Domestic and international experts gathered at a conference in the
central province of Quang Binh on May 23 to discuss the preservation and
promotion of scientific values of the World Heritage Site of Phong
Nha-Ke Bang National Park.
The park marked the
10th anniversary of its recognition as a World Natural Heritage Site on
geological and geomorphological criteria this month.
The conference heard 30 reports on measures to preserve and make use
of the park’s values, as well as the Heritage site’s impacts on local
socio-economic development.
The speakers also
discussed biological values of the site, looking towards an application
for another World Heritage title in terms of biodiversity, and the
sustainable development of tourism in the park.
Dr.
Tran Tien Dung, Vice Chairman of the Quang Binh People’s Committee said
the province has applied synchronous measures to conserve and develop
natural advantages of the site, while minimising the tourism overload.
Located in Bo Trach district, Phong Nha-Ke
Bang National Park covers an area of 85,754 hectares and a buffer
zone of 195,400 hectares. It is among the 238 most important
ecological zones in the world.
The property contains
and protects over 104 km of caves and underground rivers making it one
of the most outstanding limestone karst ecosystems in the world. The
karst formation has evolved since the Palaeozoic period (some 400
million years ago) and as such is the oldest major karst area in Asia.
A large number of faunal and floral species occur
within the property with 849 vertebrate species recorded. This
impressive level of biodiversity and species richness includes a number
of endemic species as well as threatened species including tiger,
Asiatic black bear, Asian elephant, giant muntjac, Asian wild dog, gaus
and the recently discovered sao la.
In particular, 19
new species have been discovered in the park, including 14 reptiles, an
amphibian, two kinds of scorpions and one bird.-VNA