PRESERVING AND PROMOTING THE VALUES OF PHONG NHA - KE BANG NATIONAL PARK WORLD HERITAGE SITE (Nguyen Huu Hoai – Chairman of Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee ) The Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park was on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites with criteria viii dated July 5th 2003, at the 27th Annual Meeting, World Heritage Committee In the past 11 years, Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee was always aware of the importance of conservation and promotion of its property And Quang Binh Provincial People’s Committee identifies that forest protection is the foundation, scientific research is the focus, tourism is the driving force for the sustainable development of the National Park Although the issues of conservation and promotion of the heritage values have been met the certain difficulties However, their activities have been achieving the remarkable results The National Park has become a valuable property which is significant for tourism development and the cave tourism has attracted the great of people around the world Forest protection is the foundation of conservation Due to the importance of natural resource protection, Quang Binh Provincial People’s Committee has issued many kinds of official documents related biodiversity conservation in the framework of the province's authority since the park on the list Especially, the official instruction in the terms of wildlife protection, threatened and endangered species, so as to implement strictly the Law on Forest Protection and Development Additionally, The Provincial People’s Committee has directed the Management Board of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park to closely collaborate with the relevant authorities in the enforcement of forest protection and management by the signing of regulations on coordination with the Border Stations: Ca Roong, Con Roang, Ca Xeng, Mo village, Cha Lo Border Station; signed the Agreement of Forest Protection Cooperation with the Forest Protection Departments such as Bo Trach, Minh Hoa, Quang Ninh and Long Dai Industrial and Forestry Company and the North Quang Binh Forest Company In the framework of International Cooperation, Phong Nha- Ke Bang National Park; cooperate with Hin Nam No National Biodiversity Conservation Area, The Laos PDR to carry out the Transboundary Biodiversity Conservation In order to carry out the protection activities effectively, methods of forest management, forest patrol and law enforcement, were improved to prevent the illegal actions impacting on the property of the National Park Over the past 11 years, the Forest Protection Force of the National Park settled 1,558 violations, confiscated more than 840,7,5 m3 of timbers and 678 individuals of wild animals, handed in the state budget more than 3,6 billion In order to put the law into practice and raise awareness of resource conservation, the Park Management has implemented activities such as the establishment of conservation clubs at the local communes and environmental education programs in the buffer zone of the Park, monitoring the changes of natural resources change in the range of the National Park boundary by the scientific methods as camera traps, plot surveys, the establishment of patrol routes to contribute to decisionsmaking about forest management and protection timely and effectively Scientific research is the focus of conservation In 11 years, the National Park has implemented 17 projects related to conservation, culture and tourism development, of which projects were invested by Quang Binh province; and cooperated with national and international institutions to carry out over 30 programs in the fields of biodiversity, scientific researches The results of biodiversity researches have added to the flora list of 2,297 species of vascular plants, bringing the total number of 751 species (2001) up 3,048 species (2013) including a new species to science; adding to the fauna list of 381 species of animals, bringing the total number of species up 395 invertebrate species and 849 vertebrate species Especially, 19 new species were discovered in the boundary of the Park In 2011, a small animal that was said to be extinct for 11 million years ago was recently rediscovered in the extension area of the Park It was named the Rock mouse knew as “living fossil” The new discoveries were added to the animal list of Vietnam up to 323 species Until 2014, 203 caves were surveyed with nearly 200 km in length The typical result figured out the deepest sinkholes of karst in Vietnam (255m in depth and 400 million years old) Especially, the world’s largest cave – Son Doong, was discovered in the year 2009 It can be said the discovery of Son Doong is the most important significance of the cave expedition in the National Park during all the time For wildlife rescue, there are over 100 wildlife individuals of all kinds which are receipted and rescued annually 90% of them are rescued successfully and then released to the natural environment The Management Board of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang is investing to build a rescue center, which is important to wildlife rescue in Vietnam With the purpose of the community livelihood improvement, and reducing the pressure on forest resources, the Management Board has carried out 415 agro-forestry models, community-based amomum, 32 garden-forest models Therefore, communities in the buffer zone are benefited from those models In addition, the model as “reproductive porcupine livestock”, “chicken, pork livestock”, “fresh vegetables”, “straw mushrooms, oyster mushrooms”, “biogas stoves and wood saved stoves”, and “women and conservation”… have contributed to the increase of livelihood in the local community Tourism is the driving force to promote the values of the property We can say that the cave tourism has become the unique feature of Quang Binh tourism Taking this advantage, PPC directed the Management Board focusing on the improvement of the quality of tourism activities, development of tourism services, diversifying tourism products and gradually overcoming the seasonal tourism of Phong Nha – Ke Bang in particular and Quang Binh in general From the only one visiting place as Phong Nha – Tien Son, now, there are more tourism products have been invested in the construction and put into operation such as Hang Tám Cô; Suối Nước Moọc ecotourism site, the Chày River and Hang Tối tour; Ecotourism site of Paradise Cave; Rao Thuong – Hang En; Ecotourism to the peak of U Bò Mountain; Hang Toi water games of Tro Mong, zipline for river bathing, zipline for Hang Tối expedition… Especially, the tour to the biggest cave in the world - Son Đoong After a pilot period, a number of international visitors to Quang Binh have been increased greatly The American Business Insider Tours Magazine and the National Geographic Magazine voted Son Doong cave is one of the 12 most impressive caves in the world and is the best adventure tours in the world Currently, the Management Board is planning to organize an international climbing competition in Phong Nha – Ke Bang and prepare the necessary conditions to launch sightseeing tours and ecotourism and environment interpretation at the Botanical Garden; famtrip has been organized in order to promote and introduce the tourism products to the tour operators in the country and international; collaborate with the Oxalis company to build the project: “Conquering Son Doong – the world’s largest cave” in 2015… The results of services and tourism development have attracted visitors to the Park increasingly A number of tourists increase by 25% annually The total number of visitors reached over million times in the past 11 years Revenue from fees and charges is over 250 billion VND Especially, the tourism in Phong Nha - Ke Bang has created jobs for 4,000 employees The tourism also increases income, reduces poverty in the local community, mitigates pressures on the conservation of the Park These results are crucial fundamental so that Quang Binh province continues enhancing the effectiveness of conservation and promoting the value of World Heritage of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, developing the economic and society on the basic principles of conservation in accordance with the World Heritage Convention in 1972 and the regulations of the Government of Vietnam./ ... conservation and promoting the value of World Heritage of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, developing the economic and society on the basic principles of conservation in accordance with the World Heritage. .. kinds which are receipted and rescued annually 90% of them are rescued successfully and then released to the natural environment The Management Board of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang is investing to build...Company and the North Quang Binh Forest Company In the framework of International Cooperation, Phong Nha- Ke Bang National Park; cooperate with Hin Nam No National Biodiversity Conservation Area, The