03/04/2016
Kon Ka Kinh National Park (NP) is located in the northeast of Gia Lai province, with the total area of 42,057.3 ha, with 33,565 ha of natural forests, mainly primary forest. The NP has three functional zones: strict protection zone (17,137.5 ha), ecological restoration zone (23,990 ha), administrative and service zone (929.8 ha). Kon Ka Kinh is also known as “the highest mountain peak” with 1,748 m higher than the sea level. This mountain peak is also known as the “roof of Gia Lai province “.
In 1986, Kon Ka Kinh NP was included in the list of special-use forests to “conserve high mountain subtropical forests of gymnosperm species.” In 1999, the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) in conjunction with the BirdLife International developed the investment project to establish the Kon Ka Kinh Nature Reserve and this project was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Gia Lai province. In 2002, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 167/2002/QD-TTg to convert it to be the Kon Ka Kinh NP. In the ASEAN Environment Ministers Meeting held in Yangon (Myanmar) on 18 December 2003, Kon Ka Kinh NP was recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park.
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| Hoàng đàn giả (Dacrydium elatum), kim giao (Nageia fleuryi) are rare and precious flora species of the Kon Ka Kinh NP |
Natural ecosystems diversity and ecotourism development potentials
According to the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute, there are 1,022 species recorded, belonging to 568 genera and 158 vascular plant systems. Of which, angiosperm species dominate with 928 species, followed by 80 species of cryptograms, 14 gymnosperm species. The combination of these species forms major forest vegetation types including evergreen forests, low mountain moist subtropical rainforest and mixed broadleaf and conifer closed forests of 2,000, consisting of a lot of pơ mu (Fokienia); this forest type is only found in Kon Ka Kinh NP. Long and interweaved vines in the forest are natural bridges between forest canopies to allow small animals to move and inhabit, are favourable conditions to create the biodiversity of the forest. Interspersed with ancient trees of hundreds of years old with 10 m height pointing to the sky are green vegetation, flowers of all shapes and colours and the colours often change depending on the altitude and the light density where they inhabit.
Due to diverse topography and climate and some other factors forming the forest, Kon Ka Kinh NP has a very diverse vegetation, a meeting point of different flora types: vegetation type belonging to the North of Viet Nam including species in the family of Fabaceae, Moraceae, Annonaceae, Fagaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Magnoliaceae...; vegetation type belonging to Yunnan - Guizhou and Himalaya mountain including conifer species of the Gymnorspermae such as: thông nàng (Dacrycarpus imbricatus), hoàng đàn giả (Dacrydium elatum), kim giao (Nageia fleuryi), pơ mu (Fokienia)...; vegetation type belonging Malaysia - Indonesia including species of the family of Dipterocarpaceae such as chò chai (Hopea recopei), chò đen (Parashorea stellata), chò chỉ (Parashorea chinensis), cẩm (Shorea siamensis); vegetation type belonging the India - Myanmar including species of Combretaceae such as bằng lăng ổi (Lagerstroemia calyculata Kurz)... In addition, there are some other endemic species such as bọ nẹt trung bộ (Central Alchornia rugosa), du moóc (Calamus poilanei), hoa khế (Craibiodendron scleranthum), hoàng thảo vạch đỏ (Dendrobium ochraceum), gõ đỏ (Afzelia xylocarpa), lọng hiệp (Bulbophyllum hiepii Aver), trắc (Dalbergia Vietnamensis), thông Đà Lạt (Pinus dalatensis), xoay (Dialium cochinchinensis), song bột (Calamus poilanei) and some other rare and precious species listed in the Viet Nam Red Data Book and the IUCN Red List.
In addition to the diverse vegetation, Kon Ka Kinh NP also has a typical fauna system with 351 species, including 47 rare and precious species, listed in the Red Data Book such as: yellow cheeked gibbon, grey shanked douc langur, tiger, Truong Son muntjac, and giant muntjac. In addition, the NP is located in the Kon Tum central highland of typical bird area with 160 bird species, 51 reptiles, 209 butterfly species, of which there are 7 endemic bird species such as khướu đầu đen (Garrulax yersini), khướu mỏ dài (Jabouilleia danjoui), khướu đầu xám (Garrulax vassali Grant), trèo cây mỏ vàng (Sitta solangiae), gà lôi vằn (Lophura nycthemera annamensis) và thày chùa đít đỏ (Megalaima lagrandieri) và khướu Kon Ka Kinh (Garrulax konkakinhensis) - this rare bird is considered as the symbol of the NP and was discovered for the first time at the NP 30 years ago in Asia. Therefore, this bird is named after the Park. Particularly, the NP is the conservation area of endemic amphibian species: thằn lằn buôn lưới (Sphenomorphus buonloicus), thằn lằn đuôi đỏ (Scincella ruf ocaudata), chàng Sa Pa (Babina chapaensis), ếch gai sần (Quasipaa verrucospinosa)…
As beloved by the natural and climatic conditions, in recent years, the NP has developed many ecotourism models, contributing to increase the incomes and to improve the living conditions of local people. Attractive ecotourism activities can be: conquering the peak of Kon Ka Kinh mountain of 1,748 m, seeing the roof of Pleiku central highland with magnificent mountain landscapes and big waterfalls; visiting primary forests with diverse flora species in terms of shape and colour, particularly thousand-year old trees; observing many rare and precious and endemic fauna species such as grey shanked douc langur, gibbon, muntjac, flying squirrel… In addition, tourists can participate in festivals to understand the cultural characteristics of the ethnic minorities of the Central Highlands. Particularly cultural features of Ba Na group are still maintained in early ages and gong festivals echo the mountains….
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Eco-tourism development brings benefits to communities living around the Kon Ka Kinh NP |
Proposal of solutions for conservation and sustainable development
In 2011 - 2020, Gia Lai proposes different sustainable development objectives, to develop the Kon Ka Kinh NP to become the database of natural resources and conserve surrounding areas to become a bigger natural forest area, protect, maintain and develop wild fauna. To implement this objective, the province has implemented some solutions:
Ecotourism in harmony with environmental protection, selecting appropriate tourism types and models, having specific plans in tourism development strategy; combining activities of the Rescue Centre and animal development both to rescue wild fauna and become the sightseeing area for visitors to the NP; enhancing the quality and creating special features of tourism products, cultural festivals….
In addition, the province assigns the NP Management Board to develop the “co-management, community-based management mechanism” on the basis of capacity building for staff working on wild fauna and flora, natural resources and environment, creating stable jobs, improving livelihoods for local people, reducing pressures and negative impacts on the forest resources and biodiversity; collaborating with scientific institutes, universities and international organizations to develop projects on biodiversity studies, particularly effective solutions to protect and conserve rare and precious fauna and birds.
Enhance Investment increase on infrastructure, facilities and equipment for research and management of the NP; prevent illegal hunting affecting the sustainability and integrity of the ecosystems and the biodiversity of the NP; collaborate with provincial agencies and departments, national professional agencies and organizations and international organisations in scientific study, sustainable management of forest ecosystems, and development of communities in the buffer zone; collaborate with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to develop the eco-tourism development strategy in cooperation with other tourism sites in the province.
Promote propaganda on environmental protection of the forests to the youth, particularly students in the buffer communes of the NP; integrate forest protection into relevant development plans master plans; enhance international cooperation and effectively use of international support for environmental protection.
Nguyen Thi Phuong
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
