Tan Phu Proposed Nature Reserve

Alternative site name(s) None Province(s) Dong Nai Area 13,967 ha Coordinates 11°03' - 11°12'N, 107°20' - 107°28'E Agro-ecological zone South-eastern Decreed by government No Management board established No

Investment plan prepared No VCF eligibility criteria met A, B Social screening criteria met None Conservation needs assessment prepared No Operational management plan prepared No Tracking tool completed No Map available Yes

Management history

Tan Phu Forest Enterprise was established in January 1979. Currently, the forest enterprise comprises six sub-enterprises with a total area of 13,967 ha (Trinh Viet Cuong in prep.). In 1999, a proposal to upgrade Tan Phu Forest Enterprise to nature reserve status was made by BirdLife International and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (Wege et al. 1999). One of the objectives of this proposed nature reserve would have been the conservation of a small herd of Asian Elephants Elephas maximus that occurred at the site. However, in May 1999, all but one of the elephants at Tan Phu moved to Tanh Linh Forest Enterprise in Binh Thuan province (J. Heffernan verbally 2000). Consequently, a feasibility study conducted by Fauna and Flora International-Indochina Programme in 1999 recommended that Tan Phu should not be upgraded to nature reserve status (Boonratana 1999).

Topography and hydrology

Tan Phu is situated in a lowland area at an elevation of around 300 m. To the south and east, the forest enterprise is bordered by the La Nga river, while the La Canh and Gian Lai streams form the northern boundary, and the Tra My stream forms the western boundary.

Biodiversity values

According to 1997 data, Tan Phu Forest Enterprise supports 12,608 ha of forest, of which 92% is primary forest (Trinh Viet Cuong in prep.). The forest at Tan Phu is characteristic of the South-East Asian region, insofar as it is dominated by members of the Dipterocarpaceae and Fabaceae families (Vu Van Dung in litt. 2000).

In 1989, Tan Phu Forest Enterprise supported an estimated 10 Asian Elephants. However, following a decade of human-elephant conflict, the herd moved to Binh Thuan province in 1999 (Trinh Viet Cuong in prep.). Because of the relatively small size of the remaining forest at Tan Phu and the degree of human encroachment, it is unlikely that the site could support a viable Asian Elephant population in the future without considerable human-elephant conflict.

Conservation issues

According to 1998 data, a total of 1,890 people live inside Tan Phu Forest Enterprise. Many of these people migrated into the area to work under contract to the forest enterprise under the national 327 Programme. In addition, however, there are a number of illegal settlements, mainly in the north of the site (Trinh Viet Cuong in prep.).

The primary forest at Tan Phu is still being commercially logged, resulting in high levels of disturbance throughout the site. Newly settled in-migrants are a potential threat, as they may increase the levels of poaching and other violations of forest regulations at the site. In recent years, prior to the departure of the elephants, levels of human-elephant conflict had increased, as a result of human encroachment into the forests of Tan Phu (Trinh Viet Cuong in prep.).

Other documented values

Tan Phu has potential as a tourist destination. During the summer months, a considerable number of domestic tourists visit the Mai waterfall at the site.

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

The site is currently ineligible for VCF support because it is not under appropriate conservation management.

Criterion	Eligibility
AI	SA5 - Lowland Dong Nai Watershed
AII
BI	Proposed Special-use Forest
BII	Nature Reserve
BIII	Under provincial management
CI
CII

Social screening requirements

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

Criterion	Eligibility
A
B
C
D

Literature sources

Boonratana, R. (1999) [Feasibility study of Tan Phu forest, Dong Nai province]. Unpublished report to Fauna and Flora International-Indochina Programme.

Cao Van Sung, Eger, J. and Ngo Van Tri (2000) Preliminary report on bat survey in southern Vietnam. Tap Chi Sinh Hoc [Journal of Biology] 22(15)CD: 136-144. In Vietnamese.

Trinh Viet Cuong (in prep.) Population assesment of wild elephant population in Tan Phu State Forest Enterprise, Dong Nai province, and Tanh Linh State Forest Enterprise, Binh Thuan province. Draft chapter for Fauna and Flora International-Indochina Programme Asian Elephant Status Review.