Con Dao National Park - 25 years of establishment and development

In 1993, Con Dao National Park was officially established under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 135 / QD-TTg dated 31 March 1993. With the attention of leaders of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, leaders of Con Dao district and other departments, scientists, research institutions, educational institutions and training, especially the continuous efforts of the staff, employees of the management board of Con Dao National Park. The Con Dao National Park Management Board has continuously developed and deserves the functions and tasks of a unit managing the protection of natural resources. forest, sea, biodiversity conservation, actively contribute to the socio-economic development of Con Dao district in particular and Ba Ria-Vung Tau province in general and contribute to the cause of nature conservation in the system of special-use forests of the whole country.

Con Dao National Park has an area of ??19,990.7 hectares, including 5,990.7 hectares of forest conservation component, 14,000 hectares of marine conservation component and 20,500 hectares of marine buffer zone. Con Dao National Park is one of the six National Parks of Vietnam that both conserve forest and conserve marine resources. There are 1,077 vascular plant species in the forest resources, of which 44 are found in Con Dao and 11 are named by scientists named Con Son. Forest fauna includes 160 species, including 29 species of mammals, 85 species of birds, 38 species of reptiles and 8 species of frogs. There are three endemic species of Con Dao: Black Con Con Dao, Thach Con Dao and Long Con Dao. Marine biodiversity resources are abundant, diverse, with 1,725 ??species of marine life. Geographic isolation is a factor that contributes to the diversity of ecosystems, species richness and high endemism in Con Dao. With high biodiversity potential, Con Dao National Park is listed by the World Bank as the highest priority zone in the global MPA system. In 2013, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat recognized Con Dao National Park as the world's second-largest international wetland and the sixth Ramsar Zone.

Its mission is to conserve and restore forest ecosystems, marine ecosystems, biodiversity and rare native plants and animals, and unique natural ornamental creatures. Con Dao National Park to become a center of conservation of biodiversity of national and international importance; To protect the integrity of forest areas to increase watershed cover forforests of streams, to protect the land, to contribute to maintaining life on the island, to supply fresh water for daily life and at the same time to protect forests. contributing to ensuring national defense and security for the frontal islands of the Fatherland; to properly use biodiversity resources and forest environment services to develop eco-tourism, thus contributing to build Con Dao into a high-quality tourist and service center of regional scale. and international, creating the basis for the socio-economic development of the district. Over 25 years of establishment and development, Con Dao National Park has achieved remarkable results. Detail:

On patrolling and protection of forest and marine resources. With more than 60 staffs, officers of Con Dao National Park Forest Protection Department are arranged at 12 stations, nesting overnight in remote areas, traveling hard way, life is still in shortage but the staffs of Con Dao National Park are persistent and resilient, sticking all the way from Con Son island to small islands to perform the task of protecting forests and protecting marine biodiversity. Soldiers of the Border Guard, police, soldiers in Con Dao district ... guarding sea areas, airspace, maintaining security and order, firmly protecting sovereignty over the past years. During the past 25 years, Con Dao has not had any forest destruction, forest fire has seriously discharged, the situation of security and social security in the area is maintained.

On some typical scientific research programs linked to international cooperation and cooperation in the country. Thanks to the efforts of the staff and staff of Con Dao National Park Management Board and the coordination and cooperation of experts, scientists and conservation organizations in the country for many years. Con Dao National Park has successfully implemented a number of conservation programs and research projects such as the Marine Turtle Rescue Project from 1995 to 2000 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The turtles, living habitats and nesting of the Mother Tortoise are safeguarded. Statistics from 1995 up to now, the management of Con Dao National Park has saved more than 21,000 nest of sea turtle eggs, 1.5 million hatchlings hatched and released to the sea, the rate of hatching eggs over 80%, wearing a machine locates the migration track for 10 mother tortoises, and imprints on the biological characteristics of more than 2,000 adult turtles. The project for forest restoration and conservation, restoration of coral reef ecosystems and the destruction of the seagrass ecosystem after Hurricane Linda (Typhoon No. 5 in 1997) were funded by NGOs deployed in the years of 2000-2003 have contributed to successful implementation of the goal of restoring the ecosystems of forests, seas and coral reefs and maintaining the green, beautiful, diverse and abundant criteria until today. After 25 years of collaborative research and sharing of conservation experiences, staff of Con Dao National Park Management Board have step by step approached, studied, researched and shared their experience with conservation. International organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF); Global Environment Facility (GEF); United Nations Development Program (UNDP); Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center.

About the program of ecotourism development, environmental education. At present, Con Dao district receives about 244,000 visitors per year, including ecotourism visitors, discovering the natural and marine experience of Con Dao National Park about 27,000 visitors. Together with the development of ecotourism, environmental education, community awareness is concerned throughout. Every year, the units jointly organize environmental education programs for students at all levels in the locality, units of the army and people in the population quarters, tourists and fishermen of the provinces. The form of advocacy is diverse. Environmental education has made the community be fully aware of, respecting nature and taking practical action to contribute to environmental protection. In addition, the project will be implemented for the poor and fishermen who will receive low interest loans from the Con Dao National Park Conservation and Development Fund to support community livelihoods. Reduced pressure on natural resources. From 2010 until now, the Fund has solved 57 households with the total capital disbursed 2.1 billion.

Looking back 25 years of formation and development, it can be said that Con Dao National Park is constantly growing and mature. We are confident that the staff of Con Dao National Park will overcome the remaining difficulties and continue to do good management and protection of forest to make the land Con Dao forever green. /.