Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve recognized as ASEAN Heritage Park

Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve with unique natural landscape of forests and lakes. Photo: V.Linh

Meet 12 strict criteria of ASEAN Heritage Park

Dong Nai Natural Heritage Reserve is one of three national parks in Vietnam recognized as ASEAN Heritage Parks, including Pu Mat National Park ( Nghe An province) and Xuan Thuy National Park (Ninh Binh province).

To be recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park, Dong Nai Cultural and Natural Reserve must fully meet 12 criteria such as: ecological integrity, representativeness, naturalness, high conservation importance, nominated area ensuring legality, approved management plan, transboundary...

Some precious medicinal herbs at Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve. Photo: Q.Trung

Dong Nai Nature Reserve manages over 100 thousand hectares, of which the natural forest area is over 63 thousand hectares, the production forest area is over 4.7 thousand hectares and the Tri An lake area is over 32.5 thousand hectares. In recent years, with the motto of preserving and promoting the values of the forest, Dong Nai Nature Reserve has exploited to the maximum the typical values of forest and lake ecosystems according to the orientation of tourism development, exploring typical forest ecosystems such as: evergreen broadleaf closed forest; mixed bamboo forest with broadleaf trees; pure bamboo forest; grassland ecosystem, shrubland and riverside and lake ecosystem.

With the diversity of flora and fauna ecosystems with nearly 1,900 animal species and more than 600 plant species living and growing, Dong Nai Nature Reserve has become one of the attractive destinations for young people who love to explore.

Some animal species at Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve. Photo: Q.Trung

Many rare animals listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world are strictly preserved here such as: Asian elephant, gaur, sun bear, clouded leopard, black-shanked douc, pheasant, many endemic birds. In particular, this is the habitat of the last wild elephant herd in Vietnam with about 22 individuals, an extremely attractive highlight for wildlife viewing tours and scientific research.

Opportunities for investors to develop forest ecotourism projects

Dong Nai is a locality located in the Southern key economic zone. Dong Nai Nature Reserve is recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park, which is very important in implementing the goal of sustainable economic development, transforming from the "brown" growth model (resource exploitation) to developing according to the green economic model, protecting the environment and sustainable development. At the same time, the title of ASEAN Heritage Park also creates a brand to attract tourism service investors to Dong Nai in general and Dong Nai Nature Reserve in particular.

In addition, the nomination for recognition as an ASEAN Heritage Park is completely consistent with the planning of Dong Nai Natural Heritage Conservation Area as well as with the current economic growth model transformation orientation of Dong Nai province, making tourism an important economic sector, contributing to the implementation of the province's economic and social development strategies.

Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve is a place where many scientists around the world study biodiversity. Photo: Q.Trung

Deputy Director of Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve Dinh Thi Lan Huong emphasized: With the title of ASEAN Heritage Park, Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve will have a great opportunity to exchange information, learn experience in management, conservation and promotion of values among ASEAN Heritage Parks in the ASEAN bloc. At the same time, it is an opportunity to promote the image of Dong Nai province to many organizations and individuals in ASEAN and around the world, gradually enhancing Dong Nai's position in conservation and promotion of forest values domestically and internationally. This is also an opportunity to affirm that Dong Nai is actively contributing to the implementation of the Government's commitments to international conventions of which Vietnam is a member.

Many discovery tours for students are conducted at Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve. Photo: Q.Trung

To date, Vietnam ranks 51st out of 165 countries and territories in terms of sustainable development. Vietnam has proactively proposed and participated in many ASEAN environmental initiatives. Vietnam currently has 12 ASEAN Heritage Parks, among the highest in the region, and is a country that is actively promoting dialogue on energy transition, carbon markets and circular economy. In particular, in the context of increasingly serious climate change, natural disasters and environmental pollution, the recognition of Vietnam as an ASEAN Heritage Park is a strong message to ASEAN member countries about strengthening regional cooperation mechanisms and linking national strategies with ASEAN's common frameworks.

Dong Nai currently has the largest forest area in the Southeast region with a total planned forest area of nearly 349 thousand hectares, and is one of the localities with the most unique and diverse forest ecosystems compared to the provinces in the Southern region. Currently, most forest management units have exploited quite well the potential and advantages of forests in the tourism sector such as: Bu Gia Map and Cat Tien National Park; Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve; protective forests: Tan Phu, Long Thanh; Ba Ra Mountain, Chua Chan Mountain...

This is an opportunity for Vietnam to mobilize large-scale green finance, develop a regional carbon market and accelerate the transition to a circular economy and clean energy, while proposing joint initiatives on ecosystem restoration, forest and marine conservation, and protection of endangered species, towards a common vision of a sustainable ASEAN Community.

Ngoc Lien

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/tin-moi/202509/khu-bao-ton-thien-nhien-van-hoa-dong-nai-duoc-cong-nhan-cong-vien-di-san-asean-821011b/