THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
Government News
Chàm islands eyes world biosphere reserve status
VGP – Chàm Islands (Cù Lao Chàm) off the central coast of Việt Nam will compete for UNESCO’s recognition as a world biosphere reserve at the 21st session of the Man and the Biosphere Program International Coordinating Council (MAB/ICC) scheduled on May 25-29 in the Jeju Island of the Republic of Korea.
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A view of Cù Lao Chàm – Illustration photo |
The Cù Lao Chàm Natural Reserve is situated in Cù Lao Chàm archipelago of eight small islands near the ancient town of Hội An, Quảng Nam Province.
According to the management broad, the reserve is well-known for its bio-diversity.
Cù Lao Chàm is home to abundant fauna and flora in 1,549 hectares of natural forest and 6,716 hectares of water surface, with many endangered species.
Specifically, its 500 ha of seaweed and 165 ha of coral reef form the habitat of 188 coral species from 61 genera of 13 families and 202 fish species from 85 genera of 36 families.
The establishment of the Cù Lao Chàm biosphere reserve will contribute to preserving natural, cultural, human and environmental values, developing eco-tourism, and raising public awareness of ecological preservation.
Cà Mau Cape is Việt Nam’s second candidate submitting a document to the UNESCO for recognition as a world biosphere reserve.
UNESCO’s experts are relatively optimistic about the prospect of Cù Lao Chàm and Cà Mau, said Mr. Phạm Sanh Châu, General Secretary of the Việt Nam National Commission for UNESCO.
By Hương Giang