On November 29, the Management Board of Con Dao National Park (specifically Con Dao area, Ho Chi Minh City) received the Green List certificate awarded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Unlike other titles, the Green List certification is a set of global standards initiated by IUCN to recognize and award titles to conservation areas with effective and sustainable management. The set of standards includes 4 areas: good governance, good design and planning, effective management, successful conservation results.
To achieve this certification, Con Dao National Park must meet 17 criteria and 50 strict indicators. The certificate is only valid for 5 years and will go through a re-evaluation process. If it does not meet the requirements, it will be revoked.
Mr. Nguyen Khac Pho - Director of the Con Dao National Park Management Board said that the Green List certification has recognized the efforts of transparent, fair and effective management of Con Dao National Park. The unit is the third conservation area in Vietnam to achieve this title, after Van Long Flooded Area Conservation Area and Cat Tien National Park.
Participating in the Green List helps the Management process of the Park to be synchronized according to global standards. Thereby opening up opportunities for international cooperation and attracting attention; at the same time, it is possible to access financial funding sources for conservation projects.
Participating in the welcoming ceremony, Mr. Bui Minh Thanh - Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee - said that Ho Chi Minh City is determined to build Con Dao into a green, smart and modern island, applying extensive technology to forest management, sea and tourism.
In the future, Con Dao aims to become an international-class ecological and resort center; expected to be a symbol of Vietnam in climate change adaptation.
Currently, Con Dao National Park has an important position when performing the function of a dual-use special-use forest, both onshore and underwater conservation.
The ecosystem here is rich with more than 1,077 species of plants and 155 species of wild animals; more than 1,725 species of marine life. This place is home to many endemic and endangered species such as sea turtles, dugong (sea goose), and Con Dao black cockles.
The outstanding achievement in conservation of Con Dao National Park is the recovery of sea turtle populations. From January 1, 2024 to November 1, 2025, more than 2,100 mother turtles have gone to the island to give birth to more than 6,300 nests, over 604,000 eggs. The successful hatching process has released more than 436,000 baby turtles into the sea... a positive signal for biodiversity in this area.
