Possessing a diversified floristiccomposition with hundreds of plant and tree species, a range of wildrare animals and natural beautiful waterfalls and caves, Xuan SonNational Park is an ideal destination of Vietnamese and foreignvisitors.

Topography and hydrology

XuanSon National Park is located at the extreme south-eastern extent of theHoang Lien Mountains, in the watershed of the Red River. Elevations atXuan Son are lower than elsewhere in the Hoang Lien mountains: thenearest point above 2,000 m is 40 km to the north-west. Limestone karstcovers 1,661 ha, equivalent to 30% of the area of the national park.The limestone karst contains a large number of caves, some of whichcontain river systems.

Biodiversity values

Thenatural vegetation types at Xuan Son are lowland and lower montaneevergreen forest, as well as lowland and lower montane limestoneforest. To date, 314 vascular plant species, 48 mammal species, 121bird species, 13 reptile species and 14 amphibian species have beenrecorded at Xuan Son National Park. The investment plan reported the occurrence of one group of Black-cheeked Crested Gibbon Hylobates concolor with three or four

The floraof the Xuan Son National Park is very rich and diverse, including 180families, 680 genera and 1,217 species of 6 vascular plant phyla. Thetaxon distributions of these taxa are different. The Magnoliophytaphylum has 151 families (83.88%), 633 genera (93.08%) and 1,130 species(92.85%); the Polypodiophyta has 22 families (12.22%), 38 genera(5.58%) and 74 species (6.08%); the Pinophyta has 3 families, 4 generaand 5 species; the Lycopodiophyta has 2 families, 3 genera and 6species; the smallest taxa are Equisetophyta and Psilotophyta with 1family, 1 genus and 1 species each. The Euphorbiaceae is the mostdiverse family (60 species), followed by Rubiaceae (49 species),Fabaceae, MoraceaeThere are 26 genera with more than 5 species, made up4% compared to the total genera of the flora but with 186 species(15.28% the total species of the flora); these genera are Ficus (24species), Ardisia (13 species), Piper and Polygonum, each with 9species; Diospyros, Elaeocarpus, Hedyotis. Psychotria and Dendrobium,each with 7 species; Begonia, Bauhinia, Desmodium, Maesa, Helicia,Solanum, Callicarpa, Clerodenrun, Carex, Cyperus and Dioscorea, eachwith 6 species and lastly Tectaria, Pteris, Schefflera, Garcinia,Rhododendron and Syzygium, each with 5 species. There are 40 endangeredspecies (representing 3,4% of the total species of the flora of theXuanson national park) listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam (2004),that need to be given priority for conservation and protection.

Usefulplant resources comprise medicinal plants (665 species); timber plants(202 species); vegetables and edible fruits (132 species); ornamentalplants (90 species); aromatic plants (26 species); bamboo, rattan,fern, jute (9 species); forages (12 species); oleiferous plants (9species) and poisonous plants (8 species).

Conservation aspect

Themain threats to biodiversity are shifting cultivation and forest fire.These would appear to be bigger threats in non-limestone areas, wherehillsides are suitable for cultivation. Communities inside the nationalpark, which live in limestone areas, cultivate wet rice on flat valleybottoms. However, the limestone hillsides close to these communitiesare still covered with primary forest. One conservation issue at XuanSon is that the national park is, perhaps, too small to support viablepopulations of several mammal and bird species in the long-term.

Preventingnegative impacts on forests, protecting biodiversity and developingsources of precious genes of rare flora for high economic value.Raising public awareness and improving forest-based incomes for thelocals for sustainable forest and environmental protection andmanagement, as well. Those are two most important tasks in Xuan SonNational Park.

Awide belt of land with difficult geographic characteristics and a highpotential is waiting for exploitation. Xuan Son National Park needscreative, high qualified and enthusiasm staffs to make the region moreand more beautiful and wealthy.