Attending the ceremony was Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Van Tuan and representative of relevant departments and branches.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Van Tuan speaks at the ceremony

Phong Nha - Ke Bang (PNKB) National Park was established under according to Decision No.189/2001/QD-TTg dated December 12, 2001 of the Prime Minister on the basis of the Phong Nha Nature Reserve and recognized as a world natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in July 2003 with outstanding values of geology and geomorphology.

On July 5th, 2013, the Prime Minister approved Decision No.1062/QD-TTg to adjust the boundary expansion of PNKB National Park with the total area of 123,362 ha, increased by 30,570 ha compared with the previous area.

The expansion of PNKB National Park is to preserve biodiversity and global values of geology and geomorphology of limestone karst ecosystem in the park, contributing to the management strategy of special-use forest system in Vietnam and enhance environmental protection and sustainable development.

The whole area of PNKB National Park is divided into three functional areas, including the strictly protected zone, the ecological rehabilitation areas and the administrative area.

The core zone under strict protection covers 5 communes of Bo Trach district and 2 communes of Minh Hoa district while the buffer zone with over 220,000 ha spreads out over 13 communes in three districts of Bo Trach, Quang Ninh and Minh Hoa.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman Tran Van Tuan praised remarkable results that the Management Board of PNKB National Park obtained in the past time and pointed out difficulties and challenges, especially in forest protection and patrol.

Reported by Hong Men

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