VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has recommended four more wetland sites across the country for recognition as parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

These sites include the Tram Chim National Park in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap , Ba Be Lake in northern Bac Kan province, U Minh Forest and Mui Ca Mau National Park in the southernmost province of Ca Mau , according to Dr. Tran Ngoc Cuong, deputy head of the Nature Conservation Division under the Environmental Protection Department.

The move, he said, aims to call for international assistance for the protection of biodiversity in these wetland areas after the Xuan Thuy National Park (Nam Dinh) and Bau Sau-Cat Tien (Dong Nai) have proved to successfully implement the Ramsar Convention.

Boasting 7,500 ha of wetlands, the Tram Chim National Park is now home to around 200 species of aquatic birds, including the endangered red-headed crane, accounting for a fourth of bird species available in Vietnam .

The Ba Be Lake, which is part of the Ba Be National Park and was formed more than 200 million years ago, is one of 100 largest freshwater lakes in the world. With spectacular geological scenes and valuable biodiversity, Ba Be was listed as one of 20 special freshwater lakes that need protection by the world association of freshwater lakes.

U Minh Forest, which stretches through Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces, and Mui Ca Mau National Park are salt-marsh areas. The forests contribute to ensuring biological balance in the Mekong Delta.