Trang chủThe People’s Committee of Thanh Hoa province has just issued a decision approving the Xuan Lien Nature Reserve as Xuan Lien National Park, marking a new development in the province’s biodiversity conservation efforts. Thus, Thanh Hoa province now has two national parks, including Ben En.
A 1000-year-old Pơ mu tree in Xuân Liên. Photo: Vietnam Resources and Environment Newspaper.
According to this decision, Xuan Lien National Park is located within the administrative boundaries of five communes and towns in Thuong Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province, with a total managed area of over 25,600 hectares. Of the total area under management, special-use forest land accounts for 23,816.23 hectares, divided into three main zones: a strictly protected zone (10,869.18 ha), an ecological restoration zone (10,393.38 ha), and a service-administrative zone (2,553.67 ha). In addition, the area includes 912.37 hectares of production forest land and 873.38 hectares of semi-wetland land belonging to Cua Dat Lake.
Xuan Lien National Park was established with many important functions, focusing on the conservation and development of biodiversity values of characteristic forest ecosystems, rare, endemic, and priority protected species of forest animals and plants in the area; protecting the integrity of natural forest areas; regenerating and restoring forests; enriching natural forests; sowing and propagating native, endemic, rare, and valuable tree species; and increasing forest cover associated with sustainable biological resource development. In particular, this area plays a key role in maintaining and ensuring the stability of water resources for Cua Dat Lake – an important irrigation project related to national security.
Xuan Lien is considered one of Vietnam’s national parks with valuable biodiversity reserves. According to the survey results, the park currently has over 1,228 species of higher plants and 1,811 species of wild animals belonging to 241 families. It is a concentrated area of two populations of ancient cypress and fir trees, including two trees over 1,000 years old, which have been awarded the title of heritage tree by the Vietnam Association for Nature and Environment Protection. The park has 56 endangered and rare plant species, of which 35 are listed in the Vietnamese Red Book.
Xuan Lien National Park is also home to the largest population of white-cheeked gibbons in Vietnam with 64 troops and 182 individuals; over 200 gray langurs… Notably, in October 2014, scientists discovered a population of approximately 30 Muntiacus rooseveltorum gibbons living in Xuan Lien. The muntjac species, scientifically known as Muntiacus rooseveltorum, belongs to the deer family (Cervidae) and once lived in Hua Phan province (Laos).
This upgrade not only contributes to strengthening nature conservation but also opens up opportunities for ecotourism development, creating momentum to promote socio-economic development of the locality. Currently, Vietnam has 35 national parks, notably Phong Nha – Ke Bang, Cuc Phuong, Cat Ba, Cat Tien, U Minh Thuong…