Sustainably Protecting and Exploiting Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve

Vietnam has 167 nature reserves but few draw as much interest as Lung Ngoc Hoang when it was officially visited by late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet (in 1999) and incumbent Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (in 2022). This is an honor as well as a heavy responsibility, said Mr. Lu Xuan Hoi, Director of the Management Board of Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve. The board always strives to safeguard precious values and facilitate organizations and individuals to study and rationally and sustainably exploit this sacred land and natural treasure.   

In 1999, the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet visited the former war zone and advocated for the creation of the Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve. The photo captured in a video clip

“Green lung" for the Mekong Delta

Located in Phuong Binh commune, Phung Hiep district, only 40km from the heart of Can Tho City, Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve is a place to preserve biodiversity of the typical wetland ecosystem of the Mekong Delta.

According to author Nham Hung (whose hometown is Phung Hiep district), this lowland area adjoins the East Sea (along the Hau River) and the West Sea (along the Cai Lon River). In the past, it was a flooded wild reed area, called Phuong Ninh area by the French. Land reclaimers in the past believed that only Heaven could create such a large swamp, so it was called "God-created swamp" or Lung Ngoc Hoang.

According to author Nham Hung (whose hometown is Phung Hiep district), this lowland area adjoins the East Sea (along the Hau River) and the West Sea (along the Cai Lon River). In the past, it was a flooded wild reed area, called Phuong Ninh area by the French. Land reclaimers in the past believed that only Heaven could create such a large swamp, so it was called "God-created swamp" or Lung Ngoc Hoang.

According to the book "Can Tho Geography" (2003), "lung" or "bung" in the native language refers to wetlands with many wild trees. More than 120 years ago, people came here to reclaim it. Before 1945, some landlords hired people to raise and catch fish. Lung Ngoc Hoang became a revolutionary base during the two resistance wars against the French and Americans. From 1983, by Phuong Ninh Forest Enterprise planted melaleuca trees, exploited aquatic resources and protected the environment here. In 2002, Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve was established to preserve the indigenous endemic wetland ecosystem of the Mekong Delta.

Lung Ngoc Hoang has three main subdivisions: The strictly protected subdivision of 1,015.32 ha, the ecological restoration subdivision of 937.11 ha and the administrative services subdivision of 853.32 ha. It also has a buffer zone of 8,836.07 ha.

According to some surveys, Lung Ngoc Hoang is home to 976 animal and plant species, including 352 higher plant species, 57 fungus species, 59 benthic animal species, 62 spider species, 100 insect species, 13 mollusk species, 173 algae species, 75 fish species, 72 bird species, eight amphibian species, 31 reptile species and 14 mammal species. Many rare species of flora and fauna are recorded in Vietnam and world red books such as Elaeocarpus hygrophilus kurz and brownbeard rice (Oryza rufipogon griff). Biodiversity is very attractive to scientists, managers and tourists. Lung Ngoc Hoang gradually becomes a “treasure” of Hau Giang province and the Mekong Delta.

Lung Ngoc Hoang offers a breathtaking view of nature’s beauty

The sacred land and historic visits by senior leaders

For a long time, Lung Ngoc Hoang has been very impressive to both residents and visitors. Places of interest here are mentioned by word of mouth: Why are you wasting your time waiting for fame/Going back to Long Phung Canal to catch fish to take care of me or You have been to Long Phung for a long time/When I return without a pigeon-shaped pin, I'm sad or a poem: Back to Lung Ngoc Hoang (by musician Vinh Phuc) or traditional songs like Tales from Lung Ngoc Hoang (by author Phuc Lam) and  Stay overnight at Lung Ngoc Hoang (by poet Truc Linh Lan) and many other artistic works. During the two resistance wars, the sacred land of Lung Ngoc Hoang hosted revolutionary bases of Ba Bai and Phuong Binh and a battlefield where late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet worked and fought for many years.

Mr. Lu Van Dien, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Can Tho Province (present-day Can Tho City and Hau Giang Province), said: In the 1990s, Mr. Sau Dan (common name of late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet) asked Dien to show the map of Lung Ngoc Hoang to consider best development options. In 1998, Mr. Sau Dan (the then advisor to the Party Central Committee) inspected from Ca Mau to Can Tho by helicopter flying over Lung Ngoc Hoang and was surprised at the thick cajuput forests below. Then, he directly visited and proposed a preservation plan. In 1999, he came back to press on the implementation of the plan. In 2022, Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve was established to become a "green lung" of the Mekong Delta as it is today.

Lung Ngoc Hoang has great potential for tourism development with many types of sightseeing and leisure. To exploit this potential effectively, apart from calling for businesses to study and explore investment opportunities, Hau Giang province launched an ecotourism development project in Lung Ngoc Hoang Natural Reserve (Decision 1015/QD-UBND dated June 7, 2021). In response to the above policy, some businesses committed to investing a lot of money to turn this place into a prominent tourist destination of the province and region.

On his business trip to Hau Giang in July 2022, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conducted a field survey in Lung Ngoc Hoang and was introduced the history, potential and plans to “wake up the sleeping beauty” of the province. After that, the Government Office conveyed the Prime Minister's instructions: Lung Ngoc Hoang is a rare and valuable asset of Hau Giang province and the Mekong Delta region and carries ecological and natural values associated with heroic revolutionary history and tradition as it used to be a revolutionary base of the province. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve and protect primary forests and forest environments strictly, scientifically and effectively. The Prime Minister also assigned central agencies to support Hau Giang province in building specific and effective Lung Ngoc Hoang eco-tourism project. Director Lu Xuan Hoi said: The Prime Minister's instructions are very clear: Priority should be given to conservation and protection and Lung Ngoc Hoang must be exploited reasonably, effectively and sustainably.

Sustainable development

Over the past two decades, Lung Ngoc Hoang has been strictly protected by the entire local political system, especially the coordination of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Forest Protection Department, the Fire Police Department, the Provincial Police, Phung Hiep district and related communes. In particular, a specialized board under the Provincial People's Committee was established and maintained while investment resources were allocated for researching, conserving and constructing canals, building a fire watch tower made from reinforced concrete, and procuring high-capacity machinery and equipment in response to emergencies.

With its assigned responsibilities, the Management Board of Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve always raises the sense of responsibility and fulfils its tasks well, especially around-the-clock patrolling and observation. At the same time, the board coordinates with related agencies to propagate and raise awareness of fire prevention and supports 14 people's self-management teams and five forest fire prevention teams. Hence, no forest fires have occurred since 2011.

The board also checks salinity and water levels in forest plots; investigates and evaluates current biodiversity status and evolutions of some plant species; and proposes adding new species to the Vietnam Red Book. By effectively managing the gallery (90 plant specimens and 81 animal specimens), the board has worked with professional agencies and media to record existing animal and plant species and promote Lung Ngoc Hoang to call for ecotourism investment.

The board also proposed that the province and relevant branches soon invest in essential infrastructure such as the Ecotourism Operation Center, large meeting rooms and facilities for tourists and sent employees to attend professional development training in tourism services.

In addition, the board has worked with relevant bodies to advise developing transportation infrastructure such as roads from Provincial Road 927 to Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve and waterways from Nga Bay City to the administrative subdivision of the Nature Reserve. In particular, the agency has jointly advised the Provincial People's Committee to launch the ecotourism project for Lung Ngoc Hoang Nature Reserve. The project is being considered and commented on by central agencies under the direction of the Prime Minister.

In the coming time, the board will continue to work with related bodies to review forest land areas converted to suitable purposes (according to the Prime Minister’s Decision 326/QD-TTg dated March 9, 2022). Besides, it will continue to cooperate and share information to facilitate investors to study, operate and develop Lung Ngoc Hoang more harmoniously and sustainably.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum