Experts eye ways to protect national park

Tourism promotion and environmental protection in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park were discussed on Nov. 30 in a seminar between Vietnamese and German representatives.
The seminar is part of a communication project funded by the German Development Cooperation to protect the park.
"Environment protection and tourism development cannot contradict each other. We support Vietnam through new communication initiatives that will be joined by the local community to protect the environment," said Constanze Esenwein, a representative from the German Embassy.
The participants discussed their attempts to promote environmental protection in the community.
The project will focus on delivering brochures, organising exhibitions and screening documentaries to help the community learn about environmental protection.
Tourists will be responsible for protecting the diversity of fauna and flora in the park, said Constanze.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is located to the north of the Truong Son mountain range in the central province of Quang Binh, one of the world's two largest limestone regions.
The over 200,000ha park includes beautiful formations, grottoes and caves, and boasts lush forests covering 95 percent of the land.
According to initial statistics, the tropical forest in the park houses 140 families, 427 branches, and 751 species of plants, of which 36 are endangered and listed in the Vietnam Red Book.
The forest is also home to 381 species of four-legged invertebrates. Sixty-six species are listed in the Viet Nam Red Book and 23 others in the World Red Book.