Community perspectives of hunting and conservation in north-central Vietnam

Biodiversity is in crisis in Vietnam due to persistent issues including food insecurity and demand for wildlife. Some existing conservation practices, such as preservationist forest protection models, have been shown to be ineffective, and forest-adjacent communities continue to be excluded from conservation decision-making, despite these communities’ potential to be powerful drivers of change. We conducted focus group discussions with minority ethnic group communities in north-central Vietnam, in the Nghe An Biodiversity Preserve. We discussed community perspectives on hunting wildlife and existing conservation processes, and ideas for improving livelihoods and safeguarding biodiversity. We found that all communities relied on hunting and harvesting wildlife for basic sustenance, but wanted to see wildlife stabilize and increase in their area. Across discussions, community members wanted to be able to participate and given a voice in conservation efforts. We suggest a first step in the NABP be the inclusion of community representatives in conservation management.