A Feasibility Study for the Establishment of Xuan Lien Nature ...

Section 5 - Management Recommendations
Hon Han (1,208 m) and Ban Mua (1,100 m) mountains and peaks at 315 m, 1,178 m, 1,397 m and 1,442 m,
as far as the provincial border. The southern boundary follows the border between Thanh Hoa and Nghe An
provinces for about 26 km (Map 3).
With this boundary, Xuan Lien Nature Reserve would have the following characteristics:
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• A total area of about 16,500 ha, including 2,500 ha of evergreen forest.
• No human settlements in the nature reserve after the construction of Cua Dat dam.
However, under option one, an area of 7,100 ha south of the Cao River, including 2,000 ha of evergreen forest,
would not be included in the nature reserve. Therefore, option two is proposed 1 .
Option Two
The southern and eastern boundary are the same as for option one. The northern boundary follows the Cao
River and its tributary, the Ken River, from the border between Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces (19°59’N
104°57’E) to the confluence with the Chu River (Map 3).
With the boundary proposed under option two, the nature reserve would cover an area of 23,610 ha, an increase
of 7,100 ha in comparison with option one. This increased area would enhance the conservation value of Xuan
Lien Nature Reserve in the following ways:
• Expanded habitat for large mammal species with populations in the area south of the Ken and Cao
Rivers, such as Gaur, Tiger, Asiatic Black Bear, Sun Bear and Roosevelt’s Muntjac.
• Expanded habitat of several nationally and globally threatened bird species.
• More areas of forest in the watershed of Cua Dat dam are afforded Special-use Forest status.
Neither option for the boundary of Xuan Lien Nature Reserve includes areas to the north-west adjacent to the
national border between Vietnam and Laos for to the following reasons:
• Local people in Bat Mot commune have settled the area north of the Ken River and are cultivating
wet rice in the valleys and dry rice on the hills. This has led to exploitation or clearance of forest in
this area.
• Nam Xam Nature Reserve in Laos is about 12 km from the international border with Vietnam.
The forest in the intervening areas has been extensively cleared by settlers practising shifting
cultivation. The isolated and degraded patches of forest which remain do not represent a viable
habitat corridor between Xuan Lien and Nam Xam Nature Reserves.
Xuan Lien Nature Reserve will share a common boundary with Pu Hoat proposed nature reserve to the south in
Nghe An province.
As a result of future emigration of people from Xuan My and Xuan Lien communes, following the construction
of Cua Dat dam, there will be no human settlement or fixed cultivation within the nature reserve under either
option. Option two will provide greater protection of forest habitat and the biodiversity dependent upon it, as
well as increased watershed protection.
1 Following the publication of the original Vietnamese version of this report, a workshop was held in Thanh Hoa province
in February 1999 attended by representatives of FIPI, the provincial people’s committee and the Provincial FPD to discuss
the two options for the boundary at which option two was decided upon.