Effectiveness of the community model to protect Phong Nha - Ke Bang Natural Heritage

In 2003, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (new Quang Tri province) was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage. Since then, the preservation and conservation of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park has been supported by the local community. The lives of the people here have been sustainably linked to the Heritage.

Patrol teams determine directions and mark the points they have visited after patrolling and controlling Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Changing Perception

For many years, Mr. Tran Quoc Hen's family (Cu Lac 2 village, Phong Nha commune, Quang Tri province) has attached their lives to the forests in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park through contracting to care for and protect the forests. In particular, financial support sources such as forestry development sources and carbon credits have contributed to supporting the livelihood of Mr. Hen's family, helping him and local people to be more aware of their responsibility in protecting the forests.

Mr. Tran Quoc Hen said that in the past, when life was still difficult and people were not aware of the role of forest protection, they went into the forest to exploit forest products to build houses. However, in recent years, when the local government propagated and assigned forest protection contracts, people have realized the importance of forests and attached their responsibility to protecting forests and protecting the World Natural Heritage Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

According to Mr. Hen, on average, each month, he and the officers of the Forest and Heritage Protection Center (Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park) will patrol for at least 12 days, each patrol will go in groups of about 3 - 7 people, set up huts, eat and sleep in the forests. Each day, these patrol teams will walk about 10 - 15 km of forest roads to check the current state of the forest, prevent deforestation, and remove wild animal traps if any to protect wildlife.

Check the current status of forests, prevent deforestation, and remove wild animal traps if any to protect wildlife in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Mr. Hoang Ha (Phong Nha commune, Quang Tri province) shared that there are currently more than 300 other households in 35 villages and hamlets in the buffer zone and core zone adjacent to Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park that are contracting to take care of and protect the forest. People are increasingly aware of the importance of preserving and conserving the Heritage through specific activities such as forest protection. At the same time, this heritage also creates sustainable livelihoods and income for local people.

Not only preserving and protecting the heritage, each local person is also an "ambassador", actively introducing and promoting the image and value of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park through activities of transporting tourists , taking photos, selling souvenirs... From there, domestic and international tourists can understand more deeply about the image and core values of the heritage site, with majestic limestone mountains, diverse animals and plants and especially full potential for tourism development.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tinh, a boat driver at the Phong Nha - Ke Bang Tourism Center, shared: "In the past, we mainly lived by going to the forest and exploiting forest products. However, since Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park was recognized as a World Natural Heritage, we have changed our jobs and become boat drivers serving tourists on the Son River. This is not only a job that brings in a stable income through serving domestic and international tourists, but also an opportunity to introduce and promote the tourism and ecological values of this heritage land."

Government and people agree

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park World Natural Heritage has an area of 123,326 ha, including three sub-zones: Strictly protected zone (100,296 ha), ecological restoration zone (19,619 ha) and administrative service zone (3,411 ha). Phong Nha - Ke Bang is likened to a giant geological museum, including 447 caves with a total length of 246 km. Vegetation with 15 large habitat types, 21 important vegetation types; evergreen closed forest covers 93.5% of the area, of which over 90% is the largest tropical forest ecosystem on limestone mountains in Southeast Asia and most of it has not been affected.

In addition, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park also records 2,954 plant species belonging to 1,007 genera, 198 families, 62 orders, 11 classes, 6 phyla, of which 112 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 121 species are listed in the IUCN Red Book. In addition, this place also records 1,399 animal species belonging to 835 genera, 289 families; of which 84 species are listed in the Vietnam Red Book, 110 species are listed in the World Red Book.

Through tourist transport activities carrying passengers on the Son River to visit Phong Nha Cave, people also actively promote and introduce the image and value of the World Natural Heritage Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park.

Mr. Dinh Huy Tri, Deputy Director of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Management Board said: "Heritage value is a common value of humanity, and also a value of the community. Therefore, we identify the community as a subject, participating in the process of preserving and promoting heritage values; in which, heritage protection is based on 3 main values: Geology, geomorphology; ecosystem and biodiversity.

Over the years, local communities have directly participated in forest protection; local authorities have also organized communication activities on forest protection, environmental protection, biodiversity, forest fire prevention and control; created favorable conditions in terms of policies and mechanisms, mobilized support program and project resources to protect and develop forests sustainably and create income, solving livelihood problems for people.

The Deputy Director of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Management Board affirmed that local authorities and communities have realized that participating in heritage protection and its value brings direct benefits and income to the people. From there, people also actively participate in heritage protection and are highly appreciated by international organizations and leaders at all levels.

From a precarious life associated with illegal logging and forest product exploitation, today, households living around Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park have given up deforestation; instead, they plant and protect forests, serving tourism. People participate in protecting and enjoying the value of the heritage that nature has bestowed.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/van-hoa/hieu-qua-tu-mo-hinh-cong-dong-bao-ve-di-san-thien-nhien-phong-nha-ke-bang-20250714163229027.htm