Sustainable tourism in Vietnam

The Tra Su cajeput forest in the southern province of An Giang is not only home to a range of threatened species, but is showing potential as an ecotourism earner. The Tra Su protected cajeput forest was first planted out in 1983, and now includes 874ha of forest. Of this area, 713ha form a habitat for storks and other birds. Since 1997, the State has invested almost VND3 billion to build facilities in the ecologically significant area. There are 62 species of storks and other birds living in the forest, numbering about 5,000 individuals. The forest is home to 2,000 breeding pairs of birds. Many of these birds are found all over the world, but are still threatened with extinction. With more than 300 purple herons, for example, the forest is one of the most important places in the whole Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta for the bird. The protected area also has large patches of grass, which make it home to a diversity of birds including the fiery stork, grey heron and spot-billed duck. Another bird, the threatened yellow baya weaver is only found in Tra Su and the Tram Chim National Park.

The map of Vietnam reads as an impressive matrix of national parks, nature reserves and proposed protected areas spread over mountains, lowland forests, wetlands, islands, coral reefs and 3,440 km of coastline. Locked within these natural pockets is an endemic and indigenous biodiversity that makes Vietnam a truly special country. An estimated 12,000 species of vascular flora occur in Vietnam. The list of threatened and disappearing fauna includes 273 species of mammals and hundreds of bird, reptile and fish species. This unique biodiversity and natural area diversity are under increasing pressure from population growth, industrial growth and development in the form of illegal hunting and logging, wildlife trade, damming and mining, and road construction.

Endangered Primate Rescue Center

Cuc Phuong National Park

NHO QUAN DISTRICT, Ninh Binh Province

Tel: + 84 (30) 848 002

Email

Save Vietnam Primates- Dept. of Vertebrate Zoology Fac. of Biology National Un. Hanoi

90 Nguyen Trai

DONG DA - HA NOI

Fax: + 84 (4) 582 069

SIERES

85 Tran Quoc Toan Str., Dist.3

HO CHI MINH CITY 08

Tel: + 84 (8) 820 2831

Fax: + 84 (8) 932 0355

Email

Wildlife At Risk (WAR)

79/8 Nguyen_Huu Cau, District 1

HO CHI MINH CITY

Tel: + 84 9098 99146

Email

WWF - Program Office Indo China

International P.O. Box 151

HANOI

Tel: + 84 (4) 8220 60/641

Fax: + 84 (4) 8220 642

Email

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