Ecotourism forest development in Nam Nung Nature Reserve (Dak Nong)

Nam Nung Nature Reserve is located about 50km from Gia Nghia City, Dak Nong Province, with an area of more than 23,300 ha, spread over the administrative boundaries of 10 communes in 3 districts of Krong No, Dak Glong and Dak Song of Dak Nong province. The main ecosystem accounting for over 90% of the area here is the evergreen broad-leaved natural wood forest. The remaining small part is mixed wood and bamboo forest.

As one of the precious forests with an extremely rich flora and fauna ecosystem and genetic resources with nearly 900 species, more than 500 genera and nearly 200 plant families. Of these, there are 75 rare species listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam and the Red Data Book of the World like rosewood, African mahogany, sindora, hopea odorata, dipterocarpus wood, taloora lac tree, three-needled pine… The fauna in Nam Nung forest has nearly 300 species, 29 orders and 93 families of vertebrates, of which many rare and endangered animals are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam and IUCN such as elephant, gaur, black-shanked douc langur, yellow-cheeked gibbon, clouded leopard, pig-tailed macaque, bobcat, civet… There are also 173 species of birds, 66 species of fish, 37 species of reptiles…

Besides biodiversity values, Nam Nung forest also has many valuable geological heritages. This includes the UNESCO Global Geopark. In addition, there is a diverse geological system with granite mountains and tektite meteorites, which have historical value for the whole area.

In addition to a rich flora and fauna ecosystem, Nam Nung Nature Reserve is also home to many magnificent landscapes such as a 7-storey waterfall (also known as Tiger Waterfall), dubbed the “best waterfall in the Central Highlands” or Bear Waterfall. Dray Sap waterfall is located in the landscape special-use forest over 1,600ha, in the area of Dak Sor and Nam Da communes, Krong No district. This landscape forest is also recognized as a national scenic spot.

Mr Bui Duy Giap, the Deputy Director of Nam Nung Nature Reserve, said that the People’s Committee of Dak Nong province has approved the project of eco-tourism, resort and entertainment here. And then, the unit has signed a contract to lease the forest environment for ecotourism, resort and entertainment business with 2 investors. They are the Lien Thanh Dak Nong Construction Investment Joint Stock Company and Understanding the Heart Tourism Joint Stock Company, with a total area of more than 743 ha.

After the project is put into operation, it will contribute to promoting the full value of the forest. These values include forest development, biodiversity conservation, and resource promotion; raising awareness and action of local communities towards the invaluable assets of landscape – culture – history tourism and job creation, raising incomes and living standards for local people, step by step reducing poverty and move towards sustainable development; generate additional revenue for forest protection, nature conservation and biodiversity for the unit. At the same time, develop and enhance the value of Nam Nung Nature Reserve, contributing to the management, conservation, and sustainable development of forest resources.

“Nam Nung’s landscape, environment and diversity of natural ecosystems, local culture, and historical relics have great potential for developing eco-tourism. This is a very important factor contributing to the unit’s stable income, from which the conservation work will be more effective.

“In parallel with economic development and eco-tourism, the unit also implements many solutions at the same time to strengthen forest protection. One of them is linking forest protection with the indigenous people living around the forest by contracting. In the period of 2021 – 2025, the unit has signed contracts to contract forest protection with nearly 300 households in an area of nearly 3,000 ha. Thanks to that, the situation of forest law violations has decreased significantly, and people participating in contracts also have more stable incomes and improved lives”, said Nguyen Van Manh, Director of Nam Nung Nature Reserve.