United States Forest Service to support Quang Nam province in elephant conservation

In 2019 and 2021, the United States Forest Service supported the funding for Quang Nam province to carry out the planting of green barrier forests using black locust trees in sub-zones 453, 454, 459, and 460 within Que Lam commune, Nong Son district. Accordingly, the forest spans an area of 23.3 hectares within the jurisdiction of the Management Board for the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Zone.

According to the report of the Management Board for the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Zone, the green barrier planting project started in 2019 and 2021 has concluded the planting phase and is currently undergoing the maintenance phase.

In continuation of this program, the United States Forest Service proposed a collaboration to implement a green barrier planting project using the black locust trees in Nong Son district. The purpose of this project is to reduce conflicts between humans and elephants, and provide additional income to the local population.

The USFS will provide 43,000 USD for this project to plant approximately 7 hectares of black locust trees. The local funding for forest care and protection is estimated at approximately 550 million VND.

The planned location for the green barrier planting project is situated within the production forest area under zone 3, subzone 460 in Que Lam commune. Most notably, the location is adjacent to the green barrier previously planted in 2021, which is connected to the natural forest within the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Zone.

Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee requested Nong Son district to establish a dossier to receive the grant in accordance with regulations. Additionally, the district is requested to submit the dossier to the Department of Planning and Investment for approval. Nong Son district will coordinate with the United States Forest Service to carry out the procedures after the project is officially approved.

Dak Lak province is implementing wildlife-friendly tourism programs to protect the declining domestic elephant population. This initiative involves liberating domestic elephants that have served in tourism for extended periods of time. The province is gradually transitioning towards elephant-friendly tourism to safeguard the declining local elephant population.

Ending Elephant Rides

The Biet Dien Tourism and Hotel Branch under 2-9 Import-Export Limited Company recently terminated elephant riding activities at the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourism Center. This marks a significant change in one of the two tourism sites in Dak Lak province where elephant riding had been a longstanding tradition.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Kim Anh, Director of Biet Dien Tourism and Hotel Branch, the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourism Center houses six elephants to serve in tourism activities. Most notably, two elephants are owned by the branch, whereas the remaining four elephants are owned by local residents. These six elephants have not yet received financial support as part of the decision made by the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee to approve a project transitioning from elephant riding tourism to a more elephant-friendly tourism model within the region.

According to reports from the Dak Lak Provincial Elephant Conservation, Rescue, and Forest Protection Management Center, domestic elephants have not given birth to any offspring in nearly forty years. The reason for their inability to reproduce is attributed to the captivity environment and tourism over-exploitation.

"Dak Lak province currently houses 37 domestic elephants and between 80 and 100 wild elephants, which is a decrease of 90% compared to that in 1980. In addition to support policies and the rising awareness of the caretakers, conditions have markedly improved for elephant reproduction. Nonetheless, there have been no successful reproduction attempts thus far. The introduction of the new model, designed to facilitate elephants' return to their natural habitat, improve their health, and subsequently support their reproduction, offers hope for a positive change. The effective implementation of this new model is expected to yield not only economic benefits but also contribute to the protection of these endangered creatures in Vietnam.

Elephant-Friendly Tourism

Yok Don National Park was the first agency in Dak Lak province to introduce the concept of elephant-friendly tourism. In 2018, the park received a grant of 13,000 USD from the Asian Elephant Foundation to implement the friendly elephant tourism model for the five years.

Mr. Tran Duc Phuong, Deputy Director of Yok Don National Park Environmental Education and Services Center, shared that elephants are set free in their natural environment following the implementation of this new tourism form. Accordingly, the model has allowed the elephants to move around freely and feed naturally. Additionally, elephants consume natural vegetation in natural forest, which helps them avoid various diseases. As a result, the overall health and well-being of the elephants have significantly improved.