The Conservation Education Network (CEN) is one sub-committees of the Vietnam Network on Environmental Education and Training (VIETNET) based in the National Environment Agency. The CEN was found in 2000 with the sponsor of the Centre for Environment, Tourism and Development (CETD).

Recently, environment education (EE) has drawn considerable public attention. Many local and international organizations, mass organizations, and scientists have taken part actively in environment protection and EE activities. The Vietnam Environmental Education and Training Network (VIETNET) that was established in 1995 and sponsored by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment has undertaken a lot of diverse and practical activities.

Conservation education is an important part of EE. In Vietnam currently, NPs and PAs are subject to conservation activities. National parks such as Ba Vi, Cat Ba, Tam Dao, Bach Ma, Yok Don, Cat Tien, Ben En and protected areas such as Vu Quang, Pu Mat, Xuan Thuy, Dong Thap and others, especially Cuc Phuong National Park since its establishmenthave had numerous conservation education activities and have considered it the leading task of NPs and PAs. In several places, conservation education is diverse and suitable for various target groups: government workers, residents in and around NPs and PAs, teachers, pupils, and visitors. There are thousands of people that participate in this meaningful activity annually. Its results make a great contribution to changing people's behaviors and making them more responsible towards nature and environmental protection.

Abundant national and international projects on conservation education have been carried out effectively in Cuc Phuong, Bach Ma, Ba Vi, Tam Dao, Cat Tien, and elsewhere. In the past few years, several schools, research institutes, and mass organizations have joined in conservation education activities. Noticeably, the Vietnam National Parks and Protected Areas Sub-Association (VNPPA) has been active in the field of conservation, holding training courses on EE and ecotourism for park staff and local people in NPs and buffer zones. However, conservation education activities in Vietnam remain sporadic and of low educational quality, and do not meet demand, leading to limited results.

For these reasons, the establishment of the Conservation Education Network (CEN) - a part of the Vietnam Environmental Education and Training Network - is essential.

On 21, 22 June, 2000 at the seminar on Conservation Education, CEN was officially established. The purpose of the CEN is to coordinate operations of organizations (local and international governmental and non-governmental organizations) and individuals that are involved in conservation education in national parks, protected areas and buffer zones; share experiences; and learn from one another in order to enhance conservation education quality and effectiveness.

In the future with CEN activities and close cooperation among national and international organizations and individuals working in the field of conservation education, Vietnam conservation education must make great achievements.

The seminar on the establishment of the CEN

PURPOSES:

The CEN will help organizations (local and international governmental and non-governmental organizations) and individuals that are involved in conservation education in national parks, protected areas and buffer zones network to share information and experiences, and learn from one another in order to enhance conservation education quality and effectiveness.

TASKS:

• Being the vehicle for all organizations and individuals interested and involved in conservation education nationwide to coordinate actions, enhance public awareness of conservation, as well as enhance people's knowledge on conservation through meetings for exchanging experiences, seminars, training courses, newsletters, and emails.
• Enhancing conservation education quality and effectiveness together, coordinate with relevant governmental agencies, training institutes, public organizations, and social organizations for better implementation of conservation education at national parks, protected areas and buffer zones.

TARGET GROUP FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATION OF THE CEN INCLUDE:

• Teachers, pupils, and students
• Adults
• Governmental workers, members of organizations, heads of farms and enterprises
• Visitors (to national parks and protected areas)

ACTION PLAN OF THE CONSERVATION EDUCATION NETWORK (CEN) PERIOD 2000-2005

1. Publish the CEN bilingual (Vietnamese and English) quarterly newsletters (approximately 10 pages for a newsletter both paper copy and electronic);
2. Discuss and exchange information through an email discussion list;
3. Find fund and coordinate with national and international organizations to: (1) organize at least one seminar each year on conservation education in a National Park or a Protected Area, (2) to establish materials on conservation education, (3) and organize professional training courses for the CEN members.
4. Support study tours to exchange experiences among national parks and protected areas by consulting organizers (National Parks or Protected Areas) on the content of those study tours.
5. Coordinate with other sub-committees of the Vietnam Environmental Education and Training Network and mass media agencies to effectively implement the task of conservation education and carry out relevant activities.

ACTIVITIES:

• Publish the CEN bilingual (Vietnamese and English) quarterly newsletters with the financial support of the World Bank (WB). Up until now, the third newsletter of CEN has been established.
• Discuss and exchange information through an email discussion list. At present, there are more than 70 members of CEN participated in this networking.
• Establish several websites.

THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF CEN:

Chief: Prof. Dr. Vo Quy, Center for Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES)

Deputy chief: Prof. Hoang Hoe, Center for Environment, Tourism and Development (CETD)

Secretary: Le Van Lanh, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

Members:

1. Dr. Nguyen Duc Khang, President of Vietnam National Park and Protected Area Sub-Association (VNPPA)
2. Tran Quoc Bao, Chief of Conservation Division, Forest Protection Department (FPD)
3. Huynh Van Keo, Director of Bach Ma National Park
4. Dao Van Khuong, Director of Cuc Phuong National Park
5. Nguyen Minh Thong, Dinh Thi Minh Thu, The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
6. Nguyen My Hanh, Mike Mataraso, The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
7. Douglas Hendrie, International Flora and Fauna (FFI)
8. Masahisa ARAI, Japanese Environmental Agency

Members of the CEN include governmental and non-governmental local and international individuals and organizations (national parks; protected areas; universities; vocational schools; boarding schools for ethnic minority; such public unions as farmers' union, women's union, veterans' union, youth union; such economic organizations as agroforest farms, enterprises, factories etc.)

CONTRACT ADDRESS:

CONSERVATION EDUCATION NETWORK
114 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Ha Noi
Tel/Fax: (844) 7 560 233
Email: cen-cetd@hn.vnn.vn

WEBSITE:

http://www.mekonginfo.org/partners/CEN/index.htm

http://www.undp.org.vn/forums1/cen.htm