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Management history

During the French colonial period, Vu Quang was designated as a forest reserve, with an area of about 30,000 ha. Because of this classification, the area was closed to local communities. In the 1960s, Trai Tu Forest Enterprise was established, incorporating much of what is now Vu Quang Nature Reserve. In 1977, Trai Tu was divided into Trai Tu and Vu Quang Forest Enterprises. The area of Vu Quang Forest Enterprise was 32,000 ha, and the main management objective was forest exploitation; commercial logging activities continued at Vu Quang until 1993 (Eve 2000).

On 9 August 1986, Vu Quang was included on Decision No. 194/CT of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers as a 16,000 ha nature reserve (MARD 1997). In 1993, an investment plan was prepared by the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute and WWF, which proposed establishing a 55,950 ha nature reserve (Anon. 1993). On 16 March 1994, this investment plan was approved by Ha Tinh Provincial People's Committee, following Decision No. 483/QD-UB. Subsequently, on 14 June 1994, a management board was established by the provincial people's committee, following Decision No. 829/QD-UB. Finally, on 18 May 1998, responsibility for managing the nature reserve was transferred to the management board, following Decision No. 562/QD-UB-NL2 of the provincial people's committee (Eve 2000).

Following Decision No. 102/TTg of the Prime Minister, the management category of Vu Quang was revised from nature reserve to national park. According to the Prime Minister's Decision, the total area of the national park is 55,029 ha, comprising a strict protection area of 38,800 ha, a forest rehabilitation area of 16,185 ha and an administration and services area of 44 ha.

In 2000, a draft management plan was prepared for the nature reserve by the WWF Indochina Programme-Vu Quang Conservation Project (Eve 2000). Vu Quang National Park is currently under the management of Ha Tinh Provincial People's Committee. The management board has 92 members of staff, based at 10 guard stations (Vu Quang National Park Management Board in litt. 2003).

Vu Quang is included on a list of Special-use Forests to be established by the year 2010, prepared by the FPD of MARD, as a 55,029 ha national park (FPD 2003); this list has not yet been approved by the government.

Topography and hydrology

Vu Quang National Park is located in Huong Son and Huong Khe districts, Ha Tinh province. The national park is situated in the northern Annamite mountains. The national park contains an elevation gradient of over 2,000 m, from 30 m in the lowlands in the north-east of the national park to 2,286 m at the summit of Mount Rao Co, on the border with Laos.

Vu Quang National Park contains the catchments of three rivers: the Nam Truoi, Rao No and Khe Tre rivers. These rivers originate in the south of the national park, as steep, narrow, fast-flowing streams, although, as they flow north, they become broader and more placid.

Biodiversity values

At low elevations, the landscape of Vu Quang National Park is largely anthropogenic and consists of many elements including human habitation, agricultural land, grassland and scrub. There are also a few remaining patches of natural forest on steep and inaccessible slopes, and isolated stands of trees and bamboo along rivers and streams. At medium elevations, deeper within the national park, the landscape consists of open secondary forest and other seral forest formations. Between 100 and 500 m, much of the forest has been selectively logged, although, above 500 m, the slopes are covered by primary forest (Eames et al. 2001).

There are five major forest types at Vu Quang National Park. Lowland evergreen forest, which formerly covered much of the national park, is distributed at elevations between 100 and 300 m in the north and north-east of the national park. Lower montane evergreen forest is distributed at elevations between 300 and 1,000 m in the centre of the national park, with some small patches in the north and north-east. Medium montane evergreen forest is distributed at elevations between 1,000 and 1,400 m, along a narrow strip, stretching from the west to the south-east of the national park. This forest type is dominated by broadleaf trees but supports some coniferous species in the Podocarpaceae and Cupressaceae families, such as Fokienia hodginsii. Upper montane evergreen forest is distributed at elevations between 1,400 and 1,900 m on steep slopes and ridges in the south and south-west of the national park. This forest type supports some conifers but is dominated by members of the Elaeocarpaceae, Fagaceae, Lauraceae and Magnoliaceae families. At 1,500 m, near the Laotian border, the forest is characterised by the presence of the conifer Keteleeria evelyniana. Elfin forest is distributed at elevations between 1,900 and 2,200 m in the southernmost part of the national park. At these elevations, continuous cloud cover and high precipitation favour the development of forest dominated by Rhododendron, together with members of the Fagaceae, Lauraceae, and Elaeocarpaceae families (Eames et al. 2001).

In 1992, the attention of the world scientific community was focussed on Vu Quang, following the discovery of a previously undescribed large mammal species, Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis (Vu Van Dung et al. 1993). In 1993, this discovery was followed by that of another large mammal species, Large-antlered Muntjac Muntiacus vuquangensis (Do Tuoc et al. 1994). In the years since these discoveries, however, both species have been recorded at a number of other sites in Vietnam and Laos (e.g. Le Trong Trai et al. 1999). Consequently, the importance of Vu Quang as a site for mammal conservation may not be as high as was at one time supposed, although the site does support populations of a number of other globally threatened mammal species, including Gaur Bos gaurus and Red-shanked Douc Pygathrix nemaeus (Eve 2000).

In addition to the mammal discoveries, five previously undescribed fish species have been discovered at Vu Quang National Park since 1992: Parazacco vuquangensis, Crosscheilus vuha, Pararhoedus philanthropus, P. equalitus and Oreoglanis libertus. Moreover, two species of amphibian and 15 species of reptile recorded at Vu Quang are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam (Eve 2000).

A total of 273 bird species are known from Vu Quang National Park, including several globally threatened and near-threatened species (Eames et al. 2001), and the site qualifies as an Important Bird Area (Tordoff 2002). Vu Quang National Park lies in the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (EBA) (Stattersfield et al. 1998). However, the site only supports three restricted-range species, Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata, Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler Jabouilleia danjoui and Grey-faced Tit Babbler Macronous kelleyi, none of which are restricted to the EBA. In addition, results of a complimentarity analysis with 13 other protected areas in the Annamese Lowlands EBA reveal that Vu Quang National Park does not fall within the critical sub-set of sites necessary to conserve maximum avifaunal diversity, and should not, therefore, be considered to be of the highest regional importance for bird conservation (Eames et al. 2001).

Conservation issues

According to the draft management plan prepared by Eve (2000), a variety of human activities threaten the biodiversity of Vu Quang National Park. Clearance of forest for agriculture and the development of human settlements are destroying natural habitats and fragmenting forest cover at the national park. Concomitant with human encroachment is the increase of a number of other prime threats such as hunting, grazing of livestock and logging.

Hunting, often to supply the illegal wildlife trade, is the greatest direct threat to the fauna of the national park. Hunting at Vu Quang is intensive and nearly every species of mammal and bird is potential prey for hunters. Illegal timber extraction takes place throughout the national park and logging trails can be found everywhere. The national park meets the fuelwood requirements of about 6,000 households in eight neighbouring communes. The quantity of firewood removed from the national park each year is equivalent to the clear-felling of about 428 ha of forest. Cattle can be found throughout the national park at all times of year, and are left to graze freely at all times. Bamboo and rattan are exploited from forest areas close to human habitation. Finally, the extraction of fragrant oil from Cinnamomum parthenoxylon and other tree species is an extremely destructive process (Eve 2000).

A major threat to biodiversity is the recent development of National Highway 2, which bisects the buffer zone of Vu Quang National Park. Besides fragmenting natural habitats and facilitating access to the forest, the construction of this road may facilitate human settlement close to the core areas of the national park, placing increased pressure on natural resources.

At the landscape level, Vu Quang National Park is an important link in the northern Annamites, between Pu Mat National Park to the north and Nui Giang Man proposed nature reserve to the south. Vu Quang, together with Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area in Laos, protects the central section of what is the largest remaining block of contiguous natural habitat in northern Indochina.

Other documented values

Vu Quang has historical values because the revolutionary Phan Dinh Phung, who led a resistance movement against the French colonial regime, established a base there between 1885 and his death in 1896 (Eve 2000).

According to the draft management plan prepared by Eve (2000), the national park has three main non-biodiversity values for local communities: catchment protection, non-timber forest products (particularly medicinal plants) and fishing.

Related projects

Between June 1995 and June 2000, the WWF Indochina Programme-Vu Quang Conservation Project was implemented with funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy. Project activities during the first three years included guard-station construction, road upgrading and other infrastructure development, and socio-economic and biological research. Project activities during the final two years included field surveys and community development activities, including irrigation, infrastructure development, planting of fruit trees, apiculture, community forestry and community farming. By the end of the project, over 2,000 households had been involved in project activities (Eve 2000).

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
A_I	NA4 - Northern Annamites
A_II	VN022 Vu Quang
B_I	Decision No. 102/TTg, dated 30/07/02
B_II	National Park
B_III	Under provincial management
C_I	Management board established
C_II

Social screening requirements

A social screening report has not been prepared for the site.

Criterion	Eligibility
A
B
C
D

Literature sources

Anon. (1992) [List of plants recorded at Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Ha Tinh province]. Unpublished appendix to investment plan. In Vietnamese.

Anon. (1992) [Summary report: results of field survey at Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province]. Hanoi: Forest Inventory and Planning Institute. In Vietnamese.

Anon. (1993) [Investment plan for Vu Quang Nature Reserve]. Hanoi: Forest Inventory and Planning Institute and the WWF Indochina Programme. In Vietnamese.

Anon. (1997) [Findings of a PRA in eight communes in the buffer zone of Vu Quang Nature Reserve]. Hanoi: VACVINA. In Vietnamese.

Anon. (1998) Four rarities out of the world's ten. Vietnam Cultural Window 9: 3-4.

Bangkok Post (1992) Evidence of new mammal species found in Vietnam. Bangkok Post 29 July 1992.

Cao Van Sung (undated) Vu Quang Nature Reserve. Unpublished report to the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources.

Clover, C. (1992) Horns lead scientists to new oryx. Newspaper article.

De Morgen (1992) [New discovery: the jungle goat]. De Morgen [The Morning] 18 July 1992. In Flemish.

Dillon, T. C. and Wikramanayake, E. D. (1997) Parks, peace and progress: a forum for transboundary conservation in Indochina. Parks 7(3): 36-51.

Do Tuoc (1992) [Primary report on results of a mammal survey at Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province]. Unpublished appendix to investment plan. In Vietnamese.

Do Tuoc (undated) [Primary information on Giant Muntjac, a new species discovered in Nghe Tinh province, Vietnam]. Unpublished report to Forest Inventory and Planning Institute. In Vietnamese.

Do Tuoc, Vu Van Dung, Dawson, S., Arctander, P. and MacKinnon, J. (1994) Introduction of a new large mammal species in Vietnam. Hanoi: Ministry of Forestry. In Vietnamese.

Eames, J. C., Eve, R. and Tordoff, A. W. (2001) The importance of Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Vietnam, for bird conservation, in the context of the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area. Bird Conservation International 11: 247-285.

Eames, J. C., Lambert, F. R. and Nguyen Cu (1994) A survey of the Annamese Lowlands, Vietnam, and its implications for the conservation of Vietnamese and Imperial Pheasants Lophura hatinhensis and L. imperialis. Bird Conservation International 4(4): 343-382.

Eve, R. (1998) Vu Quang Nature Reserve: a link in the Annamite chain. Volume 1: presentation and maps. Hanoi: WWF Indochina Programme.

Eve, R. (2000) Spatial planning for nature conservation in Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Ha Tinh province: draft 2. Unpublished report to WWF Indochina Programme.

Eve, R., Madhavan, S. and Vu Van Dzung (2000) Spatial planning for nature conservation in Vu Quang Nature Reserve. Ha Tinh: Vu Quang Nature Reserve Conservation Project.

Eve, R., Madhavan, S. and Vu Van Dzung (2000) [Spatial planning for nature conservation in Vu Quang Nature Reserve]. Ha Tinh: Vu Quang Nature Reserve Conservation Project. In Vietnamese.

Eve, R., Nguyen Viet Dung and Meijboom, M. (1998) Vu Quang Nature Reserve: a link in the Annamite chain. Volume 2, No. 0: list of species: fauna and flora. Hanoi: WWF Indochina Programme.

Herald Tribune (1992) In Vietnam's 'lost world', new birds and 'forest goat'. Herald Tribune 28 July 1992.

Johnsingh, A. J. T. (1995) Vietnam venture: the primordial world of Sao La and Mang. Frontline: 21 April 1995: 94-97.

Kalyakin, M. V. and Korzun, L. P. (1997) Ornithological studies in Vu Quang Nature Reserve: final report. Unpublished report to Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre.

Kemp, N., Dilger, M., Burgess, N. and Chu Van Dung (1997) The Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis in Vietnam: new information on distribution and habitat preferences and conservation needs. Oryx 31(1): 37-44.

Kuznetsov, A. (2001) The forests of Vu Quang Nature Reserve: a description of habitats and plant communities. Vu Quang: Vu Quang Nature Reserve Conservation Project.

Kuznetsov, A. (2001) [The forests of Vu Quang Nature Reserve: a description of habitats and plant communities]. Vu Quang: Vu Quang Nature Reserve Conservation Project. In Vietnamese.

Lambert, F. R., Eames, J. C. and Nguyen Cu (1995) The habitat, status, vocalizations and breeding biology of Blue-rumped Pitta Pitta soror annamensis in central Vietnam. Forktail 11: 151-155.

Le Trong Trai, Richardson, W. J., Le Van Cham, Tran Hieu Minh, Tran Quang Ngoc, Nguyen Van Sang, Monastyrskii, A. L. and Eames, J. C. (1999) A feasibility study for the establishment of Phong Dien (Thua Thien Hue province) and Dakrong (Quang Tri province) Nature Reserves, Vietnam. Hanoi: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme.

Lecup, I., Ninh Khac Ban, Boot, M. and Prins, F. (1996) Conservation of Vu Quang Nature Reserve: a review of the preparatory phase of the Vu Quang Nature Reserve Project, 1 October 1995 to 30 September 1996. Unpublished report to WWF Indochina Programme.

MacKinnon, J. and Vu Van Dung (1992) Draft management plan for Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province, Vietnam. Hanoi: WWF Indochina Programme and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute.

Madhavan, S. (1998) Building sustainable partnerships: community development in the Vu Quang Nature Reserve. Vu Quang: Vu Quang Nature Reserve Conservation Project.

Monastyrskii, A. L., Nguyen Thi Hong and Yokochi, T. (2000) A new subspecies of the genus Euthalia Hubner, 1819, from Vietnam (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae). Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique de France 105(2): 209-212.

Nguyen Cu, Eames, J. C. and Lambert, F. R. (1995) [Results of surveys of the Annamese Lowlands, Vietnam and its implication for the conservation of Vietnamese Pheasant Lophura hatinhensis and Imperial Pheasant L. imperialis]. Pp 264-275 in: Dang Huy Huynh, Nguyen Tien Ban, Vu Quang Con, Nguyen Thi Le, Pham Van Luc, Tran Dinh Ly, La Dinh Moi and Cao Van Sung eds. [Results of research by IEBR] Hanoi: Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources. In Vietnamese.

Nguyen Thai Tu (1995) Parazacco vuquangensis, a new species of Cyprinidae from Vietnam. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwaters 6(1): 77-80.

Nguyen Van Sang (1992) [Primary report on results of an amphibian and reptile survey at Vu Quang Nature Reserve, Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province]. Unpublished appendix to investment plan. In Vietnamese.

Schulte, B. (1997) Rapid energy assessment of the Vu Quang Nature Reserve area in Vietnam. Amsterdam: TOOL Consult.

Singh, I. (1998) Community forestry programme: year 1999. Vu Quang: Vu Quang Nature Reserve Conservation Project.

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Time Magazine (1992) Journey into Vietnam's lost world. Time Magazine 10 August 1992.

Tordoff, A. W. ed. (2002) Directory of important bird areas in Vietnam: key sites for conservation. Hanoi: BirdLife International in Indochina and the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources.

Vietnam News (2002) Three new national parks declared. Vietnam News, 17 August 2002.

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