population growth probably lead to
be negative consequences such as lack of labor, population aging or more severe poverty
seriously.

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