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Site description (2002 baseline):
Site location and context
This IBA comprises the Kon Plong Forest Complex on the Kon Tum plateau in the Central Highlands. The site is located on a montane plateau dissected by a complex of valleys. Mount Ngoc Boc is the highest point at the site. The natural vegetation cover of Kon Plong consists of broadleaf evergreen forest mixed with conifers. More than 75% of the total area of the site has been degraded by human activities, and supports regenerating forest, bamboo forest, grassland and scrub.
Kon Plong has relatively high levels of bird endemism, and supports seven restricted-range species, qualifying the site for inclusion within the Kon Tum Plateau Endemic Bird Area (EBA).
Non-bird biodiversity: Eames et al. (2001) recorded four threatened primate species at Kon Plong: Pygmy Loris Nycticebus pygmaeus, Stump-tailed Macaque Macaca arctoides, Grey-shanked Douc Langur Pygathrix nemaeus cinereus and Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon Nomascus gabrielle.Three threatened turtle species were recorded at Kon Plong by Eames et al. (2001): Big-headed Turtle Platysternon megacephalum, Elongated Tortoise Indotestudo elongata and Impressed Tortoise Manouria impressa.Eames et al. (2001) recorded the following three threatened gymnosperm species at Kon Plong: Pinus merkusii, Podocarpus neriifolius and Cephalotaxus mannii.Eames et al. (2001) report that Kon Plong supports populations of Truong Son Muntjac Muntiacus truongsonensis and Southern Serow Naemorhedus sumatranesis.Kon Plong is also reported to support populations of Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus, Clouded Leopard Pardofelis nebulosa and Malayan Porcupine Hystrix brachyura (Eames et al., 2001). These species are listed as Vulnerable by IUCN (1996).
The natural vegetation cover of the Kon Plong Forest Complex consists of broadleaf evergreen forest mixed with conifers. The maximum extent of undisturbed forest is 22% of the total area. This means that more than 75% of the vegetation in the Kon Plong Forest Complex has already been degraded by human activities. Areas that have experienced a large amount of disturbance support a range of secondary vegetation types, including regenerating forest, bamboo forest, grassland and scrub.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Eames et al. (2001) identified five major threats to biodiversity at Kon Plong: clearance of forest for agriculture, hunting, over-exploitation of non-timber forest products, timber extraction and the potential future physical isolation of Kon Plong from other forest areas. The greatest threat to biodiversity was perceived to be timber extraction.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
The Kon Plong Forest Complex is Kon Tum province's only remaining active production forest. The current short term approach to forest management at Kon Plong threatens the sustainability of the forest as a commercial forestry operation, in addition to threatening biodiversity in the long term. To achieve more sustainable, certified forest management, and, at the same time, increase biodiversity protection in Kon Plong district, the World Bank-WWF Forest Alliance and interested parties in the garden furniture industry from Europe have been working with stakeholders to develop a new project. The proposed project, entitled Sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation in the Kon Plong Forest Complex, is aimed at ensuring that the forest continues to be a source of timber whilst also providing valuable habitat for biodiversity conservation. A month-long biodiversity assessment of Kon Plong was conducted as the first stage of the project (Eames et al., 2001). This project has currently not progressed futher due to lack of provincial support.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Kon Plong (Vietnam). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/kon-plong-iba-vietnam on 23/12/2024.
