Du Gia (12058)
Vietnam, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Du Gia
Central coordinates: Latitude: 22.9000, Longitude: 105.2000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 400 to 2275
Area of KBA (km2): 339.5558
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This IBA comprises Du Gia proposed nature reserve, in north-eastern Vietnam. The topography of the site is steep and mountainous. The proposed nature reserve is bisected by a valley, which runs from north to south and contains provincial road 176. The highest areas in the proposed nature reserve are to the west of this valley, around Mount Pu Tha Ca. Elevations to the east of the valley are generally lower. Du Gia supports lowland evergreen forest, montane evergreen forest and limestone forest. On the higher peaks, there are some patches of forest charcterised by the conifer Fokienia hodginsii. The population of the proposed nature reserve is approximately 7,300 people, comprising members of the Hmong, Tay, Dao and Kinh ethnic groups. The lowland areas and shallower slopes of Du Gia have been almost entirely cleared and comprise a mixture of scrub and cultivation. The remaining forest occurs at higher elevations and has been heavily exploited.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) The site has been reviewed and re-confirmed as a KBA in the process of compiling the revised 2011 CEPF Ecosystem Profile for the Indo-Burma Hotspot.
Additional biodiversity: Non-bird biodiversity: Fokienia hodginsii occurs at Du Gia.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Du Gia proposed nature reserve supports lowland evergreen forest, montane evergreen forest and limestone forest. On the higher peaks, there are some patches of forest charcterised by the conifer Fokienia hodginsii. The lowland areas and shallower slopes of Du Gia have been almost entirely cleared and comprise a mixture of scrub and cultivation. The remaining forest occurs at higher elevations and has been heavily exploited. Small clearings containing bananas, bamboo, and dense vine and thorny tangles are interspersed throughout the entire forested area (Vogel et al., in prep.).
Land use: agriculture (20%) | not utilised (80%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 45 | |
| Forest | 35 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 20 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The major threats to biodiversity at Du Gia are clearance of forest for agriculture, hunting and exploitation of forest resources.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: BirdLife International and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (2001) Sourcebook of existing and proposed protected areas in Vietnam. Hanoi, Vietnam: BirdLife International Vietnam Programme and the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute.Vogel, C. J., Sweet, P. R. and Le Manh Hung (in prep.) Ornithological records from Ha Giang province, Vietnam.Le Manh Hung, Tran Thieu Du and Vu Hac Thrac (2002) A rapid field survey of Xin Man and Yen Minh districts, Ha Giang Province, Vietnam. BirdLife International Vietnam Programme and the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources.