Conserving cultural heritage is not only about preserving precious values of the past but also creating a foundation for sustainable development in the future. For scenic spots, zoning protected areas is an important legal basis to protect the original elements that make up the monument, preserve the landscape and orient long-term management. In the process of developing a dossier to request the ranking of Hang A1 and Hang C2 scenic spots (belonging to the Krong No volcanic cave system), Nam Da commune, Lam Dong province, this content was identified as one of the key tasks in the research and preparation of monument records.
Performing the tasks assigned by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province, in recent times, Lam Dong Provincial Museum has organized field surveys, research, collection and synthesis of related sources. At the same time, consult with the Department of Cultural Heritage and experts from the InstituteVietnam Geosciences and Mineral Resources, together with specialized agencies to fully assess the value of the monument and develop a plan for zoning and protection in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage 2024.
Survey and research results show that Hang A1 and Hang C2 (belonging to the Krong No volcanic cave system) are two volcanic caves with typical values in geology, geomorphology and natural landscape. The two caves were formed from the lava eruption of Nam B'lang volcano millions of years ago, preserving many traces reflecting the geological movement of the Central Highlands region. The system of cave entrances, cave walls, cave floors and lava structures are still preserved quite intact, having typical scientific value for scientific research, education and nature conservation.
In particular, Cave A1 and Cave C2 are located in the Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, Lam Dong province (an area recognized by UNESCO as a Global Geopark).demand in 2020 and re-recognition for the period 2024 - 2027). This is a testament to the outstanding geological, geomorphological, biodiversity and cultural values of the area. The Krong No volcanic cave system is considered by scientists to be one of the largest lava cave systems with a unique structure in Southeast Asia, making an important contribution to the study of geological evolution and the history of the formation of the Earth's crust.
Not only has geological value, Cave C2 also belongs to the group of caves in the Krong No system where traces of prehistoric inhabitants have been discovered. These archaeological discoveries contribute to providing important documents about the process of human adaptation and living in the volcanic cave environment, enriching the scientific value of the monument. Besides, the surrounding area is also a long-standing inhabited place of the M'Nong, Ede people and many other ethnic communities, with unique traditional cultural identities, contributing to creating favorable conditions to connect natural heritage conservation with promotion of natural heritage.indigenous cultural values and future tourism development.
According to the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage 2024 and Decree No. 308/2025/ND-CP of the Government, the identification of relic protection areas must ensure the preservation of the original elements that make up the relic, while protecting the landscape, environment and cultural space associated with the relic. Based on the results of field surveys, analysis of the current terrain, geology, current land use status and opinions of experts, Lam Dong Provincial Museum has developed a plan to delineate the protection areas for Cave A1 and Cave C2.
For Cave A1, protection area I was determined with an expected area of about 2.7 hectares, including the entire cave entrance system, cave body and original elements constituting underground relics; The length of the cave is about 438.7m. Protection area II has an estimated area of about 3.3 hectares, which is the area surrounding protection area I, to protect the natural landscape, ecological environment and necessary space for the management, conservation and promotion of monument values.
For Cave C2, the proposed protection area I has an area of about 6.6 hectares, including all cave entrances, cave systems and original elements constituting the monument; Cave length is about 402m. Protection area II has an area of about 12.7 hectares, surrounding protection area I to protect the landscape, natural environment and create a necessary buffer zone for management and promotion of monument values in the future.
The entire area expected to delineate the protection areas of Cave A1 and Cave C2 is within the scope of Nam Nung Nature Reserve. This is a favorable condition to combine geological heritage conservation with protection of the forest ecosystem, biodiversity and natural landscape of the area. At the same time, clearly defining the boundaries of protected areas also contributes to limiting adverse impacts from resource exploitation activities, construction works and socio-economic development activities that risk affecting the value of the monument.
In the coming time, on the basis ofThe zoning plan has been agreed upon by departments, branches, local authorities and specialized agencies. Lam Dong Provincial Museum will continue to complete the protection zoning map, technical drawings of the overall site of the monument, scientific documents, descriptive photos... and dossier components according to the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage, to submit to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for consideration and ranking the Scenic Spots of Cave A1 and Cave C2 as National Monuments. gia.
Zoning the relic protection areas of Cave A1 and Cave C2 not only meets the legal requirements in the process of preparing relic ranking documents but also creates an important foundation for the management, conservation and promotion of the value of the Krong No volcanic cave system in the future. This is also the basis for linking heritage conservation with sustainable tourism development, community education and promoting the image of Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, Lam Dong province, aiming to develop a proposal to rank the Krong No volcanic cave system as a special national monument in the future.
