Chu Hoa Proposed Nature Reserve
| Alternative site name(s) None Province(s) Dak Lak Area 17,360 ha Coordinates 12°30' - 12°45'N, 108°35' - 108°47'E Agro-ecological zone Central Highlands Decreed by government No Management board established No |
Investment plan prepared No VCF eligibility criteria met A, B Social screening criteria met None Conservation needs assessment prepared No Operational management plan prepared No Tracking tool completed No Yes |
Management history
Chu Hoa is not listed on any government decree regarding the national Special-use Forests system (MARD 1997). However, a proposal to establish a nature reserve at Chu Hoa was made by Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee, by Decision No. 157/QD-UB dated 5 March 1994. Following this decision, the provincial people’s committee assigned the provincial DARD to prepare a nature reserve investment plan, in collaboration with the regional Forest Inventory and Planning Sub-institute and experts from the forestry college. The ensuing investment plan was approved by Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee on 19 December 1994, following Decision No. 1697/UB. The investment plan gave the total area of the nature reserve as 17,360 ha (Anon. 1994).
To date, however, a management board has not been established, and MARD has made an official decision to revise the management category of Chu Hoa from Special-use Forest to watershed protection forest. Consequently, Chu Hoa is not included on a list of Special-use Forests to be established by the year 2010, prepared by the FPD of MARD (FPD 2003).
Topography and hydrology
Chu Hoa proposed nature reserve is located in M'Drac, Ea Kar and Krong Bong districts in the southern Annamite mountains. The proposed nature reserve is situated in the transition zone between the high mountains of the Da Lat plateau and the lower plateau of central Dak Lak province. The topography of the proposed nature reserve is characterised by medium-sized mountains. Several of these mountains, including Mount Chu Hoa, after which the proposed nature reserve is named, reach elevations of over 900 m. However, the average elevation of the proposed nature reserve is around 500 m. The proposed nature reserve is drained by the Krong Pach river and its tributaries. This river forms part of the catchment of the Srepok river.
Biodiversity values
Below 600 m, the forest at Chu Hoa proposed nature reserve is dominated by tree species in the Dipterocarpaceae family, including Dipterocarpus alatus, D. turbinatus, D. obtusifolus, Hopea odorata and Shorea siamensis, although Ormosia balansae and Pterocarpus macrocarpus are also present. At higher elevations, the forest is dominated by Sindora sp., Ormosia sp., Cassia siamea and Garcinia sp. In areas that have been logged or cleared for shifting cultivation, regenerating forest is present, while scrub and grassland are found on abandoned agricultural land and in areas where the forest has been totally cleared (Anon. 1994).
A field survey of Chu Hoa proposed nature reserve, conducted during the preparation of the investment plan, documented a total of 353 plant species. Eight of these plant species are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam. In addition, this survey recorded a total of 53 species of mammal, 135 species of bird, and 41 species of amphibian and reptile. These include several globally threatened and near-threatened species, such as Asian Black Bear Ursus thibetanus and Siamese Fireback Lophura diardi (Anon. 1994). In April 1998, Brickle et al. (1998) recorded the globally vulnerable restricted-range species Germain's Peacock Pheasant Polyplectron germaini in Ea Trang commune, M'Drak district, just outside of Chu Hoa proposed nature reserve. This record indicates that Chu Hoa is situated in the South Vietnamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Areas (Stattersfield et al. 1998).
Conservation issues
The principal threats to biodiversity at Chu Hoa proposed nature reserve are logging and conversion of forest to coffee plantations. Other pressures include hunting and over-exploitation of forest resources by the local population, which is expanding due to high levels of in-migration. The original inhabitants of the Chu Hoa area were the Ede ethnic group. Now, however, the Ede only comprise 15% of the human population, which has been swelled by members of the Kinh, Nung and San Chi ethnic groups, who have migrated from provinces in northern Vietnam (Anon. 1994).
Other documented values
The forest within the proposed nature reserve has an important role in protecting the catchment of the Krong Pach river. This river and the Krong Ana river, of which it is a tributary, are the main sources of irrigation water for a large area of coffee and pepper plantations in southern Dak Lak province.
Related projects
No information.
Conservation needs assessment
A conservation needs assessment has not been conducted for the site.
Operational management plan
An operational management plan has not been prepared for the site.
Eligibility against VCF criteria
Chu Hoa is currently ineligible for VCF support because it is not under appropriate conservation management.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| AI |
SA3 - Southern Annamites Main Montane Block |
| AII |
|
| BI |
Proposed Special-use Forest |
| BII |
Nature Reserve |
| BIII |
Under provincial management |
| CI |
|
| CII |
Social screening requirements
A social screening report has not been prepared for the site.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| A |
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| D |
Literature sources
Anon. (1994) [Investment plan for Chu Hoa Nature Reserve, Dak Lak province]. Buon Me Thuot: Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee. In Vietnamese.
Brickle, N., Nguyen Cu, Ha Quy Quynh, Nguyen Thai Tu Cuong and Hoang Van San (1998) The status and distribution of Green Peafowl Pavo muticus in Dak Lak province, Vietnam. Hanoi: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme.
Click here to download pdf file
