DONG VAN KARST GEOPARK (Viet Nam)
Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark is located in the northeastern province of Viet Nam, Ha Giang. It is the first Geopark in Viet Nam and the second one in Southeast Asia.
Conservation, Education & Tourism
Geo-heritages date from the Cambrian (about 550 million years ago) to the present and include palaeobiology, stratigraphy, geomophology, tectonics, karst, caves, etc. Diverse fossils were identified such as brachiopods (eurispirifer tonkinesis), trilobites, ancient fishes, crinoidea... and fossilized paths of molluscs. One can also observe rocks that provide evidence of two large biological crises in the past: the 360 million years ago late Devonian Frasnian – Famennian crisis; and the Permo – Trias mass extension 250 million years ago.The geopark has two natural conservation areas rich in fauna and flora species such as conifers, Asian black bear, Southern serow (a solitary mountain goat) and many species of bird. Moreover, the unusual and mysterious Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is one of the 25 most endangered species of primate in the world. It is only found in Ha Giang province and was believed extinct until its rediscovery in the early 1990s.
Dong Van Geopark is home to 17 ethnic groups which creates the unique and rich cultural heritage of this area. The socio - economic life of the geopark should be improved to achieve the Millennium Development Goals that Vietnam committed. Thus, the management Board of Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark has associated with its partners in seeking support from organizations to develop sustainable tourism, conservation of heritage values and Earth science research.
The Global Geoparks Network is supported by UNESCO at the request of Member States