A corner of the Son Tra Nature Reserve (Source: VNA)The consensus was reached at a scientific conference on theconservation and sustainable development of ecological systems on the Son TraPeninsula, held in Da Nang last weekend.
The conference saw 11 reports and research papers submitted onbiodiversity in the reserve as well as ideas and proposals for its sustainabledevelopment.
The scientists also agreed to petition the PM for stoppingconstruction of new buildings on and reviewing tourism plans for the reserve.
The conference followed up on concerns voiced by the public aswell as scientists when the Vietnam National Tourism Administration announced aplan to “develop” the reserve.
The reserve, which shrank from 4,400ha to 2,500ha to accommodateresorts and hotels between 1977 and 2014, would have to give up another 1,056hamore for the new plan that expects 1,600 luxury hotel rooms by 2030.
Of 25 hotels and resorts on the Son Tra Mountain that have beenapproved by the city, 18 are operating or under construction.
“The development of resorts and hotels as well as traffic routes,has interrupted the movement of wild species including the endangeredRed-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) living in the reserve,”said Dr Ha Thang Long, head of the representative office of the Frankfurt ZoologicalSociety (FZS) in Vietnam.
He said construction of the InterContinental Da Nang Sun PeninsulaResort had separated the west and east sides of the reserve, interrupting themovement of wildlife animals including the Red-shanked douc langurs.
Director of the Southern Institute of Ecology, Luu Hong Truong,said the Son Tra Nature Reserve, 10km away from the Da Nang centre, was reallyunique in Vietnam and the world, with its biodiversity ranging from primaryforests to ocean with more than 1,000 plants and 370 animal species.
Dr Nguyen Xuan Hoa of the Nha Trang Oceanography Institute said 42percent of coral reefs in the reserve had disappeared in the past decade (from80.9ha in 2006 to 46.9ha in 2016) in sea area off Da Nang due to constructionprojects, pollution and over-fishing.
Hoa said coral reefs in the north of the Son Tra peninsula (nearInterContinental Da Nang) had been almost entirely destroyed and 9ha of seabedbadly damaged.
According to the latest report from the centre for biodiversityresearch and conservation (GreenViet), more than 237 herds of red-shanked douclangurs, comprising over 1,300 individuals, are living in the Son Tra NatureReserve.
It said the development of buildings and poor control of tourismin the reserve would damage the ecological system which is an oxygen supplierfor 4.3 million people each day.
Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Huynh Tan Vinh, whohas sent a petition to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asking for changesto the Son Tra Master Plan, said the Son Tra Nature Reserve was precious notonly for Da Nang, but the whole of Vietnam.
He said it must be strictly protected with a special regimeinvolving responsible agencies and managers.
“We should protect the reserve before targeting tourism. The citycan maintain the reserve as a site for tourists interested in exploring primarynature,” Vinh said.
“The city can build hotels and resorts in the downtown and coastalareas, but not in the reserve, please,” he pleaded.
Vinh said Da Nang could allow the operation of already hotels andresorts already built, but a moratorium was needed on new projects in thereserve.
Dr Nguyen Manh Ha, from the Vietnam National Committee forMan and Biosphere (MAB), said part of the Son Tra Nature (2,591ha) can combinewith 2,269ha of the Nam Hai Van protective forest to form a biosphere reserve.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Chi Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam WetlandsAssociation, said the current management overlap regarding control of the SonTra Nature Reserve must be removed.
Nguyen Duc Tu of IUCN Vietnam said the organisation had sent aletter to the Prime Minister regarding its concerns about the tourism plans forthe Son Tra Reserve.
A National Assembly Deputy, Truong Trong Nghia, also said that allillegal constructions in the reserve should be demolished.
Last week, soil erosion caused by an illegally constructedvilla polluted the Tien Sa beach, and observers said a larger of the DaNang beach is likely to suffer similar pollution.-VNA
VNA
