Hanoi (VNA) – Bach Ma and Con Dao National Parks have been nominated to become the 54th and 55th ASEAN Heritage Parks at the 33rd ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on the Environment, held in Cambodia from October 3-7.

Accordingly, the nomination of the two Vietnamese parks, together with the Philippines’ Pasonanca Park and Mount Inayawan Range Natural Park, will be submitted to ASEAN Environment Ministers for approval. The certificate is expected to be handed over at the 17th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment.

The ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme, carried out since 2003, aims to conserve biodiversity in the areas of regional and international importance. The programme also serves to improve public awareness of the environment, and demonstrate the ASEAN people’s aspiration for nature conservation and sustainable development.

At present, Vietnam has 10 protected areas recognised as ASEAN Heritage Parks. They are Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong; Vu Quang National Park, which is located between Pu Mat National Park of Nghe An province and Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park of Quang Binh province in the central region; Lo Go – Xa Mat National Park in the southern province of Tay Ninh; Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum; Hoang Lien Son National Park in the northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau; Ba Be National Park in the northern province of Bac Kan; Bai Tu Long National Park in northern Quang Ninh province; Chu Mom Ray National Park in Kon Tum province; Kon Ka Kinh National Park in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai; and U Minh Thuong National Park in the southern province of Kien Giang.

If Bach Ma of Thua Thien Hue province and Con Dao of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province win the approval, the number will be raised to 12.

Bach Ma National Park spans a total area of 37,487ha across nine communes and two towns in Thua Thien-Hue province’s Phu Loc and Nam Dong districts, as well as Da Nang city’s Hoa Vang district.

With a favourable geographic location and mountains to heights of 1,000-1,440m, it has a stable temperature (16-22 degrees Celsius) and humidity all year round with annual rainfall averaging 3.4-4m.

Home to 16,900ha of primeval forests, it harbours 1,406 species of flora, including many rare types like cho chi (parashorea chinensis), kien (hopea pierrei hance), and go (afzelia xylocarpa). More than 300 precious herbal plants have been found here such as ba gac (rauvolfia verticillata), binh voi (stephania glabra miers), and la khoi (ardisia silvestris).

Bach Ma National Park is also home to 931 species of fauna – including 83 rare mammal species such as bear, leopard, tiger, and sao la (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis); 333 bird species; 31 reptile species; 21 frog species; 39 fish species; and 218 butterfly species.

The recognition of Bach Ma Park is expected to raise awareness of the value of ASEAN’s biodiversity and improve management and cooperation with other heritage parks in the network.

Meanwhile, the marine national park of Con Dao consists of 14 islands in the Con Son archipelago.

It is located in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, in the southeastern part of Vietnam.

Established in March 1993, the park covered an area of over 15,000ha, of which land makes up 6,000ha and sea 9,000ha.

World Bank listed Con Dao National Park as one of the areas of highest priority among the global system of marine protected areas.

In 2013, the park was the 2,203rd region to be recognised as a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention. It is also the sixth Ramsar site of Vietnam.

Con Dao is also considered one of a few national parks in the world with four forest and marine ecosystems.

This place is home to hundreds of types of vascular plants as well as many rare animal species./.