Cát Bà Island
Cat Ba is the largest island in Halong Bay in northern Vietnam. It belongs to a set up in 1994 by the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is home since 1986, a national park of Vietnam, the Cat Ba National Park. Like the other well over 2000 islands in the region is 354 km ² island of Cat Ba on a limestone plateau, which always continues to decrease gradually into the sea. The largest city on the island, Cat Ba town is inhabited by about 12,000 people.
Cat Ba is of importance for the conservation of biodiversity, since it has endemic, rare and endangered species, economically important species, rare habitats and artisanal fisheries.
Rare habitats
The Cat Ba fringing coral reefs are the most northerly encountered its kind addition, swamp forests of willows and mangroves, which are in northern Vietnam become rare.
Endemic, rare and endangered species
On Cat Ba langurs live. The endemic Goldkopflangur Trachypithecus poliocephalus is one of the world's rarest and most endangered primate species. Its population consists of only about 60 adult animals in the Cat Ba Archipelago, and is thus described as precarious. In 2007, the endemic gecko here Goniurosaurus catbaensis was discovered in a German -Vietnamese expedition. In addition, in the archipelago green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) found. Others advocated here rare and endangered species of marine animals are the seahorse (Hippocampus sp. ), Several species of snails with a conical approximately snail shell as belonging to the gyro snails and coveted for pearl production species Trochus niloticus and Trochus pyramis that the abalone Haliotis diversicolor and associated worm belonging to the surf clams Lutraria rhinchena.
Economically important flora
Many of the rare and endemic plant species that are found in the archipelago, are also of economic importance for the region. The yellow orchid Paphiopedilum concolor, the Palmfarnart Cycas tropophylla and the dragon's blood tree Dracaena Cambodiana be valued as decorative plants. Some varieties, such as the Hibiscus tiliaceus be used to make mats. The leaves of Gynura Sukkulentenart auriculata are edible, as are the soft fruits of Maclura cochinchinensis wrong Orange. Other varieties have medicinal properties, the tuber of Stephania rotunda liana or swollen trunks of tree fern Drynaria bonii.
Development of the region
The Cat Ba Archipelago fulfills an important economic role in the development of Vietnam. The Government therefore supports tourism, supports regional fishing and agriculture. International projects are working with the Government of Vietnam together with the aim to minimize the impact of the quickly increasing tourism to the unique ecological situation Cát bas as low as possible. Organizations such as the Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific ( AFAP ), criticize, however, that the measures taken so far are not sufficient.
Fishing
In Cat Ba Archipelago is fished mainly near the shore, the quality of the coastal waters limits the size of the fishing boats. There are still traditional boats used. Larger boats traditionally arise from waste wood, smaller boats are woven from rattan, which is sealed with tar. The Cat Ba Archipelago is an important coastal fishing ground for North Vietnam, it attracts fishing boats from many other provinces. There is a long tradition of regional fishing in this area with dependent migrant workers, which exploit the marine resources of the region.
Since 1960, hundreds of fishing boats competed in the riparian area of the Cat Ba Islands. Today, the fish will be intensified in the fish-rich, further from the shore areas in northern Vietnam.
Agriculture and Maritime breeding efforts
There have been many efforts to promote small-scale commercial agriculture and the cultivation of economically exploitable attempt at a marine life in the valleys of the larger island and the many small sheltered bays of the archipelago.
The biosphere reserve supports the socio- cultural and environmental development by resolving possible conflicts of interest which arise from the nature and the need to also economic exploitation of nature.
Zones
As part of the efforts to reconcile ecological, economic and cultural interests of the reserve has been divided into several zones with different degrees of protection measures and use permits.
Core zones 1 and 2
8,500 ha in the southwest of the archipelago category II were classified as a protected area of the Cat Ba National Park in 1986 in the IUCN. This includes 6,500 acres of land and 2,000 hectares of sea areas. The objectives here are the conservation of natural ecosystems and the gene pool of flora and fauna, the preservation of cultural and historical peculiarities, the resumption of the original flora by reinstatements and injection of habitat improvements for the species of flora and fauna, as well as training in collaboration with the tourism industry. In addition, the required for park management research to be intensified.
Buffer zone 1
This zone was also in 1986 classified partly as IUCN category II protected area of the National Park. The whole area covers 7,641 ha, of which 4,941 hectares on land and 2,700 are in the sea. Here are the above conditions also consistently use by fruit trees, bee-keeping, home gardens and rice, and pearl farming, and fish - culture allows, also coast near fish such as sand crabs and Mantisgarnelenernten, regional working fishermen, and collecting shells in the rocky banks allowed. There is also potential for regional tourism based on the natural landscapes of the National Park.
Buffer zone 2
This zone has also been classified in 1986 as a protected area of IUCN category II national park. The area covers 141 ha and is surrounded by a village called Việt Hải. Here, the cultivation of fruit trees, bee-keeping, home gardens and commercial rice cultivation are allowed, as well as regional tourism based on the natural landscapes of the National Park.
Transition zone 1
The majority of out of town on the island of Cat Ba living, estimated at about 4,000 people, the population of the island of Cat Ba lives in this zone, which is 8700 ha and 4500 ha of land area and 4,200 ha of sea area concerned. In 2002, a new coastal road was created to promote the socio -economic development and the possibility for the accommodation of immigrants to create. In addition, it improves the conditions for diversification of services and the agricultural sector of the island. There are some tourist attractions in this area, which have not been used to create the plans, including a hot spring and new beach areas.
The use of the seashore for the culture of marine resources dominates the economy in the northern section. One main focus is on the shrimp farming. For this purpose, large areas of mangrove forests have been illegally destroyed in the past. It air - infrastructure projects including the improvement of fresh water supply, wastewater disposal and waste management were planned.
Transition zone 2
In this 1300 -hectare area is 1100 ha a city with a population of 235 people. The marine area covers 200 ha in this zone has been estimated that 40 percent of households were at least partially dependent on the resources of the forest. Again, a new road was built to the plan to create a new shipping pier, so as to provide a faster alternative for tourists to reach Cat Ba town from the neighboring, touristy Halong bay from. It is hoped that as the attractiveness of the island for tourists is increased and thus the tourism that can replace the forest stressful forest gardens and fruit orchards as the main source of income.
History and Culture
Cat Ba was a concession to the forestry, prior to the 1986 establishment of the National Park. The Cat Ba island and the surrounding sea have a long history of human use. Archaeological finds prove that Cat Ba was inhabited since at least 6000 years. In the biosphere reserve area home to two ethnic groups: Kinh about 5000 and about 200 Chinese -born Vietnamese. These ethnic groups live mixed and are not separated into different areas or in communities. However, their presence is destructive effect on the nature of the island.
Cat Ba has 42 archaeological sites. They contain paleontological traces of a culture in the Pleistocene. Seven localities belong to more recent prehistoric periods, two are related to historical eras. In addition, there are eight caves and archaeological and cultural traces of stone roofs. Prehistoric localities in different caves are located on the island and normally accessible to tourists. Various research groups have carried out archaeological investigations.
The locations correspond to a characteristic pattern. Found relics of stone, pottery and ceramic fragments indicate the " Bac Son culture" at a later stage, about 6000 years ago. The site of Cai Beo is located on a sandy ground near the sea 1.5 km southeast from Cat Ba town.
Archaeological findings show that people in the region lived in a maritime climate and that Cát - Ba was formerly connected with the continent. In four caves are found paleontological relics of the Pleistocene. Among the Hoa Cave is near the town of Gia Luan in which there are some animal fossils such as deer, sambar deer, rhinoceros, porcupines, and orangutans. Tombs were found in the caves on Cat Ba in the Khau - Quy Thien Long Cave near and in the Ang- Giua cave near the town Việt Hải. The bone findings are characteristic of Austral - Melanesian people.
Among the cultural artefacts and monuments on Cat Ba, there are also temples sites and ancient citadels of Macdynastie.
Festivals, such as a canoe rowing competition, various regattas, a Seegottzeremonie and a fishing festival have become tourist attractions.