Bai Tu Long National Park in the northern province of Quang Ninh has been recognised as the 38th ASEAN Heritage Park thanks for ecological integrity, representativeness, nature, high conservation.
The Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Heritage Parks are representative of efforts to conserve areas of biodiversity importance or exceptional uniqueness throughout ASEAN member states. The ASEAN Ministers of Environment cooperatively signed the ASEAN Declaration on Heritage Parks on 18 December 2003.
The national park meets all the criteria to become an ASEAN Heritage Park, including ecological integrity, preservation of genetic diversity, sustainable utilisation of resources and the provision of opportunities for outdoor recreation, tourism, education and research. According to Roberto Oliva, director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, Bai Tung Long was among the most unique national parks in ASEAN, with the three intact ecosystems of mountains, caves and sea.
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Located in Bai Tu Long Bay area and adjacent to the World Natural Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long National Park is a biosphere treasure.
The park has a total area of 15,783 hectares, of which forests account for 6,125 hectares and the remaining area is for more than 80 islands. It is home to 1,909 species of flora and fauna, including 72 species and 30 plant species listed in the Vietnam Red Book.
Bai Tu Long has become the sixth Vietnamese national park acknowledged as the ASEAN heritage park behind Ba Be, Hoang Lien, Kon Ka Kinh, Chu Mom Ray and U Minh Thuong.