On the afternoon of November 29, the Management Board of Con Dao National Park, in cooperation with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), held a ceremony to receive the IUCN Green List certification at the park’s headquarters.
Con Dao is the third protected area in Vietnam to achieve this global distinction, following Van Long Nature Reserve and Cat Tien National Park.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Dindo Campilan, IUCN’s Regional Director for Asia and Oceania, described Con Dao National Park as a treasure of Viet Nam’s natural heritage. With nearly 20,000 hectares of forest and marine ecosystems, the park serves as a safe haven for nearly 3,000 species, including many that are globally threatened.
Con Dao National Park officially receives the IUCN Green List title after its announcement at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2025. Photo: Thuy Linh.According to Dr. Dindo, the IUCN Green List certification is not merely a title, but also an invitation to sustain and expand success in effective protected area management. As Con Dao becomes part of the administrative structure of Ho Chi Minh City, new opportunities are emerging to integrate conservation with sustainable development, tourism, and community participation.
“IUCN stands ready to continue supporting these efforts, ensuring that Con Dao remains a model for protected area management not only in Vietnam but across Asia,” Dr. Dindo affirmed.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Pho, Director of the Con Dao National Park Management Board, said the Green List recognition acknowledges the park’s transparent and effective governance efforts.
Con Dao began its Green List journey in 2020, undergoing a rigorous process of self-assessment and evidence collection. Throughout this process, the park demonstrated strong governance capacity and tangible conservation outcomes, even under challenging conditions. Notably, the candidate phase was completed in just three months - a national record - underscoring the park’s strong commitment.
The park encompasses 5,890 hectares of tropical evergreen rainforest, accounting for 77.5% of the total natural area of the Con Dao Special Administrative Zone. Its marine protected area covers 14,000 hectares and has been approved by the Prime Minister under multiple national plans, including those for forestry, marine spatial planning, fisheries resource protection, and biodiversity conservation, with a strategic vision extending to 2050.
These strategic orientations, combined with transparent management and strong community engagement, have enabled Con Dao National Park to be recognized and to firmly uphold its global Green List status.
Earlier, on September 12, 2025, IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar officially granted the Green List status to Con Dao. Asia currently has 31 Green List sites, accounting for 30% of the global total, and Con Dao is the 101st site worldwide. Vietnam now has eight additional national parks and protected areas participating in the Green List process.
The certification for Con Dao was officially announced at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2025, which was attended by representatives of Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. The recognition affirms Con Dao’s standing and serves as further evidence of Vietnam’s strong commitment to nature conservation.