Cat Tien becomes the first national park in Viet Nam on the IUCN Green List

The park is the second Green List site in Vietnam, alongside Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, which was recognised in 2021.

Jake Brunner, Head of IUCN’s Lower Mekong Sub-region and Pham Xuan Thinh, Director of Cat Tien National Park present the certificate recognising Cat Tien National Park's inclusion in the IUCN Green List. — VNS Photo Tran Khanh An

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially recognised Cat Tiên National Park in southern Viet Nam as the 72nd addition to its prestigious Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas.

The park is the second Green List site in Viet Nam, along with Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, which was recognised in 2021.

"The park is the first national park in Viet Nam to be recognised as an IUCN Green List," said Pham Xuan Thinh, Director of Cat Tien National Park.

"This prestigious recognition underscores our commitment to preserving the unique biodiversity and natural heritage of Cat Tien."

Nguyen Quoc Tri, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: "This recognition opens opportunities for Viet Nam to elevate its efforts and collaborate with other conservation areas around the world in nature conservation."

Jake Brunner, Head of IUCN’s Lower Mekong Sub-region, remarked that “Achieving Green List status is not merely about pursuing a title, it represents a long-term commitment. The fact that two of the three Green List sites in Southeast Asia are in Viet Nam reflects the determination of Việt Nam's government to improve standards of protected area management.”

The effort is supported by the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity, part of the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation (VFBC) project – Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), World Wide Fund for Nature in Việt Nam (WWF-Việt Nam), in collaboration with IUCN.

Cat Tien National Park, on an area of more than 82,000ha in the provinces of Dong Nai, Lam Dong and Binh Phuoc, is a rich diverse natural site in Viet Nam.

It has implemented biodiversity monitoring since the early 2000s, with data on key species populations like birds, primates, deer, and crocodiles.

The national park has pursued IUCN Green List certification through rigorous efforts in conservation with community engagement since 2016.

Cat Tien Park's journey towards Green List certification began with an in-depth assessment of its conservation measures and monitoring, including habitat restoration and species conservation projects.

Educational programs and initiatives have been implemented to raise awareness about the importance of protecting natural resources and local community members have been involved in conservation activities, providing them with sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Furthermore, Cat Tien National Park has strengthened its management practices by enhancing its monitoring and enforcement capabilities.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List is a global initiative for successful nature conservation, aiming to recognise and increase the number of protected and conserved areas that deliver long-lasting conservation results for people and nature.

It offers an assured verification process, awarding certificates to sites that can demonstrate that they meet and maintain the full set of 17 globally consistent criteria and 50 indicators that address four themes: good governance, sound design and planning, effective management and successful conservation outcomes.

At its heart is the Green List Sustainability Standard, which provides a global benchmark for how to meet the protected and conserved area management challenges of the 21st century.

There are more than 300 engaged sites around the world, of which 108 are formally committed to the IUCN Green List.

Việt Nam has been one of the first countries in Asia to adopt the Green List since 2015, along with China and the Republic of Korea.

The project sites participating in the IUCN Green List programme in Viet Nam also include Cuc Phuong National Park, Phong Nha-Ke Bàng National Park, Vu Quang National Park, Bach Ma National Park, Dong Chau-Khe Nuoc Trong Nature Reserve, Song Thanh National Park, Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park.

Two other sites, Con Dao National Park and Pu Mat National Park, are in the registration and application phase.

(Source: VNS)