Protecting biodiversity in Trang An heritage site

The Trang An Landscape Complex covers a total area of 12,251 hectares. It consists of a system of submerged caves with nearly 100 caves. They all connect with each other and create a labyrinth of magnificent caves. 

According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, biodiversity in Trang An is reflected by various species and genes of many rare animals and plants.

In terms of plants, up to 134 plant families with 577 species are found here, including 10 species listed in the Red Book of Vietnam, and seven new species recorded in Vietnam for the first time.

In addition, there are around 311 vascular plant species that can used as herbal  medicines.

Trang An is also enriched with different kinds of animals, including rare and endangered speices such as Delacour's langur, civet, pangolin, otters, striped tortoise, heron lesser whistling duck, crowing crest snake, and earth phoenix.

Bui Viet Thang, Vice Director of the Trang An Landscape Complex Management Board, said Trang An has a special location where many different types of animals and plants live together, creating high biodiversity. A typical limestone ecosystemhas created beautiful landscapes, contributing to tourism development and scientific research.

These have created momentum for the province's tourism development, thus restructuring the economy, generating more jobs and increasing incomes for local residents.

In order to protect biodiversity in the Trang An heritage site, in the past few year, the management board has cooperated with the management board of Hoa Lu special use forest to carry out a wide range of measures to preserve biodiversity; restrict activities that could cause bad affects on the environment, such as establishing an inter-sectoral group to inspect violations; release rare animals back to nature; plant trees to minimise the danger of extinction.

Moreover, the management board has also worked with scientists to study, evaluate and zone off areas that have high biodiversity value so as to manage and preserve effectively.

At the same time, the management board has also coordinated with relevant sectors, branches and units to communicate and improve the awareness of the local community in protecting cultural, historical and biodiversity values of Trang An.

However, some experts said that infrastructure has failed to catch up with rapid tourism development. Especially, fast urbanization and effects of climate change could result in environmental pollution and ecosystem degradation in the heritage area.

The infrastructure investment might change the heritage area's landscape and threatens the natural habitat of animals.

Business and service activities have changed local resident's life and caused more pressure on wild animals due to  poaching, smuggling and forest fires.

In addition, tourism activities in the heritage area could produce a huge amount of waste and wastewater that could cause environmental pollution and ruin the natural habitats for plants and animals.

In an attempt to upholding the values of biodiversity in Trang An to serve tourism and socio-economic development, and improve living conditions of local people, administrations at all levels, sectors, localities, tourist areas and travel companies need to pay special attention to the preservation work.

Translated by Nguyen Thuy