Not only is it a ‘green lung’ preserving a clean environment for Da Nang, the Son Tra Peninsula with its rich and diverse vegetation is also a valuable resource to increase the attractiveness of the destination. Therefore, protection and preservation work towards the goal of sustainable tourism development associated with biodiversity conservation, including wild animals, always needs attention.

Along the road leading to the Son Tra Peninsula, there are many instruction signs on preserving the destination. Photo: K.H

Often considered to be a ‘green pearl’ in the heart of the city, the Son Tra Peninsula is always in the top must-visit destinations for domestic and foreign tourists as well as local residents.

Scientific researchers have recorded that the peninsula has more than 1,000 types of plants and 531 animal species, many of which are recorded in the Viet Nam Red Book. However, perhaps this partly creates pressure on the local authorities to preserve this ‘precious gem’, especially wild animals listed in the Red Book.

Members of the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches start work at 7:30 a.m. with motorbike rides, winding through roads to patrol and guard the peninsula so that it is always safe.  Each person has a different job, but everyone shares the same love for the ‘green lung’ of the city.

About how local residents and tourists often have the habit of feeding monkeys, which affects the behaviour and habits of this species, causing ecological imbalance, Mr. Pham Van Nho, a member of the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches said: “The Son Tra Peninsula area welcomes about 150 - 200 visitors on weekdays, and this number sometimes jump to 300 - 400 on weekends. Because of a large number of people moving around the peninsula so it is not easy to manage strictly. Meanwhile, the authorities do not have a penalty mechanism, so they can only encourage people not to feed monkeys and mobilise local dwellers and tourists to join hands to conserve and preserve biodiversity on the peninsula".

Preserving the ecosystem and developing sustainable tourism on the peninsula requires the cooperation of the entire community, and among them are functional units with direct tasks such as the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang tourist beaches and the Son Tra - Ngu Hanh Son Forest Ranger District.

Mr. Phan Minh Hai, the Deputy Head of the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches, said that on the basis of determining that doing tourism is always associated with the conservation of natural resources to develop sustainable tourism, conservation work on the peninsula is well implemented by relevant agencies.

The management board regularly assigns staff to be on duty, patrol, and remind residents and tourists not to litter or feed animals, participate in an interdisciplinary team to inspect, crack down and prevent deforestation, illegal exploitation, trading, and transportation of forest products and animals living on the peninsula.

Periodically, the Management Board organises the activity ‘For a green Son Tra’ to clean up the environment on the peninsula, along with raising awareness among locals and tourists of the importance of protecting the natural ecosystem and preserving the douc langur species; guiding individuals and groups of visitors on the langur viewing route to ensure the tour rules and avoid making noise affecting the langur’s habitat; installing the so-called tree bridges along the Tien Sa - Ho Sau - Bai Bac route to create environmentally friendly landscapes, as well as to facilitate the movement of douc langurs across roads.

Thanks to that, in recent times, the number of langurs and monkeys has increased, and the plant ecosystem has been preserved. In the coming time, the Management Board will coordinate with other units to develop a programme of walking around the peninsula for  residents and tourists, thereby helping to raise awareness of protecting and preserving biodiversity on the peninsula.

Reporting by KHANH HOA - Translating by A.THU