Nam Hai Van Proposed Cultural and Historical Site
| Alternative site name(s) Bach Ma-Hai Van, Col des Nuages, south Hai Van Province(s) Da Nang city Area 10,850 ha Coordinates 16°10'N, 108°05'E Agro-ecological zone South Central Coast Decreed by government No 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
Decision No. 194/CT of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, dated 9 August 1986, decreed the establishment of Bach Ma-Hai Van National Park, with a total area of 40,000 ha (MARD 1997). However, following the preparation of the national park investment plan, the area was divided into three: Bach Ma National Park, Bac Hai Van proposed cultural and historical site and Nam Hai Van proposed cultural and historical site (Vu Van Dung verbally 2000).
An investment plan for Nam Hai Van was prepared in 1990, which gave the total area of the proposed cultural and historical site as 10,850 ha. Following the approval of the investment plan by Da Nang City People's Committee, a cultural and historical site management board was established. The management board currently has 10 permanent members of staff and two contracted staff (Da Nang City FPD in litt. 2003).
Nam Hai Van is included on a list of Special-use Forests to be established by the year 2010, prepared by the FPD of MARD, as a 10,850 ha cultural and historical site (FPD 2003); this list has not yet been approved by the government.
Topography and hydrology
Nam Hai Van proposed cultural and historical site is situated in Hoa Vang and Lien Chieu districts, Da Nang city. The proposed cultural and historical site is bordered to the west by Bach Ma National Park, to the east by the East Sea, and to the north by Bac Hai Van proposed cultural and historical site in Thua Thien Hue province. The proposed cultural and historical site is approximately 25 km long and 6 km across at its widest point.
Nam Hai Van is situated on the southern face of a mountain ridge that extends east from the central Annamite mountains to the East Sea. At the eastern end of the proposed cultural and historical site is the Hai Van pass, the highest pass along National Highway 1 between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. All streams originating in the site drain to the south, into the Ca De river and its tributaries. This river flows into Da Nang bay, to the north of Da Nang city. The highest point in the proposed cultural and historical site is 1,528 m.
Biodiversity values
The original vegetation of Nam Hai Van would have been lowland evergreen forest below c.1,000 m, and lower montane evergreen forest above this elevation. However, the natural forest has been extensively cleared by wartime spraying of defoliants, timber extraction, clearance for agriculture and fire.
Nam Hai Van proposed cultural and historical site lies at the southern extent of the Annamese Lowlands Endemic Bird Area (Stattersfield et al. 1998). However, although the avifauna of neighbouring Bach Ma National Park has been well studied, less information is available about Nam Hai Van. Historically, several restricted-range bird species were recorded at the Hai Van pass, including Annam Partridge Arborophila merlini, Edwards's Pheasant Lophura edwardsi and Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata (Delacour and Jabouille 1927). However, Nam Hai Van may no longer support the same diversity of species of conservation concern, because the majority of natural forest at the site is now heavily degraded or has been replaced by plantation forest of Pinus merkusii, P. caribea and other species.
Conservation issues
Nam Hai Van proposed cultural and historical site is situated close to Da Nang city. The human population density in the surrounding area is high. Many local people extract fuelwood, rattans, resin and honey from the site, and forest fires sometimes occur (Davis et al. 1995). Another problem is grazing of cattle within the site, which is inhibiting natural regeneration of forest (Le Trong Trai verbally 2000). In addition to these problems, National Highway 1 and the railway line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City both pass through the centre of the proposed cultural and historical site, increasing levels of disturbance to wildlife populations and facilitating access to the forest.
Other documented values
According to FPD (1998), the establishment of a cultural and historical site at Nam Hai Van has been proposed to protect the scenic landscape of the Hai Van pass. The scenery of the Hai Van pass is well known nationwide and many travellers between Hue and Da Nang cities stop at the top of the pass to enjoy the panoramic views.
Related projects
Forest protection and reforestation activities are currently being implemented at Nam Hai Van with support from the national 661 Programme (Da Nang City FPD in litt. 2003).
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
Nam Hai Van is ineligible for VCF support because it is a cultural and historical site.
| Criterion |
Eligibility |
| AI |
CA1 - Central Annamites |
| AII |
|
| BI |
Proposed Special-use Forest |
| 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
Anon. (1992) [Investment plan for Nam Hai Van Cultural and Historical Site]. Hanoi: Ministry of Forestry. In Vietnamese.
Davis, S. D., Heywood, V. H. and Hamilton, A. C. eds. (1995) Centres of plant diversity: a guide and strategy for their conservation. Cambridge, U.K.: WWF and IUCN.
Delacour, J. and Jabouille, P. (1927) [Ornithological research in Tranninh (Laos), Thua-Thien and Kontum (Annam) provinces and some other regions of French Indochina]. Paris: Societe Nationale d'Acclimatation de France. In French.
Eve, R. (1996) Bach Ma, Hai Van, Ba Na: why protect them? Hue: EC/WWF Bach Ma National Park Project. In English and French.
Eve, R. (1996) Bach Ma, Hai Van, Ba Na: why protect them? Hue: EC/WWF Bach Ma National Park Project. In English and Vietnamese.
Vu Dung (undated) Technical and economic feasibility study for the establishment of the national park of Mach Ma. Unpublished report.
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