Con Dao National Park earns global Green List recognition for natural conservation
The recognition strengthens Con Dao’s standing as a biodiversity hub and boosts its profile as a prime eco-tourism destination.
THE HANOI TIMES — Con Dao National Park in Ho Chi Minh City has officially been recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the “Green List,” a global designation for effectively protected and sustainably managed areas.
The announcement was made on September 24 by Pham Hong Luong, Deputy Director of the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Con Dao National Park covers more than 15,000 hectares of land and 14,000 hectares of sea, featuring mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrass beds and hundreds of rare flora and fauna species. Photo: Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper
Con Dao is the second national park and the third protected area in Vietnam to receive this title, following the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in the nothern province of Ninh Binh and Cat Tien National Park in the southern province of Dong Nai.
According to the IUCN, the “Green List” sets a high global standard on commitments to biodiversity conservation, forest protection and balancing environmental preservation with community livelihoods.
To achieve the recognition, Con Dao must meet 17 criteria and 50 benchmarks in governance, design and planning, management and conservation outcomes.
Luong said that the recognition enhances the park’s international profile and promotes its image as an eco-tourism destination.
Con Dao National Park covers more than 15,000 hectares of land and 14,000 hectares of sea, featuring mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrass beds and hundreds of rare flora and fauna species.
It is one of the few places in Vietnam that still maintains a large population of sea turtles, particularly green turtles. The park once held a national record for the highest number of baby turtles released into the sea and is a member of the “Indian Ocean - Southeast Asia Marine Turtle Conservation Network.”
Beyond its role in marine conservation, Con Dao is one of Vietnam’s foremost biodiversity centers, with approximately 1,077 plant species, 155 forest animal species and more than 1,700 marine species, many of which are classified as endangered.
This achievement contributes to making Vietnam one of the leading countries in Southeast Asia in terms of the number of Green List sites, reaffirming its strong commitment to biodiversity conservation, climate change response and sustainable development.
