Located in Binh Thuan Province, just 100 kilometers from Mui Ne, Hon Cau is one of the country’s 16 marine protected areas and home to some of the few remaining sea turtle nesting sites in Vietnam.
In recent years, however, the 12,500-hectare marine reserve has suffered from pollution and trash problems due to the rising amount of industrial factories, tourism activities and plastic waste from the sea. These take a toll on the local environment and create more work for the staff and volunteers working in the protected area.
Citing the above reasons, on August 22, the marine reserve announced on its Facebook page that it's launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the construction of a new conservation facility called Thach Ta.
“Our staffs and volunteers work nights and days due to increased workload, even in unfavorable weather condition. We have not yet had a physical facility that is safe and stable, so many staff members and volunteers left without a place to stay and shower, including sleeping space and shelters from rains and storms,” writes Hon Cau Marine Reserve in a Facebook post.
The conservation facility will serve as a common living space for staff and volunteers when working in difficult weather conditions or for extended hours. It will also be used as storage for sea turtle protection equipment and an information center for biodiversity. Architect Son Dang designed the facility for free for the Hon Cau Marine Reserve during his visit there.
The total cost of the project is VND700 million, VND400 million of which was donated to the reserve by several organizations and individuals. If everything goes smoothly, construction will start in September and finish by November of this year. As of August 25, Hon Cau Marine Reserve has managed to raise 62% of the needed fund.
For further information on how to donate, read the management teams's official Facebook's announcement.
[Photo via Facebook page Hon Cau Marine Protected Area]
