This nature reserve in Dong Nai is full of Red Book animals, the strange European spoonbill has a long beak.

Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve stretches across the communes of Vinh Cuu, Tan Phu, Trang Bom, Thong Nhat and Dinh Quan districts, Dong Nai province. Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve is rich in wildlife, with 1,817 species. Many species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book such as: wild elephants, clouded leopards, sun bears, gaurs, etc.

Established on the basis of renaming Vinh Cuu Nature and Monument Reserve, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve stretches across the communes of Vinh Cuu, Tan Phu, Trang Bom, Thong Nhat and Dinh Quan districts, Dong Nai province.

Currently, the KBT plays an important role in the conservation of natural resources, biodiversity, environmental protection, regulating water resources for Tri An hydropower plant, preventing erosion, protecting land, residential areas living along the forest and preserving historical and cultural relic values.

According to the Report "Planning for biodiversity conservation in Dong Nai province to 2020, orientation to 2030 and investigation, assessment, supplement and update of the current status of biodiversity in the province to 2015", Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve has a total natural area of ​​100,303.8 ha, of which forest and forest land is 67,903.8 ha, Tri An lake is 32,400 ha.

This place concentrates most of the remaining natural forests of Dong Nai province, with most types of forests in the area formed, from lowland forests along rivers to mountainous forests, playing an important role in protecting the headwaters of Tri An lake, contributing to recreating the ecological balance for the key southern triangle.

Biodiversity values ​​in Dong Nai cultural-natural reserve

According to statistics, the KBT has a total of 1,552 species of higher plants, 166 families, 95 orders, 10 classes, belonging to 6 branches, of which 43 species are listed in the IUCN Red List (2015), 36 species in the Vietnam Red Book (2007), 11 endangered and rare species according to Decree No. 32/2006/ND-CP, 6 endemic plant species of Dong Nai such as: Cu den, lat hoa, ngau, butterfly bac, ha de, xu huong Bien Hoa.

In addition, the KBT also has 103 species of rare and precious medicinal plants that need to have their genetic resources protected and widely developed, such as: Chinese clematis root, Chinese clematis root, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Morinda officinalis, and orchid (group 1B)...

Not only diverse in plant species, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve is also rich in wildlife, with 1,817 species. Many species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book such as: Wild elephants, clouded leopards, sun bears, gaurs...

The mammal class has 85 species, 27 families and 10 orders, of which 36 are rare and endemic to Vietnam and Southeast Asia, including gaur, banten, elephant, sun bear, fire wolf...; 25 species listed in the IUCN Red List (2015); 27 species listed in the Vietnam Red Book (2007); 27 species listed in Decree No. 32/2006/ND-CP.

There are 284 wild bird species, 59 families and 18 orders (with 21 rare bird species, 12 species listed in the Vietnam Red Book; 11 species listed in the IUCN Red List).

The amphibian-reptile group has recorded 27 rare species, with 13 species in the IUCN Red List, 19 species in the Vietnam Red Book 2007, and 15 species recorded in Decree No. 32/2006/ND-CP. The fish group includes 27 rare or valuable conservation species, of which 6 species are in the IUCN Red Book (2015) and 6 species in the Vietnam Red Book (2007).

In particular, there are two species of butterfly, the spotted swallowtail butterfly and the peach-tailed butterfly, listed in the List of endangered and rare species under Decree No. 32/2006/ND-CP.

European Spoonbill - A wild bird listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 2007 and the IUCN Red List, 2009, recorded in Dong Nai Nature-Cultural Reserve.

In addition, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve also has 3 historical relics recognized as national relics including: Southeast Regional Party Committee Base; Southern Central Bureau Base; Suoi Linh Tunnel. In addition, in the Reserve there are many lakes such as Ba Hao, especially Tri An Lake, with a wetland area of ​​about 32,400 hectares interspersed with a number of small islands on the lake, which is an ideal place to develop fishing and aquaculture as well as tourism , sightseeing and relaxation.

Conservation of rare wildlife and plants

Despite possessing a large area of ​​special-use forest, diverse ecosystems, and magnificent natural scenery, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve is currently suffering from many impacts from illegal hunting and logging activities. Precious wood groups such as nghien, dinh... have decreased significantly in quantity, especially rare species such as stone pine, the quantity is very small, and dinh wood is almost gone.

Faced with that situation, in order to sustainably use forest resources and inland waters, on November 21, 2011, Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 3107/QD-UBND approving the master plan project for Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve for the period 2011 - 2020.

This planning is not only meaningful in terms of protecting diverse natural resources but also has humanistic value, preserving cultural and historical values. The total investment capital is 1,055,213 million VND and is divided into many categories: Forest development and ecological restoration; forest fire prevention and fighting; biodiversity conservation; scientific research; management and comprehensive exploitation of Tri An lake...

On December 8, 2017, Dong Nai Provincial People's Council passed a Resolution on the Biodiversity Conservation Plan of Dong Nai Province to 2020, with a vision to 2030.

Specifically, the province sets the goal of protecting and sustainably developing Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, natural forest ecosystems, including closed evergreen forest ecosystems, pure and mixed bamboo forest ecosystems, mangrove forest ecosystems by 2020; planning and upgrading the system of ex-situ biodiversity conservation facilities (medicinal plant collection gardens, zoological gardens, botanical gardens, wildlife rescue centers).

In particular, the province will build a Safari Area (Wildlife Zoo) in Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve, combining biodiversity conservation activities and tourism development, to enhance the socialization of conservation work.

To contribute to the implementation of the above Resolution, the leaders of Vinh Cuu district and Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve have handed over land to households in Hieu Liem and Ma Da communes; built a project to develop raw materials for the bamboo industry and oriented the development of craft villages in Phu Ly commune in forest management.

In addition, the Management Board of the KBT also regularly organizes patrolling, afforestation and forest protection activities; monitors wild elephants that frequently appear in Phu Ly commune; builds a project to conserve, protect and develop gaur and wild buffalo populations; continues to carry out research projects such as monitoring and evaluation programs for some endangered and rare wildlife species, indicator species for habitat and environment with the participation of local people; research on conservation of even-toed ungulate communities...

In addition, the Management Board of the KBT also conducted investigations, surveys, and collected medicinal plants and remedies of the ChoRo ethnic community; received 172 sets of documents and artifacts at the Dong Nai Provincial Museum and 97 documents at the Archive Center II about the D War Zone; published 1,200 books to promote and introduce the KBT; organized mobile propaganda campaigns in communes in Vinh Cuu district about environmental protection, forest management and protection in the community, along with many practical activities in response to Biodiversity Day, World Environment Day, etc.

In addition to the task of restoring, preserving and developing the biodiversity of the ecosystem of native natural forests, maintaining the genetic resources of rare flora and fauna of Dong Nai and the Southeast region, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve also has great potential for tourism development.

In the coming time, the province will promote the exploitation of cultural - historical - spiritual, ecological - resort tourism and consider it one of the highlights of Dong Nai tourism in the future.

Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy (Institute for Regional Sustainable Development) (Environment Magazine)

Source: https://danviet.vn/khu-bao-ton-thien-nhien-nay-o-dong-nai-la-liet-dong-vat-sach-do-con-co-thia-chau-au-la-lam-mo-dai-20241225234819247.htm