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close| Location | Vietnam, Kien Giang |
| Central coordinates | 104o 35.00' East 10o 25.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A3 |
| Area | 6,981 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 2m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2004 |
Site description Ha Tien is situated in the north-west of the Ha Tien plain, a flat coastal plain, which is one of the last remaining extensive areas of seasonally inundated grassland in the Mekong Delta. The soils in the area have a high acid-sulphate content, which means that the land is marginal for agriculture. The site has been proposed as a nature reserve by BirdLife International but is currently under threat of being converted into agricultural land.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis | - | 2004 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Critically Endangered |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Grassland - edaphic, wet | 39% |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent herbaceous swamps and bogs | 7% |
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | Forestry & agro-industrial plantations; Rice paddies | 54% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 14% |
| forestry | 38% |
| not utilised | 48% |
Management considerations The seasonally inundated grassland at the site is under severe and immediate threat of conversion to rice agriculture and forestry.
Protection status The Ha Tien area was proposed as a nature reserve by BirdLife and the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), following their project to identify key sites for wetland conservation in the Mekong Delta.
Conservation response There are currently no conservation activities being implemented at Ha Tien. Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee established a joint venture together with a Taiwanese Company. This Joint venture planted Eucalyptus sp. and Melaleuca sp. but was financially ruined because the scheme was unsuccessful. However, the joint venture retains land tenure for some the most conservation important areas of the Ha Tien plain.
Further web sources of information
References Birdlife International and the Forest Inventory and Planning Instutute (2001) Sourcebook of existing and proposed protected areas in Vietnam. Hanoi, Vietnam: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute.Buckton, S. T., Ngyuyen Cu, Nguyen Duc Tu and Ha Quy Quynh (1999) The conservation of key wetland sites in the Mekong delta. Hanoi: Birdlife International Vietnam programme.Nguyen Duc Tu, Nguyen Cu and Buckton, S. T. (2001) Wetlands and waterbirds in the Mekong Delta. OBC Bulletin 33: 30-33Tran Triet ed. (2001) Proceedings of the workshop: Conservation and utilization of biodiversity resources of the Ha Tien-Kien Luong wetlands, Kien Giang province. Rach Gia 17-19 June 2001. Ho Chi Minh City: College of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Ha Tien. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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