Assessing Community Readiness for OECM Implementation: Insights from Upland Forests and Coastal Lagoon Ecosystems in Vietnam

Authors

  • Hoang Quang Truong

    Centre for Rural Development in Central Vietnam, University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, Hue City 49100, Vietnam
  • Hien Thanh Nguyen Nguyen

    Centre for Sustainable Development, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), Ha Noi City 10000, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i3.12992
Received: 7 January 2026 | Revised: 6 February 2026 | Accepted: 27 February 2026 | Published Online: 28 May 2026

Abstract

Achieving Target 3 of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework requires expanding effective area-based conservation beyond formally designated protected areas. Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) have emerged as a mechanism for recognising durable conservation outcomes in landscapes governed outside protected area systems. This study examines community readiness for potential OECM recognition across two contrasting social–ecological systems in central Vietnam: coastal lagoon and upland forest communities. Grounded in the definition of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Decision 14/8 and informed by IUCN–WCPA guidance, the study draws on evidence from 16 focus group discussions and 15 key informant interviews. Directed content analysis was employed using four analytical dimensions to capture cross-cutting social–ecological dynamics. Results reveal a marked divergence in OECM readiness. Upland forest communities demonstrate higher readiness, supported by legally recognised tenure, continuous patrol and monitoring practices, relatively stable financial mechanisms, and evidence of stable or recovering biodiversity. In contrast, coastal lagoon communities exhibit lower and more fragile readiness: initial improvements under co-management were not sustained once project-based support ended, amid increasing ecological pressures and declining fisheries resources. Variation within each region further underscores that OECM readiness is highly context-dependent and best assessed at the level of specific management units. Overall, the study highlights the central role of governance continuity, ecological context, and sustained resource support in operationalizing OECMs, offering empirical insights for advancing Target 3 beyond protected area systems.

Keywords:

Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs); Community Readiness; Governance; Management Effectiveness; Biodiversity Contribution; Long-Term Sustainability; Social–Ecological Systems; Vietnam

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How to Cite

Truong, H. Q., & Nguyen, H. T. N. (2026). Assessing Community Readiness for OECM Implementation: Insights from Upland Forests and Coastal Lagoon Ecosystems in Vietnam. Research in Ecology, 8(3), 187–203. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i3.12992

Issue

Vol.8, Iss.3 (June 2026)(In Progress)

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Article

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Copyright © 2026 Hoang Quang Truong, Hien Thanh Nguyen Nguyen

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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