Con Dao National Park (Con Dao Special Zone, Ho Chi Minh City) has just been officially recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on the Green List - a title for conservation areas with effective, transparent and sustainable management.
This is the 101st National Park in the world, and the third unit of Vietnam to be honored after Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (Ninh Binh) and Cat Tien National Park (Dong Nai).
Mr. Nguyen Khac Pho, Director of Con Dao National Park, said: “This title is a great source of pride for the staff of the Park. We have made constant efforts to protect the primeval forest, the rich marine ecosystem, as well as the rare sea turtles that are considered symbols of Con Dao. Today's achievement also has the important support of the community.
Con Dao National Park has been officially recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a Green List for the period 2025 - 2030. Photo: Con Dao National Park.Con Dao is recognized as one of the most valuable biodiversity centers in Vietnam. With an area of over 15,000 hectares of land and 14,000 hectares of sea surface, it preserves many ecosystems of mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrasses and hundreds of rare species of animals and plants. In particular, Con Dao is one of the few places in Vietnam that still maintains a large population of sea turtles that come to the beach to lay eggs every year, playing an important role in the global sea turtle conservation network. In addition, the Dugong is a symbol of biological fragility, currently distributed in very few places, including Con Dao.
Being recognized on the IUCN Green List also opens up opportunities for Con Dao to enhance its position in the region and internationally. This is not only a testament to sustainable management, but also helps the locality promote the image of sustainable ecotourism, linking conservation with economic development. Experts believe that with this title, Con Dao can become a model of harmony between conservation and community livelihoods, contributing to spreading the value of the Green List network globally.
Previously, Vietnam had two protected areas recognized by the IUCN Green List. The presence of Con Dao makes Vietnam the country with the highest number of Green List protected areas in Southeast Asia, affirming its strong commitment to protecting biodiversity, responding to climate change and moving towards sustainable development.
According to IUCN, the Green List is not only a “certificate of honor” but also an objective measure, based on a set of international criteria for effectiveness, transparency and fairness in the management of protected areas.