The proposal would see the park work with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry on a 12-month study in the 2026-2027 period, pending approval by Ca Mau Province's authorities.
The study will assess the condition of the park's peatland melaleuca forest, collect soil, water and microbial data, evaluate ecosystem health and recommend restoration measures based on native biodiversity.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment said relevant agencies had backed the proposal, saying the study would help monitor ecosystem changes, detect early signs of degradation and support long-term forest restoration
If approved, U Minh Ha National Park will coordinate with the university to complete procedures required by Vietnam's Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Agency and other relevant authorities before the project begins.
Preliminary surveys found more than 392 hectares of forest had already degraded, while another 467 hectares showed early signs of deterioration, mostly within the park's strictly protected and ecological restoration zones.
Initial assessments, pending formal scientific conclusions, suggest the decline is linked to ageing trees, climate change, invasive climbing plants and prolonged flooding, which has weakened peat soils and made trees more vulnerable to collapse.
Recognised by UNESCO as the core zone of the Ca Mau Cape World Biosphere Reserve, U Minh Ha National Park is one of the Mekong Delta's few remaining wetland conservation areas, home to a unique peatland melaleuca ecosystem and many rare native species.
