Upper U Minh National Park: Specific Forest Ecosystem in Mekong Delta

The Upper U Minh National Park in Kien Giang province is situated 364 kilometres west of Ho Chi Minh City. The park has a total area of 21,107 hectares with a core area of 8,038 hectares under strict protection and a surrounding area of 13,069 hectares. To protect the only specific mangrove forest ecosystem growing on peat, the prime minister issued Decision N⁰ 11/2002-QD/Ttg on January 14, 2002 on shifting the Upper U Minh natural reserve area and historical site into the Upper U Minh National Park

Specific ecosystem

The Upper U Minh National Park is one of the last remaining places with a mangrove forest ecosystem with peat soil, which once occupied a large area in the Mekong Delta. The park has features of a primitive forest with a mixture of cajeput, large leaf trees and cajeput on peat covering an area of more than 4,000 hectares. The park is home to 250 species of plants, many of which are listed the Red Book with specific features of the mangrove forest. These include rhapis and earth orchid. The composition of flora in the Upper U Minh forest forms an important part of studies into the formation of the mangrove ecosystem in the Mekong Delta.

The Upper U Minh forest possesses the most diverse fauna in the Mekong Delta with many species living in the mangrove forests and marsh ecosystems. The forest is home to 21 species of animals, ten of which have been listed in the Vietnam and world Red Book, including the lutra and the java manis. There are 185 bird species living in the forest, accounting for almost 17 per cent of bird species in Vietnam. Among them, many species, such as oriental darter, anthropoides virgo, black eagle and phalacrocorax carbo, are endangered.

Upper U Minh is the largest bird sanctuary in the Mekong delta. During the breeding season, there are about 100,000 birds in the area. The forest is also home to 38 reptile species with eight of them listed in the Red Book. These include bungarus, python and terrapin. The area has abundant seafood resources with 34 species. Three of them, namely clarias batrachus, ophioceohalus micropeltes, and notopterus, have been listed in the Red Book. There is a large natural supply area of breeding fish for people living around the forest during the rainy season.

Upper U Minh has 1,513 hectares of cajeput aged between 10 and 50 years and 2,686 hectares of secondary forest of cajeput, canals and marsh. Peat is a specific component of the forest, which was formed under water when organic substances were not disintegrated completely. The peat layer of the forest is around 1 - 1.5 metres thick. Because peat is highly flammable, forest fire is a genuine threat for Upper U Minh.

Apart from its natural value, the Upper U Minh area has cultural and historical value. This is one of the three largest former revolutionary bases in the south, namely Base D, Plain of Reeds and U Minh forest. During the resistance wars against the French colonialists and American imperialists, the Upper U Minh base was the rear and hot battle field in the south-western region. In 1997, the Ministry of Culture and Information recognised the Upper U Minh base as a site of national historical significance.

Developing tourism with protection of national resources

With its specific natural and historical features, the Upper U Minh National Park is an attractive eco-tourist site. Kien Giang province develops tours of primitive peat forest areas and bird sanctuaries. More and more tourists are visiting the park. In the second half of 2003, more than 1,000 foreigners visited the park. The Upper U Minh National Park is currently developing a project on building an eco-tourism and environmental education centre.

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