Vietnam has recently completed the study for a project to build an ecological certificate system for hotels in Cat Ba Island of northern Haiphong port city, said the Fauna and Flora International Organization (FFI).
The project will be assigned to the district government that will be responsible for conducting it from September 2006, the organization added.
The UK Embassy in Vietnam funded GBP23,000 (US$43,641) for the project.
Cat Ba archipelago in Cat Hai district of Haiphong City - the only site in Vietnam endowed with both forest and ocean has abundant natural resources, beautiful landscapes and many kinds of rare animals and plants, and has a total natural acreage of 26,240 ha including 9,200 ha of water.
The reserve is divided into three areas of core, buffer and transition zones. The core zone in the southeast and northwest covers 8,500 ha and is free from direct human impacts, excluding research activities. The 7,741-ha buffer zone has great potential for economic development, studies, education and entertainment. The 10,000-ha transition zones are crowded with people and are favorable for community-based development projects, particularly aquaculture and tourism services.
It is home to 2,320 species of fauna and flora, including 741 land species, 282 forest species, 538 seabed species, 196 fish species, 177 species of coral reefs, 75 species of sea grasses and 23 species of wetland plants. As many as 60 species of fauna and flora are endemic and listed in Vietnam and the World Red Book for Endangered Species, including the golden-headed langur, one of the most endangered primates in the world.
New Hanoi
Vietnamese
