Description

The International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Núi Chúa National Park in the central province of Ninh Thuận and Kon Hà Nừng Plateau in the Central Highlands province of Gia La as global biosphere reserves on 15th September in Nigeria.

Núi Chúa is located at 1,000 meters height above sea level and is considered a green lung of Ninh Thuận province. The biosphere reserve is home to a typical and unique dry forest ecosystem in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Núi Chúa has approximately 20,000 hectares of primeval forests, 300 animal species, 600 plant species.

Núi Chúa biosphere reserve. Photo: VNA. Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn 

Kon Hà Nùng Plateau has a closed subtropical humid evergreen forest ecosystem and is home to hundreds of animal and plant species. The biosphere reserve includes the National Park of Kon Ka Kinh and the Natural Reserve of Kon Chư Răng.

Kon Hà Nừng biosphere reserve. Photo: Trần Hòa, Kon Chư Răng Natural Reserve. Source: https://vnexpress.net 

Vietnam has so far a total of 11 global biosphere reserves including Cần Giờ Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Đồng Nai Biosphere Reserve, Cát Bà Biosphere Reserve, Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve, Kiên Giang Biosphere Reserve, Western Nghệ An Biosphere Reserve, Mũi Cà Mau Biosphere Reserve, Cù Lao Chàm – Hội An Biosphere Reserve, Langbiang Biosphere Reserve, Núi Chúa Biosphere Reserve, and Kon Hà Nừng Plateau Biosphere Reserve. It has become one of the countries with the largest number of the world biosphere reserves and is ranked the second position in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia with 19 biosphere reserves. Up to now, there are 727 UNESCO biosphere reserves in 131 countries and territories.

Sources & further information: “Viet Nam has two more global biosphere reserves” at http://news.chinhphu.vn, “Vietnam has two new UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves” at https://e.vnexpress.net, “Vietnam’s biosphere reserves earn UNESCO recognition” at https://en.vietnamplus.vn, “Khu dự trữ sinh quyển thế giới ở Tây Nguyên” at https://vnexpress.net, accessed on 20 September 2021.