An aerial view of the ancient coral reef at the Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve in Khánh Hòa Province. VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

KHÁNH HÒA — Khánh Hòa Province is stepping up efforts to protect the UNESCO-recognised Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve while harnessing its ecological assets to support sustainable tourism and livelihoods.

The management board of Núi Chúa–Phước Bình National Park is implementing a range of conservation initiatives that combine biodiversity protection with socio-economic development, aiming to preserve one of Việt Nam's most distinctive ecosystems while strengthening Khánh Hòa's position as a nature tourism destination.

Located in Vĩnh Hải Commune, the Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve covers more than 106,646ha, including a core zone of over 15,750ha, a buffer zone of more than 48,760ha and a transition zone exceeding 42,000ha.

In September 2021, UNESCO designated Núi Chúa National Park as the Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve in recognition of its exceptional ecological value.

The reserve is home to more than 1,500 plant species and 766 animal species, including over 50 listed as threatened in the Red Lists of both the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Việt Nam.

Its marine environment is equally diverse, encompassing three characteristic coastal ecosystems: coral reefs, seagrass beds and intertidal and mangrove habitats.

Unlike most protected areas in Việt Nam, the reserve experiences a hot, dry climate throughout the year and is regarded as the country's driest region due to its low annual rainfall and prolonged sunshine.

These harsh conditions have shaped a rare landscape where forests, marine ecosystems and semi-desert terrain coexist, creating habitats for many endemic and drought-adapted species, including valuable native thorny plants.

The reserve's more than 40 kilometres of coastline support one of Việt Nam's richest marine ecosystems. It hosts nesting sea turtles that return annually to lay eggs, while its nearshore waters contain the country's largest coastal coral reef system, with around 350 coral species.

A hatchling sea turtle makes its way to the ocean at Núi Chúa National Park in Vĩnh Hải Commune, Khánh Hòa Province. VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Thành

Núi Chúa is also renowned for its pristine beaches and spectacular coastal scenery.

Trần Văn Tiếp, deputy head of the Standing Committee of the Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve Steering Committee and director of Núi Chúa–Phước Bình National Park, said Khánh Hòa Province had established a dedicated management board to strengthen conservation while developing the reserve into a leading eco-tourism destination.

According to Tiếp, in addition to environmental education and public awareness campaigns, the management board is working with relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive biodiversity database and formulate management plans for endemic, endangered and rare terrestrial species.

The reserve is also participating in assessments under Việt Nam's National Action Plan for Sea Turtle Conservation.

Other ongoing initiatives include training programmes to strengthen conservation capacity, surveys of seagrass ecosystems and the launch of a captive breeding programme for the silver-backed chevrotain, the only hoofed mammal species endemic to Việt Nam.

Authorities are also preparing a conservation and development plan for the native Cà thá tree and contributing to a proposed ‘Green Wall’ project aimed at combating desertification and soil erosion while supporting Việt Nam's net-zero emissions commitment in the province's arid southern region.

Forest rangers conduct a patrol to protect forests in the Núi Chúa area of Vĩnh Hải Commune, Khánh Hòa Province. VNA/VNS Photo

Meanwhile, the management board is expanding botanical gardens, plant nurseries and marine wildlife rescue facilities to conserve endangered genetic resources and restore forest cover.

Comprehensive biodiversity surveys are also being carried out to produce updated ecological maps that will support future conservation planning.

Conservation linked to livelihoods

Communities living around the reserve's buffer zone, including Raglai, Chăm and Hoa ethnic groups, have long depended on the area's natural resources.

To create sustainable livelihoods while reducing pressure on protected forests, Khánh Hòa has promoted community-based ecotourism, conservation tourism and nature-based experiences.

The initiatives not only showcase the reserve's unique biodiversity but also generate income for local residents through tourism services, helping discourage illegal exploitation of resources in the core conservation zone.

Nguyễn Thành Trung, director of the Tourism and Environmental Education Centre under Núi Chúa–Phước Bình National Park, said the park welcomed more than 105,000 visitors during the first six months of 2026.

Beyond tourism revenue, he said, the growing number of visitors has helped raise public awareness of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.

In recent years, researchers and conservation organisations have increasingly chosen the reserve as a destination for scientific studies on natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

According to the Việt Nam National Committee for UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, Việt Nam now has 11 UNESCO-recognised World Biosphere Reserves, with Núi Chúa among the country's most ecologically distinctive.

The reserve is currently undergoing zoning adjustments to align with UNESCO's biosphere reserve management model and national legal requirements.

The revised zoning is expected to strengthen ecological connectivity between forest, coastal and marine ecosystems, improve ecosystem resilience, conserve valuable genetic resources, support sustainable tourism, scientific research and environmental education, enhance climate change adaptation and improve livelihoods for communities.

Despite these achievements, the management board acknowledged that implementing the reserve's management plan remains challenging due to limited financial resources and insufficient technical support from domestic and international partners.

Provincial authorities have therefore called for continued assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO and the MAB Việt Nam Programme to ensure the effective management and sustainable development of the Núi Chúa World Biosphere Reserve in the years ahead. — VNS