Da Nang (VNS/VNA) - The Da Nang People's Committeehas approved the master plan on biodiversity conservation in 2030 in line withlong-term socio-economic and sustainable development goals.

The central city said the plan, which was officially approvedlast week, would include funds of nearly 100 billion VND (4.4 million USD) tocover the cost of conservation, forest protection and afforestation as well asestablishing new reserves on an area of 43,722ha.

Following the plan, current nature reserves of Son Tra, Ba Na-NuiChua and Nam Hai Van, or South Hai Van forest, will be key priorities forstrict protection in biosphere reserves, natural landscape protection, herb andbotanical gardens covering 37,534ha.

The Ba Na-Nui Chua nature reserve would be promoted as aNational Park, while the Son Tra reserve and the South Hai Van special useforest will be kept as two nature reserves.

A core zone of the three reserves of Son Tra, Ba Na-Nui Chua andSouth Hai Van forest and 10,979ha of the Da Nang Bay would be a new biospherereserve to protect endangered species.

The master plan also includes a botanical garden in the Ba Na-NuiChua reserve and a 10ha herb garden in the Son Tra reserve.

Two lakes - Hoa Trung and Dong Xanh-Dong Nghe - will beprotected landscape zones, including wetlands and endangered speciesconservation sites.

The city assigned two departments for the master plan.

It said the protection of the nature reserves and promotionof new reserves and protected natural areas will aim to build rich biodiversityconservation corridors with neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Nam as wellas the central highlands and south central provinces in the future.

According to the city, the master plan on biodiversityconservation would help promote eco-tourism services while protecting the richbiodiversity of flora and fauna.

The Son Tra reserve,10km from the city, is home to more than1,300 red-shanked douc langurs - the world’s biggest population of theendangered primate listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN).

The reserve, which is 600m above sea level, is known for itsrich biodiversity, with 387 animal species and 1,010 plant species.

Meanwhile, 626 animal species and 793 plant species,including the endangered northern buffed-cheeked gibbon and Edwards’s pheasantwere reported living in the Ba Na-Nui Chua reserve.

The two reserves of Son Tra and Ba Na-Nui Chua are the ‘greenlungs’ of Da Nang, supplying millions of tonnes of oxygen to residents andtourists.

Da Nang plans to become a ‘green’ and ‘smart’ city by 2025./.