Phu Quoc National Park
| Alternative site name(s) Bac Dao Phu Quoc [northern Phu Quoc island], Dao Phu Quoc [Phu Quoc island] Province(s) Kien Giang Area 31,422 ha Coordinates 10°12' - 10°27'N, 103°50' - 104°05'E Agro-ecological zone Mekong Delta Decreed by government Yes Management board established Yes |
Investment plan prepared Yes VCF eligibility criteria met A, B, C Social screening criteria met None Conservation needs assessment prepared No Operational management plan prepared No Tracking tool completed No Yes |
Management history
Phu Quoc was included on Decision No. 194/CT of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, dated 9 August 1986 (MARD 1997), which decreed the establishment of a 5,000 ha nature reserve, called Dao Phu Quoc, for the conservation of "island forest abundant with valuable woody species, such as Hopea sp." (Cao Van Sung 1995). The nature reserve was established and developed over the period from 1986 to 1992 (Anon. 1998). On 10 March 1989, a nature reserve management board was established by Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee (Kien Giang Provincial FPD in litt. 2000), and, on 2 October 1992, investment funding for the nature reserve, now named Bac Dao Phu Quoc, was approved by the former Ministry of Forestry, following Decision No. 444/KL/QD (Anon. 1998, Kien Giang Provincial FPD in litt. 2000).
In 1993, the former Ministry of Forestry and Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee approved an investment plan for Phu Quoc Watershed Protection Forest (WPF), a separate but contiguous area to the south and west of Phu Quoc Nature Reserve. On 3 April 1996, Decision No. 360/UB-QD of Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee merged the management of the WPF and the nature reserve. In 1998, Ho Chi Minh City Forest Inventory and Planning Sub-Institute prepared a joint investment plan for the nature reserve and WPF. In this investment plan, the area of Phu Quoc Nature Reserve was given as 14,957 ha, while that of Phu Quoc WPF was given as 35,873 ha (Anon. 1998).
Following Decision No. 91/TTg of the Prime Minister, dated 08 June 2001, the management category of Phu Quoc was revised from nature reserve to national park, and the area was enlarged to include part of Phu Quoc WPF. According to the Prime Minister's decision, the total area of Phu Quoc National Park is 31,422 ha, comprising a strict protection area of 8,786 ha, a forest rehabilitation area of 22,603 ha and an administration and services area of 33 ha. Phu Quoc National Park is currently under the management of Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee.
Phu Quoc is included on a list of Special-use Forests to be established by the year 2010, prepared by the FPD of MARD, as a 31,422 ha national park (FPD 2003); this list has not yet been approved by the government.
Topography and hydrology
With an area of 56,200 ha, Phu Quoc is the largest in an archipelago of 14 islands. Phu Quoc island lies in the Gulf of Thailand, about 40 km due west of the Vietnamese mainland. Phu Quoc National Park is situated in the north-east of the island, and the northern and eastern boundaries of the national park follow the coastline. The topography of the national park is hilly, although not particularly steep. The highest point in the national park is Mount Chua at 603 m. The national park is drained by numerous, mainly seasonal, streams. The only sizeable river on the island is the Rach Cua Can river, which drains the southern part of the national park, and flows into the sea on the west coast of the island.
Biodiversity values
Little information is available on the flora and fauna of Phu Quoc National Park. The natural vegetation of Phu Quoc island is lowland evergreen forest, and, according to the investment plan (Anon. 1998), the national park supports 12,794 ha of forest, equivalent to 86% of the total area. The forest appears to be in good condition, particularly at higher elevations, although forest at lower elevation is degraded. The forest is characterised by members of the Fabaceae. To date, 929 plant species have been recorded on Phu Quoc island (ADB 1999). At lower elevations in some areas, the national park supports distinctive formations of Melaleuca sp. forest, characterised by tall trees and an open, park-like structure (J. Eames verbally 2002).
Numerous publications report the occurrence of Pileated Gibbon Hylobates pileatus (formerly considered a subspecies of White-handed Gibbon H. lar) on Phu Quoc island (Fooden 1996). The original source of these reports is Kloss (1929), who speculated that some Pileated Gibbon specimens collected by Mouhot may have originated from Phu Quoc island. As Mouhot explicitly states that he did not visit Phu Quoc island, however, this speculation is refuted (Fooden 1996). There is, therefore, no evidence for the occurrence of Pileated Gibbon on Phu Quoc island.
Conservation issues
Migrants from other parts of Vietnam have settled on Phu Quoc island and now account for a significant proportion of the population growth on the island (ADB 1999). Although the most important economic activity on the island is fishing not agriculture (Dodd and Lewis 1996), Kien Giang Provincial FPD (in litt. 2000) identify shifting cultivation as a major threat to biodiversity in the buffer zone of the national park.
The pace of tourism development on the island is rapid, and may have negative environmental impacts in the future, particularly if there is pressure to develop the coastal zone within the national park. Conversely, Phu Quoc National Park has high potential for ecotourism development, which could potentially generate revenue for management of the site.
Other documented values
Because of its beautiful scenery and unspoilt beaches, Phu Quoc island already attracts a number of tourists. However, the tourism potential of the national park and the surrounding marine area have yet to be fully realised.
Related projects
Phu Quoc island is also the location of a proposed marine protected area, which may incorporate the present national park (see Phu Quoc Proposed Marine Protected Area site card).
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
The site is ineligible for VCF support because it does not meet the criteria for supporting forest biodiversity of international importance. In addition, the site is a cultural and historical site, and it is not under appropriate conservation management.
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
The site is eligible for VCF support because it meets criteria A, B and C.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| AI |
CAR1 - Cardamom Mountains |
| AII |
|
| BI |
Decision No. 91/TTg, dated 08/06/01 |
| BII |
National Park |
| BIII |
Under provincial management |
| CI |
Management board established |
| CII |
Social screening requirements
A social screening report has not been prepared for the site.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| A |
|
| B |
|
| C |
|
| D |
Literature sources
ADB (1999) Draft coastal and marine protected areas plan. Hanoi: Asian Development Bank.
Anon. (1991) [Investment plan for North Phu Quoc Island Nature Reserve]. Rach Gia: Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee. In Vietnamese.
Anon. (1998) [Investment plan for Phu Quoc Special-use Forest, Kien Giang province]. Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City Sub-FIPI. In Vietnamese.
Cheung, C.P.S. (1992) Report on a visit to the coasts of Vietnam. Unpublished report to WWF Asian Region.
Dodd, J. and Lewis, M. (1996) Vietnam: the rough guide. London: Rough Guides.
Fooden, J. (1996) Zoogeography of Vietnamese Primates. International Journal of Primatology 17(5): 845-899.
Kloss, C. B. (1929) Some remarks on the gibbons with a new subspecies. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1929: 113-127.
Lao Dong (2001) [Phu Quoc and Ba Mun natural reserves to become national parks]. Lao Dong [Labour] 12 June 2001. In Vietnamese.
Nguyen Chu Hoi, Nguyen Huy Yet and Dang Ngoc Thanh (1998) [Scientific basis for marine protected areas planning]. Hai Phong: Hai Phong Institute of Oceanography. In Vietnamese.
Nguyen Huy Yet and Vo Si Tuan (1995) [Information on proposed marine protected areas on the coast of Vietnam]. Hai Phong: Hai Phong Institute of Oceanography. In Vietnamese.
Nguyen Van An (1992) The natural protected forest based development in the north Phu Quoc islands. Unpublished report to WWF Indochina Programme.
Storey, R. and Robinson, D. (1995) Lonely planet travel survival kit: Vietnam. Third edition. Hawthorn: Lonely Planet Publications.
Vietnam News (2001) Bad weather, falling prices wreak havoc on Phu Quoc pepper farms. Vietnam News, 11 April 2001.
Vietnam News (2001) Two more nature reserves given national park status. Vietnam News 16 June 2001.
Vietnam News (2002) Phu Quoc fishermen report fifth sighting of rare dugongs. Vietnam News 12 October 2002.
Vietnam News (2002) Province rushes to protect endangered dugongs. Vietnam News 5 October 2002.
Vietnam News (2002) Phu Quoc tries to lure more tourists. Vietnam News, 19 January 2002.
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