Environment

Conservation of Ha Long Bay iconic rocks to comply with world convention: Authority

Authorities are quickly taking measures to minimise direct impacts on and maintain the stability of Hon Trong Mai (Kissing Rocks) in line with Vietnam’s regulations and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, said the Ha Long Bay Management Board.
Conservation of Ha Long Bay iconic rocks to comply with world convention: Authority ảnh 1Hon Trong Mai (Kissing Rocks), a symbol of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province. (Photo: VNA)
Quang Ninh (VNA) –Authorities are quickly taking measures to minimise direct impacts on andmaintain the stability of Hon Trong Mai (Kissing Rocks) in line with Vietnam’sregulations and the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Culturaland Natural Heritage, said the Ha Long Bay Management Board.

Hon Trong Mai, emblematic of wordnatural heritage site Ha Long Bay in northern Quang Ninh province, are among the many limestone formations in the bay. In the shape of a pair of cock and hen facingeach other, they comprise 40 stone blocks, including 11 on the rock of Trong (Cock)and 29 on the Mai (Hen), and now are at high risk of collapse.

The system of faults in the area isthe objective cause of rock collapses in Ha Long Bay. The phenomenon has occurredfrequently over the last millions of years and will continue in the future. Someformations with special shapes like Hon Trong Mai, Con Coc (Toad), Cho Da (StoneDog), and Dau Nguoi (Human Head) came into being as results of such rockslidesand collapses, head of the board Vu Kien Cuong tolda press meeting on August 29.

The board has coordinated withthe Quang Ninh provincial Department of Science and Technology and the VietnamInstitute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources to conduct a study on the status ofand factors affecting Hon Trong Mai to work out conservation measures.

They have proposed some measures, both social and structural, for minimising direct impacts on and keepthe stability of the iconic rocks, Cuong noted.

Ha Long Bay was recognised as aworld natural heritage site by UNESCO twice, in 1994 for its globally outstanding aestheticvalues and in 2000 for its geological - geomorphological values.

The recognised area covers 434 sq.kmand consists of 775 limestone islets of all sizes – one of the core factors ofthe heritage’s values./.
VNA
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