Two more nature reserves given national park status
Ha Noi, June 16 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has declared that the Phu Quoc and Ba Mun nature reserves in Kien Giang and Quang Ninh provinces, respectively, would be upgraded to national parks.
An officer of the Phu Quoc Forest Protection Branch said that the 31,442 ha Phu Quoc National Park will preserve the island's tropical forest as an ecosystem typical of the Mekong Delta.
Ba Mun Nature Reserve will be renamed Bai Tu Long National Park. In addition to 11 species listed in Viet Nam's Red Book of endangered species, the 15,783 ha park also boasts unique flora and fauna, including marine species. The coastal preserve lies adjacent to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
These two will be the third and fourth forested island national parks - the other two being Cat Ba and Con Dao.
The Prime Minister's move increases the number of national parks in Viet Nam to 13.--VNS/VNA
