The Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially recognized Vietnam’s Cat Tien National Park as the 72nd addition to its prestigious IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. 

The Cat Tien National Park, located in southern Dong Nai Province, is the first national park in Vietnam to achieve IUCN Green List certification, Pham Xuan Thinh, director of the park, said at a ceremony held at the park on Friday to receive the valuable recognition from the IUCN. 

“This prestigious recognition underscores our commitment to preserving the unique biodiversity and natural heritage of Cat Tien,” Thinh stated. 

This certification has followed a comprehensive assessment, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the USAID Biodiversity Conservation Activity in Vietnam (VFBC project). 

As a global standard that describes successful area-based conservation, the IUCN Green List offers an assured verification process, awarding certificates to sites that can demonstrate that they meet and maintain the full set of 17 globally consistent criteria and 50 indicators that address four themes: good governance, sound design and planning, effective management, and successful conservation outcomes.

The IUCN remarked that the Cat Tien National Park's journey towards Green List certification began with an in-depth assessment of its conservation measures, which included the protection of endangered species and the preservation of its diverse ecosystems. 

The park has implemented educational programs and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of protecting natural resources, and local community members have been involved in conservation activities, providing them with sustainable livelihood opportunities. 

It has strengthened its management practices by enhancing its monitoring and enforcement capabilities, with advanced technologies and methodologies adopted in patrolling, protecting, and monitoring wildlife. 

The park has also undertaken biodiversity monitoring, habitat restoration, and species conservation projects, while its staff has received appropriate training to effectively perform their duties.

“Achieving Green List status is not merely about pursuing a title, it represents a long-term and persistent commitment: The evidence that needs to be assembled to demonstrate compliance with the standard’s 17 criteria is demanding,” the IUCN cited said Jake Brunner, head of IUCN’s Lower Mekong Sub-region, as saying.

The fact that two of the three Green List sites in Southeast Asia are in Vietnam: Cat Tien National Park and Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve in northern Ninh Binh Province, which was recognized in 2021, reflects the determination of the government of Vietnam to improve standards of protected area management. 

“The inclusion of Cat Tien National Park on the IUCN Green List is a significant milestone not only for the park itself but also for the broader conservation community in Vietnam,” said Vu Van Hung, director of VFBC project, deputy head of the Management Board of Forestry Projects under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

This achievement is a testament to the efforts as well as reemphasizing the VFBC project’s commitment to protecting the rich biodiversity of Vietnam.” 

The IUCN oversees the Green List evaluation through an independent expert panel.

The Green List Standard, which remains globally consistent but is adapted and applied to the local context, can be used as a diagnostic framework to conduct gap analysis so that managers can develop solutions to improve management practices through performance outcomes, according to the IUCN.  

In addition to Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam has many other protected areas that are candidates or in the registration stage for the Green List certification, such as Cuc Phuong National Park, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Vu Quang National Park, Bach Ma National Park, Dong Chau - Khe Nuoc Trong Nature Reserve, Song Thanh National Park, Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park, Pu Mat National Park and Con Dao National Park.

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