Announcing the establishment of the Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve

According to Mr. Phan Thai Binh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam Province, in 2024, the province has implemented a plan to establish the Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve (Hoi An city, Quang Nam province).

This reserve is classified as a Nature Reserve zone and is established based on the previous Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area. Notably, the reserve will include the natural forest ecosystems on the islands, aiming to create an integrated management system that connects forest, marine, and coastal ecosystems. This will not only protect the biodiversity of the area but also contribute to maintaining comprehensive ecological balance.

“The Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve will continue to contribute to promoting sustainable economic and social development and protecting the sovereignty of Cu Lao Cham’s marine and island territories, creating opportunities for the community to engage in conservation efforts, exploit potentials for tourism and economic development…,” said the leader of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee.

In addition, the province has officially established and put into operation the Quang Nam Provincial Biodiversity Museum. This is the first provincial biodiversity museum in Vietnam, which helps raise awareness about the importance of protecting and developing the local natural resources.

The Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve is located in Tan Hiep commune, Hoi An city, Quang Nam province, covering a total area of 23,530 hectares. It is divided into different functional sub-zones, including: strict protection sub-zone; ecological restoration sub-zone; service - administrative sub-zone; and buffer zone.

The system consists of seven main islands: Hon Lao, Hon Cu, Hon Kho, Hon La, Hon Dai, Hon Mo, and Hon Tai. Among them, Hon Lao is the largest, covering an area of approximately 1,147 hectares, and is home to the community of Tan Hiep island commune.

Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve is known for its diverse and rich natural resources. The reserve features a special-use forest with more than 624 identified species of higher plants, many of which are rare and endangered, and have medicinal value (365/624 species have been recorded). Notably, there are 52 rare and valuable plant species prioritized for conservation, listed in the Vietnam Redlist; Decree 06/2019/ND-CP of the government on the management of endangered, rare, and valuable forest plants and animals; and the IUCN Red List, including Acampe ochracea (Lindl.) Hochr, Phong ba, bạc biển, Rubi (Argusia argentea (L. f.) Heine), Curculigo orchioides Gaertn, Cycas rumphii Miq, Madhuca pasquieri (Dub.) H.J. Lam, among others. Additionally, the reserve is home to diverse species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.

With the mission of conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, managing and sustainably using resources, and improving community livelihoods, Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve will continue to contribute to promoting sustainable economic and social development, protecting the sovereignty of Cu Lao Cham’s marine and island territories, and creating opportunities for the community to engage in conservation efforts, exploit potentials for tourism, and contribute to the sustainable development of Tan Hiep commune, Hoi An, Quang Nam.