Pac Bo Cultural and Historical Site
| Alternative site name(s) None Province(s) Cao Bang Area 2,784 ha Coordinates 22°58'N, 106°03'E Agro-ecological zone North-eastern Decreed by government Yes Management board established Yes |
Investment plan prepared Yes VCF eligibility criteria met A, C Social screening criteria met None Conservation needs assessment prepared No Operational management plan prepared No Tracking tool completed No Yes |
Management history
Pac Bo was included on Decision No. 41/TTg of the Prime Minister, dated 24 January 1977, which decreed the establishment of a 3,000 ha cultural and historical site (MARD 1997). In 1994, an investment plan was prepared by the FPD of the former Ministry of Forestry. The area of the cultural and historical site defined in this investment plan was 2,784 ha, comprising a strict protection area of 1,678 ha and a forest rehabilitation area of 1,106 ha (Cao Bang Provincial DARD in litt. 2000). This investment plan was approved by the former Ministry of Forestry (Cao Bang Provincial DARD in litt. 2000).
A management board for Pac Bo Cultural and Historical Site was established in 1994. The management board currently has five members of staff, based at one guard station (Cao Bang Provincial FPD in litt. 2003).
Pac Bo is included on a list of Special-use Forests to be established by the year 2010, prepared by the FPD of MARD, as a 2,784 ha cultural and historical site (FPD 2003); this list has not yet been approved by the government.
Topography and hydrology
Pac Bo Cultural and Historical Site is located in Truong Ha commune, Ha Quang district, Cao Bang province. Pac Bo is situated in an area of limestone karst at elevations between c.400 and c.1,100 m.
Biodiversity values
Figures presented in MARD (1997) indicate that Pac Bo contains only 298 ha of natural forest, equivalent to 11% of the total area of the cultural and historical site. Although the area of remaining forest may be small, the remnant patches of limestone forest may support several globally threatened plant species, such as Burretiodendron tonkinense (Vu Van Dung in litt. 2000). However, the biodiversity value of the site has not been fully assessed.
Conservation issues
No information.
Other documented
Pac Bo Cultural and Historical Site was established to protect Pac Bo cave, where President Ho Chi Minh lived during the resistance war against the French. The site has been developed for tourism and receives significant numbers of domestic tourists each year. There is a museum at the site (Dodd and Lewis 1996).
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
Pac Bo is ineligible for VCF support because it is a cultural and historical site.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| AI |
NH2 - Northern Highlands Limestone |
| AII |
|
| BI |
Decision No. 41/TTg, dated 24/01/77 |
| BII |
|
| 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
Dodd, J. and Lewis, M. (1996) Vietnam: the rough guide. London: Rough Guides.
Vietnam News (2002) Uncle Ho makes his mark in border cave. Vietnam News 25 August 2002.
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