Con Dao National Park receives global Green List certification

Recently, the Con Dao National Park Management Board, in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), held a ceremony to receive the Green List certification. The event took place at the Park Management Board’s headquarters (in Ho Chi Minh City).

Con Dao National Park began its journey toward the Green List in 2020. The park underwent a rigorous process of self-assessment and evidence collection. It demonstrated strong governance capacity and effective conservation outcomes even under challenging conditions. The candidate phase was completed in just three months, setting a record in Vietnam and underscoring the park’s strong commitment.

According to Dr. Dindo Campilan, IUCN Regional Director for Asia and Oceania, Con Dao National Park is a treasure of Vietnam’s natural heritage. With nearly 20,000 hectares of forests and marine ecosystems, it serves as a safe haven for nearly 3,000 species, including many that are globally threatened.

This milestone is more than just a title; it is a call to sustain and expand successful, effective management of protected areas. As Con Dao becomes part of Ho Chi Minh City’s administrative structure, new opportunities have emerged to integrate conservation with sustainable development, tourism, and community engagement.

IUCN stands ready to continue supporting these efforts to ensure that Con Dao remains a model for protected area management not only in Vietnam but across Asia, Dr. Dindo affirmed.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Pho, Director of the Con Dao National Park Management Board, said the certification acknowledges transparent and effective management efforts. The Park has strictly adhered to international standards. Con Dao is the third protected area in Vietnam to achieve this recognition, after Van Long and Cat Tien.

The Park contains 5,890 hectares of tropical evergreen natural forest, accounting for 77.5% of Con Dao’s total natural area. The marine protected area spans 14,000 hectares and has been approved by the Prime Minister in national planning frameworks, including forestry, marine spatial planning, fisheries resource protection, and biodiversity conservation. The planning vision extends to 2050. Among its most remarkable achievements is the recovery of marine turtle populations. In 2023 alone, 765 mother turtles laid over 2,200 nests, resulting in more than 166,000 hatchlings returning to the sea - a powerful symbol of hope for biodiversity.

These strategic orientations, combined with transparent management and community participation, have enabled Con Dao National Park to be recognized and maintain its status on the global Green List.

Being certified as Green List has helped Con Dao National Park standardize its management processes according to global benchmarks. The recognition also opens up opportunities for international cooperation and access to conservation funding.

Earlier, on September 12, 2025, IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar officially granted this status to Con Dao. This designation represents international acknowledgment of Con Dao’s effective governance and successful conservation outcomes. Asia currently has 31 Green List sites, accounting for 30% of the global total. Con Dao is the 101st site worldwide. Vietnam now has eight additional national parks and protected areas undergoing the Green List process.

The certification for Con Dao was announced at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi in October 2025, with representatives from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in attendance. The recognition affirms Con Dao’s standing and demonstrates Vietnam’s commitment to nature conservation.

Con Dao National Park currently protects more than 1,725 marine species. The area includes over 1,000 hectares of coral reefs and more than 300 hectares of seagrass beds. The forest flora comprises over 1,077 species, while the forest fauna has more than 155 recorded species. Many endemic and rare species are safely conserved here, including sea turtles, dugongs, the Con Dao black squirrel, swiftlets, and the brown booby.

One of the Park’s most remarkable achievements is the recovery of its sea turtle population. From January 1, 2023 to November 1, 2025, more than 2,100 mother turtles laid over 6,300 nests. The total number of eggs exceeded 604,000, and more tha