Cat Tien National Park is located in the core zone of Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest and richest forest areas remaining in southern Vietnam, located at the end of the Truong Son range, a transition area between mountainous terrain of the Truong Son range down to the southeastern plain. This area has extremely diverse and rich ecosystems, a place to store and conserve genetic resources of rare forest animals and plants. Cat Tien National Park(CTNP) is also an important area of the Dong Nai river basin leading down to the densely populated areas of Ho Chi Minh City.
Dong Nai River flows through CTNP for about 82 km long, forming a natural boundary surrounding 1/3 of the park’s perimeter to the North, West, and East. There are many large and small streams inside the Park. All streams flow into the Dong Nai River. The entire area of CTNP is the direct basin of Tri An hydroelectric lake. The southern part of the Park is an adjacent basin to the lake. Hydrological characteristic of CTNP includes rivers, streams, rapids, valleys, swamps, and semi-wetland areas, increasing the value of biodiversity and enhancing the natural landscape of CTNP.
Conservation
The main mission of the Park is to conserve and promote the intact values of the forest ecosystem and endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna. However, threats still present such as hunting, trapping (low level), climate change, and alien plants invading wetlands. Therefore, the Park has developed a long-term biodiversity management and conservation plan. The Park has various forest protection types such as ranger stations that patrol and protect the assigned area. At the same time, each ranger is responsible for each area. The forest rangers are equipped with guns, support tools, and equipment to work. CTNP signed a forest protection cooperation agreement with 22 communes in the buffer zone. The local people have benefited directly from the forest protection contract and income from the Forest Environmental Services Payment. The reintroduction Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) program at the Ramsar site: Crocodile Lake site was successful. The program was implemented from 2000-2005, the Park released 60 adult crocodiles after DNA testing and training to restore their natural living condition (food as living fishes). Currently, the crocodile population has recovered and developed sustainably into 348 individuals. The Siamese crocodile is endemic to the world and Vietnam. Currently, they can only be seen in CTNP, Vietnam. Biodiversity research and monitoring are carried out by CTNP and in collaboration with domestic and foreign experts. Annually, the National Park monitors some key species such as Flora: Afzelia xylocarpa, Dalbergia oliveri. Fauna: Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor), Gaur (Bos gaurus), … small carnivores, water birds, Phasianidae, … Applying traditional methods integrated with modern technologies such as SMART, flycam, and GPS in patrolling and monitoring. Apply the Management Effectiveness Evaluation Tool (METT4), mapping of GPS big trees for protection. Conserve wildlife populations such as Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Common Barking Deer (Muntiacus muntjak), Lesser Oriental Chevrotain (Tragulus javanicus), Monitoring Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica) after reintroduction. Conserve primate fauna such as Pygmy Slow Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus), Annamese Silver Langur (Trachypithecus margarita), Black-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nigripes), Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae) and Monkeys with stable populations and numbers of individuals growing every year. Conserve bird fauna, especially Phasianidae family, water birds, raptors birds, and Hornbills. Improve habitats annually such as the grassland for ungulates and the Ramsar Site – Crocodile Lake program for Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), waterbirds, and aquatic flora and fauna effectively. Diversify revenue sources and develop eco-tourism. Internationally cooperate, develop projects to increase resources for biodiversity conservation. Currently, there are still many risks that impact forest resources such as illegal hunting and trapping, climate change, and alien species invasive on wetlands. CTNP is a unique site in Vietnam where can be easily observed ungulates, primates, and large birds in the wild.
CTNP prioritizes all solutions to protect the core area of CTNP and the Dong Nai World Biosphere Reserve, conserve the intact value of forest ecosystems and biodiversity, improve the quality of forest habitats, and effectively pay for Forest Environmental Services.
1. Reintroduction of the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) population Program at the Ramsar Site – Crocodile Lake successfully.2. Improve habitat and monitor key species annually.
3. CTNP is a unique site in Vietnam where wildlife can be easily observed, that includes ungulates (Samba deer, red muntjact, chevrotain), primates (Yellow cheeked gibbon, Black-shranked douc langur, Annamese silvered langur, lorisses, maccaques), large birds (hornbills, pheasants, green peafowl, partridges… in their natural habitats.
Key Ecosystem Services Values of the region: Water supply, Pollination,
Good governance
CTNP is located in three provinces: Dong Nai, Lam Dong, and Binh Phuoc. CTNP is directly managed by the Forest Protection Department – Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FPD/MARD), with the participation of authorities at all levels of the People’s Committees in Dong Nai, Lam Dong, and Binh Phuoc provinces and local communities living around the National Park. The demarcation has been clearly defined on maps and in the field and there are no land disputes for the local community. The Park’s functions, tasks, and powers are clearly defined by legal documents.
The Management Plans are developed in full consultation with local authorities, and communities. The National Park has a long-term Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) for the next 10 years (2021-2030) to conserve and promote the basic values of the National Park.
1. The functions, tasks, and powers of the Park have been stipulated in legal documents.
2. Community consultation is a mandatory process to develop the Park’s Sustainable Forest Management Plan and Management Plans.
3. The Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) is a long-term management plan (2021-2030) to conserve and promote the basic values of the National Park.
Community benefits
CTNP is interested in developing the buffer zone (map here) to create stable livelihoods for local people, reduce human impact on the core zone, and conserve local traditional cultural values. Every year, the Park organizes seminars and workshops to raise awareness to change the habit of using products from wildlife and organizes discussion sessions. In 2022, there are 7 such events were organized, including 5 at village level 2 at commune level, with the community to resolve issues arising in participatory conservation. Communities living in buffer zones have benefited from livelihood and infrastructure support programs of the Vietnam Government and international projects. They can be involved in the forest protection contract and have income from payments for forest environmental services (PFES). Some villages are involved in community-based tourism (homestay), and income from their traditional products (handicrafts, back-basket weaving). Some villages have supported high-value trees (cashew nut, durian, avocado), and intensive pasture for cattle breeding, food, and medicinal mushroom cultivation. Village Livelihood Development Funds were established in 2012 in Ta Lai Commune and 2021 in Dong Nai Thuong Commune . The local employees are given priority in recruiting for the National Park. Within 219 tenured staffs, 150 are from local communities with estimated 30% are of ethnic minority. The local people are learned about the Forestry Law and forbidden activities. In case of violation of the Forestry Law, violators will be handled at the village and commune levels. Villages having violators will not benefit from community development projects of CTNP, which are nominated and voted for in the community gatherings. This creates a system of controlling and balancing themselves without much need for strong external law enforcement.
1. Reduce human impact on the core area and conserve local traditional cultural values.
2. Contracted forest protection, community-based tourism, developing local traditional products, supporting the high-value trees, and intensive pasture for cattle breeding.
3. Organize the discussion sessions (village level) and dialogue forums (commune level) with the community.
Cat Tien National Park is located in the core zone of Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest and richest forest areas remaining in southern Vietnam, located at the end of the Truong Son range, a transition area between mountainous terrain of the Truong Son range down to the southeastern
plain. This area has extremely diverse and rich ecosystems, a place to store and conserve genetic resources of rare forest animals and plants. Cat Tien National Park is also an important area of the Dong Nai river basin leading down to the densely populated areas of Ho Chi Minh City.
The wetland area of Cat Tien National Park was recognized as a RAMSAR site in 2005 with a total area of 13,759 hectares, including islands and surrounding vegetation areas. The actual area flooded during the rainy season is estimated to be 5,360 hectares. At the peak of the dry season, the water
surface area is only 151 hectares.
Crocodile lake is located in the core zone of the RAMSAR site, has 4 basic values: ecology, environment and biodiversity; scientific research; Socioeconomic; landscape, education, tourism. Among them, the greatest value is ecology, environment and biodiversity because it is an inland freshwater area surrounded by natural forests. Bau Sau is located in the core zone of the World Biosphere Reserve, so it is less affected by adverse factors of weather, environment, and
people, so the number of species and individuals of each species is increasing day by day.
There is currently no population living in the park: after implementing the boundary planning project in 2013.
The buffer zone has 22 communes and towns in 8 districts of 4 provinces Dong Nai, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc and Dak Nong.
The buffer zone is located inside the core area of the National Park. Dong Nai Thuong commune (87% Ma ethnic group). Phuoc Cat 2 commune has Village 3
(S’tieng ethnic group), Village 4 (Ma ethnic group). The Kinh ethnic group makes up the majority in the buffer zone communes, in addition to the Ma, S’tieng, Cho Ro (indigenous) ethnic groups, and the Tay, Nung, and Dao ethnic groups who have migrated freely from the northern provinces since the
1990s.
The ethnic minority communities are given priority in forest protection contract. The National Park has regulations guiding the implementation of forest management contracts, including Article 8.2.b, which gives priority to local ethnic minorities.
Vietnam EAGL confirms the proposal for Cat Tien National Park has met 17 criteria and 50 indicators of GL Standard. At the first assessment meeting by EAGL in April 2023, there were 15 indicators needed additional information (comments by the Reviewer). All of comments were resolved in the second EAGL meeting in November 2023, all evidences were uploaded to the COMPASS portal and confirmed by the Reviewer. The details as following: 1. 1.1.3: Provide additional illustrative photos; clarify further the text on the mechanism recognizing the legitimate rights of local communities 2. 1.1.4: Are there any documents clearly proving the actual involvement of all relevant parties, community representatives (minutes of meetings); Need to supplement regulations, documents proving the full participation of all stakeholders; 3. 1.1.5: The grassroots democratic regulations have been turned into law, so it is necessary to update the Law into evidence. 4. 1.2.1: Provide the PA Business Plan implementation including financial reports, payment; More transparent information on the website, need to ensure the links to download some documents on the CT website are broken 5. 1.2.2: The procedures need to be more practical for ethnic minorities to access 6. 1.2.4: Provide the 2023 PFES report and explanation for the late payment of BVR money 7. 1.3.1: need to provide internal monitoring and evaluation documents in the planning process; 1.3.2: Supplement Decree 06/2022 on reducing GHG emissions and protecting the OZONE layer; 8. 1.3.3: Provide regulations on applying report results to develop plans 9. 2.1.4: Provide Atlas (link to indices) 10. 2.2.3: Provide more research on insects 11. 3.1.4: Provide supporting activities and capacity building carried out by non-state partners 12. 3.1.6: Need to reaffirm that no financial barriers are seen in the future due to stabilizing the financial solution; Need to update revenue results up to 2022 13. 3.5.3: Need to write clearly the Minutes describing the boundaries of the parties involved; Supplement photos of boundary markers, natural boundaries 14. 3.7.2: Provide photos, videos and actual data to demonstrate reliability 15. 4.3.1: Provide the project report results of Dong Nai Thuong Most of the comments were addressed adequately and noted in the meeting and recorded in the meeting minute by Implementing Partner. The remaining information requested by EAGLE have been provided and updated on COMPASS by CTNP in November 2023.
Decision
The EAGL recommends green list certification of NLNP.
