The Truong Son Ecological Corridor – from ancient heritage to a conservation economic model.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang is not only a geological and biological heritage visible to the naked eye, but also a globally valuable "archival climate repository".

A corner of the forest in the core area of ​​Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park ( Quang Tri province). (Photo: Kha Pham/VNA)

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Along the Truong Son mountain range, two representative ecological spaces of Central Vietnam, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and Bach Ma National Park, are showing a noteworthy trend: conservation is no longer seen as a task separate from development, but is gradually becoming the foundation for a green economic model based on ecological values.

Geological, biological, and climatic studies over the past decades have indicated that Phong Nha-Ke Bang (Quang Tri province) and Bach Ma (belonging to Hue and Da Nang cities) are not isolated areas, but rather two sections of the same continuous ecological corridor along the Truong Son mountain range.

On one side lies an ancient karst landscape, preserving tens of thousands of years of biological and climatic evolutionary history; on the other is a transitional coastal rainforest system, where water-carbon-biodiversity cycles operate vigorously in the present day.

Heritage - a living ecological structure

This interconnectedness means that every decision regarding forest management, tourism, or livelihoods in each area not only has a local impact but also affects the entire ecological structure of the Central Truong Son mountain range.

Therefore, conservation must be approached as an interregional ecological problem, linked to science, the community, and economic mechanisms.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is world-renowned for its ancient karst landscape, massive caves, and rare endemic cave biodiversity. However, the core value of this heritage site in the present day lies not only in its geological beauty, but also in its extremely sophisticated and sensitive ecological structure.

Studies on cave biodiversity in this area show that the cave environment is a closed ecosystem, almost completely isolated from the outside world: light is almost nonexistent, temperature is stable, humidity is high, and nutrient sources depend on organic matter from the outside.

This stability, spanning tens of thousands of years, has given rise to exceptionally adapted species, many endemic and new to science, reflecting an ancient ecosystem that is extremely fragile in the face of human impacts.

According to recent geoscientific studies, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang cave system still preserves quantitative traces of monsoon rainfall variations in Central Vietnam during major climate cycles of the Earth, through stalactite layers and geochemical indicators.

These natural "climate records" show that the ecosystem here formed and sustained itself under extremely volatile climatic conditions in the past, but its ability to recover from sudden human impacts has been incredibly slow.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang is not only a geological and biological heritage visible to the naked eye, but also a globally valuable "archival climate repository".

A study recently published in the international scientific journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters (Elsevier Publishers) has clearly identified the role of Phong Nha-Ke Bang as a particularly sensitive point of observation regarding monsoon rainfall changes within the Earth's major climate cycles.

Mr. Pham Hong Thai, Director of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Management Board, believes that heritage conservation today cannot be separated from science and the community: "It is impossible to separate forests and caves from the lives of the people and scientific data. Every decision on exploitation or protection must be based on an assessment of long-term ecological impacts."

A scene from an ethnic minority village in AKy hamlet, Thuong Trach commune (Quang Tri province), where people live in the buffer zone of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. (Photo: Kha Pham/VNA)

From community buffer zones to science-based conservation governance.

In the southern part of the Truong Son mountain range, Bach Ma National Park exhibits a different ecological structure: humid tropical rainforest, steep slopes, rich vegetation, and a role in regulating the local climate for the entire central coastal strip.

Environmental studies of the forests here indicate that the natural forest structure has a high capacity to absorb and store carbon, while maintaining a biodiversity corridor connecting the Truong Son Mountains with the sea – a particularly important factor in the context of increasing climate change.

If Phong Nha-Ke Bang is the "depth of time" of the Truong Son Mountains, preserving the history of ancient climate and biological evolution, then Bach Ma is the "ecological hinge" of the present, where ecological cycles operate vigorously at the intersection of mountains and sea.

The Northern Truong Son forest, starting from the Phong Nha karst massif, continues southward, meeting Bach Ma and forming a unique ecological transition zone in Central Vietnam.

This transitional zone alters the structure of biological communities but does not disrupt the flow of biodiversity. The scientific value of the Truong Son mountain range lies not in individual "heritage sites," but in the continuous functioning of the entire ecosystem.

Ancient caves preserve the history of the climate; tropical forests maintain the current ecological balance, and together they determine the region's ability to adapt to future climate change.

If ecology is the natural foundation of the Truong Son corridor, then buffer zone communities and science are the two pillars that operate the modern conservation model.

Over the years, both Phong Nha-Ke Bang and Bach Ma have shifted from a "closed conservation" approach to an "open conservation" approach; in which, local people are no longer restricted from exploiting resources, but become active participants in the process of preserving the forest.

The controlled development of heritage tourism in Phong Nha-Ke Bang has become the "solution" to the livelihood challenges in the buffer zone. Tourism generates revenue, creates jobs, and simultaneously helps the community better understand the value of the forest and caves.

When livelihoods are directly linked to heritage, people become true "guardians of the forest and guardians of the heritage," because their economic interests depend on the sustainable existence of the ecosystem.

However, Mr. Pham Hong Thai also acknowledged that tourism opens up opportunities but simultaneously poses significant challenges: Cave ecosystems are extremely sensitive; if exploited without control, even small impacts such as artificial lighting, noise, or waste can alter the biological structure accumulated over tens of thousands of years of natural evolution.

Therefore, any decision to develop or open new tourist routes must be based on an assessment of ecological carrying capacity and long-term scientific data.

Indochinese tigers are being bred and conserved at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. (Photo: Kha Pham/VNA)

In Bach Ma National Park, the steep terrain and dense forests make tourism difficult to be the sole driving force, so the livelihood strategy is designed differently, focusing on forest protection contracts and payments for forest environmental services. A common approach among national parks is a shift in governance, from an administrative command model to co-management based on equitable benefit distribution.

People in the buffer zone not only participate in patrolling and protecting the forest but also directly benefit from economic activities linked to conservation. This approach helps reduce pressure from illegal resource exploitation and creates a positive cycle: the forest is preserved, livelihoods are improved, and the community becomes increasingly connected to the forest.

Alongside community involvement, science has become the "backbone" of modern conservation. In Phong Nha-Ke Bang, data on cave biodiversity and microclimate are used to regulate tourism development levels, helping to protect the heritage while continuing to create sustainable value.

In Bach Ma, monitoring biomass and forest structure helps identify sensitive areas requiring protection, while also laying the foundation for eco-economic mechanisms. Preserving natural forests also means preserving long-term carbon sequestration and climate regulation capabilities.

From the cases of Phong Nha-Ke Bang and Bach Ma, a common denominator is gradually emerging: Sustainable conservation can only succeed when organized as a living system with ecology, community, and science operating together within a unified governance structure.

Forests and heritage are not separate from development; they become a foundation for development if properly managed and linked to the long-term interests of society.

Therefore, preserving forests is no longer a moral responsibility or a legal obligation, but a long-term economic choice, where ecological value is transformed into concrete benefits for the community, and heritage is protected by the very impetus of sustainable development.

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/hanh-lang-sinh-thai-truong-son-di-san-co-xua-den-mo-hinh-kinh-te-bao-ton-post1094515.vnp