·         Protected Zone: 12.500 ha area with 2 large sand dunes named Con Vanh and Con Thu, 4 sub-zones: (i) core zone – 9000 ha, (ii) ecological restoration zone– 800 ha; (iii) sustainable exploitation zone – 1500 ha and (iv) active exploitation zone – 1300 ha.

·         Buffer Zone: 1700 ha area including 3 communes - Nam Hung, Nam Phu and Nam Thinh (according to Decision number 574/QĐ – UB in 1996 of  People’s Committee of Thai Binh province).

In 1995, the Ministry of Forestry (now Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) approved a potential project to establish a Wetland Natural Reserve in Tien Hai, Thai Binh province (Decision number 660/KH on October 4, 1995). The Management Board of the Natural Reserve also had been established. In 2004, Tien Hai Natural Reserve was recognized by UNESCO as one of 2 important core zones of the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve.

Like Xuan Thuy National Park, Tien Hai Natural Reserve has a high level of biodiversity. It is home to over 150 waterfowl species (of which some species are in the Vietnam Red Book like Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor, Saunders’s Gull Larus saundersi, etc.), over 100 water species including over 80 fish species and 20 crustacean species many with high economic value for fisheries like shrimp Penaeus monodon, crab Scylla serrata, Mugil spp., Coilia spp.

Nam Phu commune
Nam Phu is one of 3 buffer communes of the Tien Hai Natural Reserve.  The commune has population of about 4547 people (1214 households), of which the poverty rate is 14, 2%.
The main livelihood of villagers is in agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, and small-scale business. In general, their lives face many difficulties, a considerable number of villagers are living on fisheries resources while the resources are being seriously destroyed. Because of this, Nam Phu needs more activities in order to conserve and restore resources in combination with economic development.