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Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
Dat Mui Nature Reserve is situated at the southernmost tip of Vietnam. The site was originally covered in natural mangrove forest dominated by Rhizophora apiculata, but the vast majority was destroyed during the Second Indochina War and, later, by conversion to aquaculteral ponds and agricultural land. Most of the aquacultural ponds have been abandoned, and now support extensive areas of recolonising mangrove forest. There are extensive mudflats, which are also being colonised naturally by mangrove. The site is continually growing due to accretion rates along the coastline of up to 50 m per year in some places. To the north, Dat Mui Nature Reserve is contiguous with Bai Boi Coastal Protection Forest, and together these two areas comprise an important area of intertidal mudflats and mangrove forest for migratory waterbirds.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The mangrove forests of Dat Mui have been severely degraded in the last ten years, largely as a result of of illegal encroachment and conversion to aquacultural ponds. Considerable effort has been made to restore the site and many illegal settlers have been evicted. However, there are substantial numbers of people living in or around the site and encroachment into even the strictly protected area occurs frequently. Mangrove is still exploited where it remains, and all the mature mangrove at the site appears to be severely degraded.No mangrove planting should be carried out in areas of accreting mudflats. This is important habitat for migratory waterbirds and will become naturally re-colonised by mangrove at rates that are unlikely to compromise this importance. The disused agricultural land also provides important habitat for migratory waterbirds and no re-planting should take place here.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Conservation recommendations made by Buckton et al. (1999) include:The confusion regarding the extent of the nature reserve needs attention and the boundary marked so that local people are aware of its presence and site staff can manage it accordingly. There is a need for more effective protection of the strictly protected area; currently, access to the strictly protected area is easy along the numerous canals and river canals throughout the site.The site should be designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, preferably in a site combining Dat Mui and Bai Boi.Dat Mui is at the southernmost tip of mainland Vietnam, and thus has some cultural significance and may attract tourists as a result, as it did in the past when the mangroves were still in good condition.The site has attracted government support for conservation and even though part of the area is already protected it is possible that additional areas could be given nature reserve status.
Initially an area of 4461 ha was proposed for the Dat Mui Nature Reserve. The site managed by the Forestry Protection Department (FPD) covers 7239 ha, with 4388 ha described as Special-use Forest by the site staff. However, they only treat 1717 ha of this as 'strictly protected' .
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Dat Mui (Vietnam). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/dat-mui-iba-vietnam on 23/11/2024.
