9870231 Harder (NOTE: Collaborative - abstract identical to Sterling, 9870232) The Government of Viet Nam hopes to substantially increase the size of their protected area system by the year 2005. As they continue to enter the market economy, inevitable conflicts arise between use and conservation of natural resources. For this reason, the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History and the Missouri Botanical Garden have joined with the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources and the Viet Nam National University in Ha Noi to to develop the knowledge and expertise necessary to protect Viet Nam's most important and endangered ecosystems. Our project aims to conduct inventories of plants and little-known animals in key ecosystems in order to assess their importance for conservation. In these same key areas, we will study population growth, cultural practices as they impinge on biological resources, and land use to predict how and when resource use will impact the areas in the future. We will then formulate recommendations to the government regarding conservation measures for the key areas. As part of this program, we will also initiate joint training, education and institutional development programs to increase the capacity within Viet Nam to pursue such studies in the future.
