The People's Committee of Quang Nam Province has decided to establish the Cu Lao Cham Nature Reserve, located in Hội An City.
This reserve is classified as a nature reserve and was established based on the former Cù Lao Chàm Marine Protected Area.
The Cu Lao Chan Nature Reserve falls under the administrative boundaries of Tan Hiep Commune, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, covering a total area of 23,530 hectares. It is divided into functional zones, including a strictly protected zone, an ecological restoration zone, a service-administration zone, and a buffer zone.
The reserve comprises seven main islands: Hon Lao, Hon Cu, Hon Kho, Hon La, Hon Dai, Hon Mo, and Hon Tai. Among them, Hon Lao is the largest island, spanning approximately 1,147 hectares, and is home to the local community of Tân Hiệp island commune.
Cu Lao Cham boasts incredibly diverse and rich natural resources. Its special-use forests contain more than 624 identified species of vascular plants, including many rare and endangered species with medicinal value (365 out of 624 recorded species). Notably, 52 plant species are listed for priority conservation in the Viet Nam Red Book, the Government's Decree No. 06/2019/ND-CP on managing endangered, precious, and rare forest plants and animals, and the IUCN Red List. These include species such as Acampe ochracea (Lindl.) Hochr, Argusia argentea (L. f.) Heine, Curculigo orchioides Gaertn, Cycas rumphii Miq, and Madhuca pasquieri (Dub.) H.J. Lam. Additionally, the reserve is home to various mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Establishing the reserve will expand the natural forest ecosystems on the islands, creating an integrated management system that links forest, marine, and coastal ecosystems. This not only helps protect the area's biodiversity but also contributes to maintaining overall ecological balance.