Bach Ma National Park Information

Bach Ma National Park (Vietnamese: Vườn quốc gia Bạch Mã) is a protected area in central Vietnam, near the city of Hue. It covers 220 km² and is comprised of three zones: a strictly protected core area, an administrative area and a buffer zone.

As of 2004, the park is being considered for expansion in order to create a larger protected area that will create a corridor from the border with Laos to the sea.

It was first protected as a series of forest reserves in 1937, and was declared a protected area by the government of South Vietnamin 1962. In 1986the area was established as a national park. The forests of the park, like Cat Tien National Park, suffered from the use of defoliants like Agent Orangeduring the Vietnam War.

Bach Ma National Park is situated in the Annamite Mountainsand is one of the wettest places in Vietnam. Its mountains are composed mainly of granite, and the topography of the park is generally very steep.
Bach ma's position, at the biogeographicalborder between northern and southern Vietnam, combined with its variety of habitats, ranging from the coast to high mountains, means the park is rich in biodiversity. It is located in an area that is considered a 'Centre of Plant Diversity' in Vietnam. The main vegetationtype is moist evergreenforestand montane forest, as well as areas of scruband grassland where human disturbance has been high.
The mammalfauna of the park is not well-known, though historically held important species such as Asian Elephant, White-cheeked Gibbonsand Red-shanked Douc Langurs. It also protects important bird species, ezpecially Vietnamese endemicssuch as the Crested Argus, the Annam Partridge, as well as the previously considered extinct Edward's Pheasant.