Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site

Alternative site name(s) Rung Thong Da Lat [Da Lat pine forest] Province(s) Lam Dong Area 28,000 ha Coordinates 11°49' - 12°00'N, 108°19' - 108°36'E Agro-ecological zone South-eastern Decreed by government Yes Management board established Yes

Investment plan prepared No 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 Map available Yes

Management history

The site was included on Decision No. 41/TTg of the Prime Minister, dated 24 January 1977, which decreed the establishment of a 4,000 ha cultural and historical site, under the name Rung Thong Da Lat [Da Lat pine forest] (MARD 1997). Prior to 1993, most of the pine forest in Da Lat city was under the management of Da Lat Forest Enterprise. On 29 January 1993, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee established a Special-use Forest management board by Decision No. 89/QD-UB. According to this decision, the Special-use Forest was named Lam Vien [Forest Park], and had a total area of around 40,000 ha, with boundaries based on those of Da Lat Forest Enterprise (Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site Management Board in litt. 2003).

On 16 March 1994, by Official Letter No. 259/KH, the former Ministry of Forestry (MOF) requested Ho Chi Minh City Forest Inventory and Planning Sub-institute (Sub-FIPI) to prepare a cultural and historical site investment plan for the site. This investment plan was approved by MOF on 11 June 1994, by Official Letter No. 1309/KH. According to this official letter, the area of the cultural and historical site was reduced to 32,051 ha (Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site Management Board in litt. 2003).

Subsequently, management responsibility for the site was divided between several bodies: a 18,796 ha area was placed under the management of Lam Vien Special-use Forest Management Board; a 4,370 ha area was placed under a local military unit; a 5,169 ha area was placed under a tree nursery enterprise; a 348 ha area was placed under Lam Dong Centre for Forestry Research and Demonstration; a 299 ha area was placed under a military college; and a 416 ha area was placed under a state-owned enterprise (Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site Management Board in litt. 2003). Together with 184 ha under other management, the total area under these respective managers is 29,582 ha. However, only the 18,796 ha under Lam Vien Special-use Forest management board is currently managed as a cultural and historical site.

In September 2003, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee requested Ho Chi Minh City Sub-FIPI to reassess all areas of pine forest in Da Lat city, and prepare an investment plan for an extended cultural and historical site (Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site Management Board in litt. 2003).

Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site is under the management of Da Lat City People's Committee. The management board currently has 34 members of staff, based at six guard stations (Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site Management Board in litt. 2003). Lam Vien is included on a list of Special-use Forests to be established by the year 2010, prepared by the FPD of MARD, as a 28,000 ha cultural and historical site (FPD 2003); this list has not yet been approved by the government.

Topography and hydrology

Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site is situated in the southern Annamite mountains. The site ranges in elevation from c.900 to c.1,600 m.

Biodiversity values

The vegetation of Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site is characterised by coniferous forest, the majority of which is natural forest dominated by Pinus kesiya. There are also significant areas of pine plantation. The remainder of the cultural and historical site supports industrial crops, gardens and other agricultural land. Lam Vien is situated in the Da Lat Plateau Endemic Bird Area (Stattersfield et al. 1998), and the coniferous forest at the site supports a significant population of Vietnam Greenfinch Carduelis monguilloti, a bird species endemic to the southern Annamites (Nguyen Cu verbally 2000).

Conservation issues

Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site is located in Da Lat city, and the human population density in the area is high: a total of 178,000 people live inside the cultural and historical site (Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site Management Board in litt. 2003). Consequently there is a high demand for forest products such as charcoal and timber. Lam Dong Provincial FPD (in litt. 2000) consider the biggest threats to biodiversity at the site to be illegal encroachment onto forest lands, cutting of trees for timber and charcoal manufacture, and deliberate burning of the forest.

Other documented values

The forest at the cultural and historical site has economic value as a source of timber, charcoal, pine resin and other non-timber forest products. In the past, these resources were exploited commercially. At present, however, most exploitation is illegal, small-scale exploitation by local people.

The cultural and historical site protects the beautiful scenery around Da Lat city and, hence, has importance for the local tourism industry, one of the major sectors of the economy of Lam Dong province.

Related projects

The major source of funding for forest management activities at Lam Vien Cultural and Historical Site is the national 661 Programme.

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

Lam Vien is ineligible for VCF support because it is a cultural and historical site.

Criterion	Eligibility
AI	SA3 - Southern Annamites Main Montane Block
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

None.

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