PROTECTING AND RESTORING NATURE IN KIM BANG PROTECTION FOREST – HA NAM PROVINCE

The limestone mountain ecosystem spanning Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Ha Nam, and Ninh Binh serves as the habitat for the Delacour’s langur (Trachypithecus delacouri), an endangered primate species endemic to Vietnam, along with many other wildlife of limestone ecosystems. Since 2018, CCD has conducted additional surveys and monitoring programs on the Delacour’s langur population in the Kim Bang Protection Forest. These efforts have confirmed that this area harbors the second most significant population of Delacour’s langur in both Vietnam and the world.

from left to rightPicture 1: Kim Bang Protection ForestPicture 2: Delacour's langurs at Kim Bang©CCD/2025

Since late 2024, CCD has been collaborating with the Vietnam Wildlife Conservation Fund (CV Fund) and the Kim Bang – Thanh Liem inter-district forest protection unit to continue research, monitoring, and the development of a conservation and restoration plan for the Delacour’s langur in the limestone ecosystem of Kim Bang Protection Forest, Ha Nam Province. Currently, the project is establishing a community-based monitoring program aimed at regularly tracking the Delacour’s langur population, identifying areas frequently affected by disturbances, and taking timely action to mitigate threats—such as removing traps and reporting violations to authorities.

From left to right:Picture 3: Training on delacour's langur monitoring techniquesPicture 4: Setting up monitoring routesPicture 5: Data management and patrol reporting with SMART app on mobile phones©CCD/2025

In addition to the monitoring program, the project will soon implement awareness-raising initiatives for students at secondary schools in the buffer zone of Kim Bang Protection Forest, as well as for local communities and the general public. It will also enhance the capacity of forest rangers and community-based forest protection teams through training in effective investigation techniques and the use of specialized equipment. The project envisions that conservation efforts involving local communities will contribute to the recovery and sustainable development of the Delacour’s langur population and the limestone ecosystem in Kim Bang Forest, while also fostering a greater sense of responsibility among the community and the public for nature conservation in Kim Bang District.