Côn Đảo National Park in HCM City has been admitted to IUCN Green List until 2030.— VNA/VNS Photo Huỳnh Sơn

HCM CITY — Côn Đảo National Park in HCM City has joined a growing group of protected and conserved areas that meet all the rigorous requirements of the Green List Standard of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Phạm Hồng Lượng, Deputy Director of the Việt Nam Forestry Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, made the announcement.

In an email to Côn Đảo National Park team, IUCN conveyed their thanks to the management staff, partners and stakeholders who have made this possible.

They also highly acknowledge the work of the mentors, experts, World Commission on Protected Areas members, Expert Assessment Group for the Green List and independent reviewers who have ensured a quality submission and a rigorous process.

As one of the exemplary sites around the world, IUCN encourages Côn Đảo National Park team to promote it as an IUCN Green Listed site, and to offer examples our their work and experiences to other sites in Việt Nam and around the world to help them enhance their governance and management, as well as to strengthen their relevant capacities.

In the next few days, IUCN will share the news of Côn Đảo National Park’s achievement with their members and stakeholders, in addition to reflecting its status on the Green List website. They will also provide further suggestions on appropriate ways to promote and refer to the site.

The IUCN Green List certification is valid for five years, during which a mid-term review will be conducted to validate continued alignment with the standards. The IUCN also advises Côn Đảo to continue updating the progress of meeting the requirements to maintain its status until 2030.

According to Deputy Director of the Việt Nam Forestry Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Phạm Hồng Lượng, the inclusion of Côn Đảo National Park in the IUCN Green List until 2030 is an important milestone.

This is not only a recognition but also a testament to the efforts to fulfill commitments to biodiversity conservation and the natural values in Việt Nam as well as in Côn Đảo National Park.

Lượng said: “At the same time, this also represents a responsibility for Côn Đảo to continue maintaining, consolidating, and enhancing the achievements that have been made.

"This event reaffirms Việt Nam’s strong commitment to achieving global goals for nature conservation, climate change response, and sustainable development."

With its outstanding achievements and long-term orientation, Côn Đảo National Park is gradually asserting its pioneering role in Việt Nam’s conservation system, becoming a model for balancing conservation and development in the Asia-Pacific region.

The park covers an area of over 15,000 hectares of land and nearly 14,000 hectares of marine area, regarded as one of the most important marine and island conservation areas in Việt Nam.

Nearly 2,000 hectares of coral reefs are distributed in the waters of Côn Đảo National Park. — VNA/VNS Photo.

It is home to a diverse ecosystem of special-use forests, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests, playing a key role in ecological balance and climate change adaptation.

Côn Đảo is famous for being the largest sea turtle nesting site in the country, welcoming thousands of mother turtles each year to lay their eggs.

The park has implemented a sea turtle conservation programme for decades, resulting in millions of hatchlings being incubated and released into the ocean, contributing to the preservation of rare sea turtle populations in the Southeast Asian seas.

Côn Đảo National Park is also home to the dugong along with many species of dolphins and hundreds of other rich marine organisms, including corals. Monitoring, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts for wild animals are conducted regularly, helping to restore and sustainably protect the ecosystem.

Recent studies have also shown that the coral ecosystem in Côn Đảo has a good recovery rate, thanks to strict management measures and the increasing awareness of the community regarding conservation.

In addition to conservation efforts, the management team also focuses on developing eco-tourism linked to environmental education.

Experience programmes such as watching turtles lay eggs, visiting mangrove forests, snorkeling and exploring marine ecosystems are organised under strict control processes.

These initiatives not only create livelihoods for local people but also raise tourists' awareness of nature conservation. These models have contributed to affirming Côn Đảo's status as a unique destination, harmonising economic development with resource conservation.

Côn Đảo National Park team has continuously expanded international cooperation, working with various conservation organisations, research agencies, and development partners to enhance management capacity, apply advanced monitoring technologies, and share experiences.

Technical and financial support projects from international organisations not only help improve conservation effectiveness but also contribute to connecting the local community in efforts to protect forests, seas, and wildlife. VNS