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Ba Na Nature Reserve 1996
The reserve at Ba Na is close to a large population centre at Da Nang and relatively
accessible. Human use of the forest is widespread, and hunting, timber extraction
(both legal and illegal), collection of forest products (such as rattan) and mining all
occur in the reserve. Hunting directly threatens the mammal fauna of the reserve,
particularly favoured quarry species such as muntjac, wild pig, and black bear.
Hunting is carried out both as a subsistence activity and for profit, game animals
being taken alive to local markets.
Timber extraction by then local Forest Enterprise organisation has in the past caused a
great deal of disturbance to Ba Na's forests, but these activities are due to cease.
However, illegal extraction of trees by local people continues to occur. Although the
rate of extraction by illegal loggers is relatively low, its relentless nature increases the
impact it has on the forest, especially upon high value timber trees such as Sindora.
Rattan is also taken from the forest, at times in large quantities; although a more
renewable resource than timber, this too is in danger of overexploitation.
Mining for gold and other minerals has occurred in the area in the past, and tungsten
is still being illegally removed.
Other developments in the area of the reserve, including its potential development
into a tourist attraction, further threaten the biological value of the reserve. Ba Na is a
small reserve (although plans to link it to Bach Ma Biosphere Reserve to the North
have existed for some time) with a particularly high biodiversity value, which is in
danger of being eroded through human pressure.
Existing protection measures seem to be inadequate to preserve it in the long-term.
Frontier-Vietnam Environmental Research Report 7
viii