A red-shanked douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) at the Sơn Trà Nature reserve of Đà Nẵng. The central city has approved a Master Plan on biodiversity conservation in 2030. — Photo courtesy GreenViet

ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city’s people's committee has approved the Master Plan on biodiversity conservation in 2030 in line with long-term socio-economic and sustainable development goals.

The city said the plan, which was officially approved last week, would include funds of nearly VNĐ100 billion (US$4.4 million) to cover the cost of conservation, forest protection and afforestation as well as establishing new reserves on an area of 43,722ha.

Following the plan, current nature reserves of Sơn Trà, Bà Nà-Núi Chúa and Nam Hải Vân, or South Hải Vân forest, will be key priorities for strict protection in biosphere reserves, natural landscape protection, herb and botanical gardens covering 37,534ha.

The Bà Nà-Núi Chúa nature reserve would be promoted as a National Park, while the Sơn Trà reserve and the South Hải Vân special use forest will be kept as two nature reserves.

A core zone of the three reserves of Sơn Trà, Bà Nà-Núi Chúa and Nam Hải Vân forest and 10,979ha of the Đà Nẵng Bay would be a new biosphere reserve to protect endangered species.

The Master Plan also includes a botanical garden in the Bà Nà-Núi Chúa reserve and a 10ha herb garden in the Sơn Trà reserve.

Two lakes - Hòa Trung and Đồng Xanh-Đồng Nghệ - will be protected landscape zones, including wetlands and endangered species conservation sites.

A 1,000-year-old tree in the forest of Sơn Trà in Đà Nẵng city. More new reserves would be promoted in Đà Nẵng in the coming years. — VNS Photo Công Thành

The city assigned two departments for the Master Plan.

It said the protection of the nature reserves and promotion of new reserves and protected natural areas will aim to build rich biodiversity conservation corridors with neighbouring Thừa Thiên-Huế and Quảng Nam as well as the central highlands and south central provinces in the future.

According to the city, the Master Plan on biodiversity conservation would help promote eco-tourism services while protecting the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

The Sơn Trà reserve,10km from the city, is home to more than 1,300 red-shanked douc langurs - the world’s biggest population of the endangered primate listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

A view of the Hải Vân Pass in the Nam Hải Vân special use forest in Đà Nẵng. The area was included in the city's Master Plan on biodiversity conservation. — VNS Photo Công Thành

The reserve, which is 600m above sea level, is known for its rich biodiversity, with 387 animal species and 1,010 plant species.

Meanwhile, 626 animal species and 793 plant species, including the endangered northern buffed-cheeked gibbon and Edwards’s pheasant were reported living in the Bà Nà-Núi Chúa reserve.

The two reserves of Sơn Trà and Bà Nà-Núi Chúa are the ‘green lungs’ of Đà Nẵng, supplying millions of tonnes of oxygen to residents and tourists.

Đà Nẵng plans to become a ‘green’ and ‘smart’ city by 2025. — VNS