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On January 21, 2000, Cần Giờ Forest (also known as Sác Forest) was recognized by UNESCO as the first biosphere reserve in Vietnam. With its diverse and unique flora and fauna, emblematic of the mangrove biosphere reserve, it has made this place a key national tourist destination in Vietnam. In today's article, let's explore detailed information about the Cần Giờ mangrove biosphere reserve through the following article.
Cần Giờ Forest – The Green Lung of Ho Chi Minh City
Geographical Location of Cần Giờ Forest
Image of Cần Giờ Forest location (Photo by collector)
Coordinates: 10°22’ – 10°40’ North latitude and 106°46’ – 107°01’ East longitude.
Approximately 40 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City center, the Cần Giờ mangrove biosphere reserve covers a total area of 75,740 ha. The core area covers 4,721 ha, the transition area 29,880 ha, and the buffer zone 41,139 ha.
Visitors will take boat tours to explore the Cần Giờ mangrove biosphere reserve (Photo by collector)
Cần Giờ Forest borders Đồng Nai province to the North, the East Sea to the South, Tiền Giang and Long An provinces to the West, and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province to the East. It is one of the mangrove forests with a diverse and rich flora and fauna community. Especially, there are many rare animals here such as long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and various other birds and storks.
History of the Formation of Cần Giờ Mangrove Forest
Natural scenery at Cần Giờ Forest tourist area (Photo by collector)
In the past, Cần Giờ was a mangrove forest untouched by humans, thus maintaining its natural and pristine landscape with an incredibly rich flora and fauna. However, the ravages of war and chemical poisoning have turned this place into a 'dead zone' devoid of life.
Image of people planting trees in Cần Giờ mangrove forest (Photo by collector)
Immediately after Cần Giờ island district was transferred from Đồng Nai province to the City on February 28, 1978, the Party and Government of Ho Chi Minh City directed the City's Forestry Company (now the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development of HCMC) to cooperate with the People's Committee of Duyên Hải District (now Cần Giờ district) to mobilize human resources, determined to restore the mangrove ecosystem.
Image of Cần Giờ forest after restoration (Photo by collector)
To date, the green forest area covers over 31 thousand hectares, including nearly 20 thousand hectares of planted forests and over 11 thousand hectares of naturally regenerated and other types of forests.
Thanks to the restoration, development, and protection efforts of the youth and people of Cần Giờ, this area has become the 'Lung of Ho Chi Minh City'. Currently, this biosphere reserve has been entrusted to the local residents for care and management.
Exploring the Mangrove Ecosystem of Cần Giờ
Rich and diverse mangrove ecosystem of Cần Giờ (Photo by collector)
After over 30 years of restoration and protection, Cần Giờ forest has become the largest mangrove forest in Vietnam with beautiful natural landscapes, extremely rich and diverse flora and fauna. The biodiversity is increasing in terms of species and population. According to research documents by scientists, Cần Giờ currently has:
Many rare species of animals in Cần Giờ forest (Photo by collector)
– 09 amphibian species such as frogs, toads, tree frogs...
– 19 mammal species including monkeys, wild boars, otters, wildcats...
– 31 reptile species such as crocodiles, pythons, snakes, water monitor lizards...
– 63 species of epiphytic plants.
Rich and diverse plant ecosystem (Photo by collector)
– 157 plant species belonging to 76 families, with dominant families being Avicenniaceae, Meliaceae, Sonnerratiaceae, Rhizophoraceae, and Palmae (Nam, Thụy-1997).
– 100 species of invertebrates such as shrimp, crab, shellfish...
– Over 120 fish species, including economically valuable ones such as Ngát fish, Dứa fish, Chẽm fish...
– 130 species of Algae belonging to 3 divisions: Brown algae, Red algae, and Green algae.
– 145 bird species.
Cần Giờ is a biosphere reserve with many rare animal species (Photo by collector)
According to foreign experts, this is a forest area restored, cared for, and protected to the highest standards in Vietnam and globally. Besides being an ideal location for scientific research, it is also a key national tourist destination in Vietnam.
Function and significance of Cần Giờ forest
Protect Cần Giờ mangrove forest - the green lung of the city (Illustration)
After nearly 38 years of restoration and development, the once desolate and decaying mangrove forests of Cần Giờ have now become the 'green lung' of Ho Chi Minh City. It is the habitat of many rare and unique plant species.
Mangrove forests mitigate natural disaster damages in Cần Giờ forest (Photo by collector)
According to the Cần Giờ mangrove forest management board, besides regulating air quality, mangrove forests play a crucial role in coping with and minimizing damages caused by natural disasters such as storms and floods. Additionally, they serve as an important food source and breeding ground for various animal and aquatic species.
However, Cần Giờ mangrove forest is situated within a large city like Saigon. With high population density and expanding industrial activities, it has greatly impacted the management, protection, and sustainable development of the mangrove ecosystem in Cần Giờ.
Actively protecting Cần Giờ mangrove forest (Photo by collector)
Therefore, raising community awareness and educating people about the importance of preserving mangrove forests is extremely crucial and urgent. Protecting and sustainably using Cần Giờ forest is the long-term solution for the city to cope with climate change impacts. Additionally, it creates conditions for city residents to have stable, clean lives and establish a strong 'Green' barrier.
Potential for developing Cần Giờ forest tourism
Cần Giờ ecological tourism area has great tourism potential (Photo by collector)
Thanks to the city's investment and development, the road and waterway systems within the forest have been improved. This provides convenient conditions for tourists to visit and relax here.
Information about the Management Board of Cần Giờ Mangrove Forest:
- Address: 1541 Rừng Sác Street, An Nghĩa Hamlet, An Thới Đông Commune, Cần Giờ District, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phone: 08 6684 8407, 08 3889 4012, 08 3889 4000.
Many tourists choose Cần Giờ as a resort destination (Photo by collector)
Currently, thanks to the planning and development by Ho Chi Minh City, Cần Giờ has become an ecological tourism area. Here, there are many interesting tourist activities such as exploring bat swamps, boating on the river, interacting with wild monkey herds, visiting bird sanctuaries with many different species, and learning about the flora and fauna ecosystem here.
Other tourist areas in Cần Giờ:
Cần Giờ offers many recreational and sightseeing spots for tourists (Photo by collector)
– Monkey Island
– Vàm Sát Tourism Area
– Whale Tomb
– Cao Dai Temple
– 30/4 Beach
– Cần Thạch Center
– Hàng Dương Market
