Vietnam network
for Conservation education network -----*****----- Contact address: Center for Environment,
Tourism and Development (CETD) |
Director of 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.
Center for Environment, Tourism and Development
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Group discussion at the seminar |
With the financial support from the Small Grants Program of World Bank (WB) and the Fauna and Flora International (FFI), the Center for Environment, Tourism and Development (CETD) and the Vietnam Network for Environmental Education and Training (VIETNET) co-organized the Conservation Education Seminar on 21-22 June 2000 at the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI), Km13, Thanh Tri, Hanoi. Present at the seminar were 51 participants (41 Vietnamese and 10 foreigners) including staff of the Center for Environment, Tourism and Development (CETD), Vietnam National Parks and Protected Areas Sub-Association (VNPPA), Vietnam Network for Environmental Education and Training (VIETNET), Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, National Center for Natural Sciences and Technology (NCNST), Center for Environment and Sustainable Development, Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI), Center for Natural Resources and Environment (belonging to FiPI), national parks and nature reserves through out Vietnam, national and international projects relating to nature conservation, educators, and reporters from some newspapers, Vietnam Television and Hanoi Television.
On this occasion the Conservation Education Network (CEN) officially declared its establishment. The seminar focused on conservation education and all participants discussed the CEN operation.
Opening the seminar was a speech of Prof. Hoang Hoe-Director of CETD welcoming the birth of the CEN. Following up were other speeches on current conservation education in Vietnam by Dr. Nguyen Duc Khang-President of VNPPA, Nguyen Nguyen Cuong – Secretary General of VIETNET, Dr. Nguyen Huy Phon-Deputy director of FIPI. After that was the reports on conservation education in Bach Ma National Park (NP) by Mr. Huynh Van Keo, director of the park; on WWF conservation education activities by Ms. Nguyen My Hanh-WWF Vietnam environmental education officer; on conservation education programs in national parks and protected areas in Vietnam of VNPPA in cooperation with Japan Internation Cooperation Agency (JICA) by Mr. Masahisa Arai – JICA expert; and on conservation education activities of Cuc Phuong Conservation Project by Vu Thi Quyen - Project coordinator.
In the afternoon, all participants were divided into two groups. The two goups discussed (1) Conservation Education for adults and pupils, (2) Conservation Education for tourists. Both groups worked actively to come to conclusion on impacts caused by each target group on protected areas, priority education activities, methods and facilities for education activities, and coordination and cooperation among individuals and organizations in visitor education. Participants also discussed conservation education for officers, policy makers and agreed that although it is not easy, it is necessary and possible if there is a right approach.
All participants considered and unified the opinion on the CEN regulation and its five-year action plan (2000-2005), and voted the steering committee of the CEN.
After the visit to FIPI museum and model forest, all participants left Hanoi for Cuc Phuong National Park.
On 22 June 2000 they visited Cuc Phuong museum, Visitor Center. Cuc Phuong Conservation Project staff introduced project programs, activities including a play and a public show composed and performed by the project staffs themselves. The participants visited the Center for Ecology Studies and Tortoise Conservation Center before lunc
In the afternoon, the whole group paid a visit to Ancient Cave and Primate Rescue Center.
The seminar on Conservation Education wrapped successfully marking the birth of the Conservation Education Network.
Secretary General of VIETNET
At the end of 1992, in the frame of the UNEP the Network for Environmental Education and Training at Tertiary Level of the Asian Pacific (NETLAP) was established and after that Vietnam was invited to participate as the official member of the network. At first, the network of Vietnam had 14 members including environmental management and environmental sciences organizations led by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh who is the coordinator of the network. So far, the number of its members has increased considerably to 700 including 202 doctors, 58 masters, and 400 bachelors, etc. The network consists of specific sub-committees: (1) Toxic Chemicals and Dangerous Waste, (2) Marine Environment, (3) Environmental Economics, (4) Education and Training at all Levels, (5) Environmental Education and Training Communities, (6) Environmental Education and Public Health, (7) Biodiversity Education and Training, (8) Industrial and Urban Environment, (9) Human Environmental Education, and (10) Conservation Education. It can be said that the establishment of the VIETNET is appropriate with one of several action plans of National Plan on Environment and Sustainable Development 1991-2000.
The purpose of the VIETNET is "to develop the environmental education and training strategy of Vietnam; to unify management; to coordinate, assist and cooperate nationally and internationally in order to gradually standardize environmental education/training nationwide and contribute to the cooperation with the NETLAP."
Since its establishment the VIETNET has organized many practical environmental education activities such as forums, conferences, seminars, training courses on environmental education. Its members take part in giving lectures on environmental management, environmental sciences, and environmental education regularly for governmental management officers, enterprises, social and mass organizations through out the country. Especially in 1999 the VIETNET participated in the development of the project on "Integrating environmental education into the national system" to be submitted to the government for realization of the decree 36-CT/TW of the Party Steering Committee on "enhancing environmental protection during national industrialization and modernization."
In environmental protection, biodiversity and conservation education is one of the issues that draw attention from relevant sectors and especially from the Communist Party and Government. Because of the great cultural and economic importance of biodiversity, Vietnam has step by step protected its natural resources. Cuc Phuong national park was established in 1962 and since then 107 protected areas have been set up including 11 national parks, 64 nature reserves and 32 historical and cultural sites (according to the statistics of Forest Protection Department (FPD), Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD)).Vietnam has worked out the National Environmental Protection Strategy (1985), National Plan on Environment and Sustainable Development (1991), Action Plan of Tropical Forestry (1991) and Biodiversity Action Plan (1995), etc.
Relevant governmental organizations have put conservation education under consideration since the 1980s. The first training course on national park management in Vietnam was held from 10-15 November 1987 in Cat Ba national park with the participation of relevant scientists from such agencies as the National Committee for Science and Technique, National Committee on Social Sciences, Vietnam Scientific Institute, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Forestry, etc.
Up to now numerous refresher and professional training courses, seminars on management sciences and technique in this field have been held nationwide by Ministry of Forestry, MARD, research institutes, universities, management agencies.
In the frame of the VIETNET, conservation education has been receiving a lot of attention from scientists of several agencies and organizations, especially the coordination and assistance of international organizations that help Vietnam implement Biodiversity Action Plan in general and conservation program in particular
Project Coordinator
Cuc Phuong Conservation Project started in 1996 aimed at helping Cuc Phuong national park with conservation through four programs:
The conservation awareness program is the biggest program of the project with a view to enhance local people and visitors' awareness about Cuc Phuong, nature and conservation. The program contains three parts:
Conservation Club Program began at the end of 1996 in some schools of Nho Quan district. So far the program has developed through out the four buffer zone districts of the park with the participation of 43 schools, 15,300 members and 32 cooperative teachers. This is an extra-curriculum program and all pupils participate voluntarily. Each time focuses on one topic and consists of several activities such as drawing, telling stories, playing games, discussing, etc. that relate to the topic. In addition there are various special events and activities such as puppet show, planting trees, visiting the park, contests and teachers workshops, etc. Especially, club members take part in the village program through the play "Tao Quan comes late" that they compose and act by themselves.
Besides all members make an actively great contribution to the newspaper "Green Forest" of the club with poems, stories, and questions about the nature, environment, the park and conservation.
An important content of the program is to train staff and teachers. The project usually organizes training courses to enhance the project staff conservation knowledge and every two months the project holds a training course for cooperative teachers with the same purpose.
Village Program started at the end of 1998. The program mainly targets at adults. Unlike the conservation club program, this program has been carried out alternatively in all villages in close relation with local authorities and organizations as Women Union, Youth Union, Veteran Union, and others. Up to now the program No 1 has finished in three districts and the program No 2 is being implemented in the third village with 15,000 participants. The program No 1 included slide show on the value of Cuc Phuong National Park, threats and impacts, the play "Tao Quan comes late" of the conservation club members. The program No 2 comprises a short film on Cuc Phuong and some economic solutions that have been applied successfully in some households in the buffer zone. Then the program continues with discussion on issues that have been raised in the film anf finally the comedy "Mr. Man's family story" starred by the project staff.
Visitor program started in 1999 with the construction of the visitor center. This will be the place providing visitors with information of Cuc Phuong national park, protection and conservation before they visit the park and it is also the place to organize activities for local people and pupils when they visit the park.
One of the greatest successes of the project is to train conservationally experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable staff. At present the conservation awareness program is run and managed completely by Vietnamese.
Since its establishment in 1995, Vietnam National Parks and Protected Areas Sub-Association (VNPPA) has had several activities relating to environmental education (EE). VNPPA has cooperated with Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe (FNNPE) in the period between 1996 and 1998, the National Parks Association of Japan, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and WWF to organize training courses on EE.
VNPPA together with a JICA expert and a EE officer from WWF organized a training course on EE and ecotourism in Ba Vi and Tam Dao national parks from 16 to 31 of March 2000
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| Activity at Training course on Ecotourism
and Environmental Education in Ba Vi National Parks |
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| Activity at Training course on Ecotourism
and Environmental Education in Tam Dao National Parks |
Through activities at the training courses, some experiences are supposed as following:
In order to organize training courses effectively, it is important to choose the right trainees. Those people are interested and involved in the content of the training course should be targeted so that they can apply what they have trained into their work in the park.
Environmental Education officer - WWF Vietnam
The World Wide Fund for Nature - WWF started to work in Vietnam in the early 1980s and officially opened its representative office in Hanoi in 1991. WWF operation purposes are to preserve the diversity of the ecological and genetic resources, breeds and species; to ensure sustainable usage of natural resources that can be renewed in the short term as well as in the long term; and to encourage activities that help reduce pollution, exploitation, and waste consumption of energy and natural resources. In Vietnam, WWF is coordinating many field projects, providing support financially and technically for field studies, providing professional training to conservation workers at all levels, and cooperating closely with governmental agencies, research institutes and NGOs that are involved in conservation in Vietnam in order to meet the national increasing conservation demand more and more effectively.
Since the late 1970s, after the first Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education (Tbilisi, 1977), WWF has developed a lot of strategies and concrete programs on environmental education (EE) on various continents. Major directional principles of WWF environmental education programs are:
WWF environmental education programs in Vietnam started in 1997. Based on the reality of EE development in Vietnam and EE demand from different target groups in the frame of WWF conservation projects implemented in some national parks (NP) and protected areas (PA) in Vietnam, the EE strategy of WWF Vietnam (1998-2000) has been elaborated. The strategy states clearly that EE programs should focus on NPs and PAs in Vietnam and should be integrated tightly into WWF field projects.
EE programs of WWF in Vietnam have carried out the following field activities for the past three years of development and implementation:
Advantages
EE/conservation education is a very new field in Vietnam. However, EE/conservation education workers in Vietnam in general and in NPs and PAs in particular have worked under a very clear orientation: EE is officially considered one of the main functions and tasks of a NP/PA. Besides, new policies on EE/conservation education issued by relevant ministries and echelons (Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment etc.) create suitable legal corridors for the development and implementation for EE programs at the ground level.
EE/conservation education because it contributes to the sustainability and efficiency of education and conservation activities.
In the past few years the tendency to apply the public participatory method conservation and development has become more and more popular and an advantage for the education program to be of high effectively for nature conservation.
Disadvantages:
Although it is widely accepted in Vietnam that education is one of the basic measures to implement conservation objectives, the concept and methods of education remain a controversial issue at different levels and sectors. As a result, practical education activities in places badly in need of EE/conservation education are deeply affected.
In the management plans of many NPs and PAs, EE is identified as one of the leading functions and tasks. However, it is a fact that the NPs and PA staff's capacity to establish, implement, observe and evaluate EE activities is limited. Accordingly, in order to develop stable and effective EE programs it is not only necessary to raise the capacity of those who work directly in the field of conservation but also to have a suitable management mechanism that generates motivation for them as well as those target groups who actively participate in practical activities.
In addition, there is a lack of both synchrony in programs on nature conservation and economic development, and resources for EE/conservation education development and implementation.
EE/conservation education in NPs and PAs - towards future sustainability and efficiency
One of various models of EE/conservation education programs in the future that should be taken into consideration is Conservation-Education-Development, in which EE/conservation is integrated into NP/PA activities to ensure the reasonability and flexibility of the participatory approach to conservation and development. Besides the implementation of conservation education/EE should be paid attention and considered as much important as other education forms because it is the precondition for the education program to be of high effectively for nature conservation.
MEMBERS OF CEN STEERING COMMITTEEChief of the steering committee Prof. Dr. Vo Quy, Center for Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES) Deputy chief of the steering committee: Prof. Hoang Hoe, Center for Environment, Tourism and Development (CETD) Secretary: Le Van Lanh, Vietnam National University, Hanoi Members:
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CEN ACTIVITIES IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN 2000 AND 2005CEN activities in the period between 2000 and 2005 are:
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The first meeting of the CEN steering committee chaired by Prof. Dr. Vo Quy, Head of the CEN steering committee was held at Center for Resources and Environment Studies (CRES) office, 19 Le Thanh Tong on the morning of 21 July 2000. Present at the meeting were 13 participants including members of the CEN steering committee, a secretary and an interpreter. The meeting has come to the following conclusions: (1) CEN regulations, (2) The CEN five year action plan from 2000 to 2005, and (3) the CEN internal newsletter. FIPI and Birdlife International (BI) co-organized the conference on "Extension of Vietnam Protected Area System for the 21st Century" on 8th September 2000 at the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI), Thanh Tri, Hanoi. Present at the conference were 30 delegates as scientists, relevant officers from Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI); Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE); Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD); National Environment Agency (NEA); Forest Protection Department (FPD); FIPI; Ministry of Fishery; Ministry of Defense; and such international organizations as IUCN, WWF, BI, and EU representative office in Hanoi. All participants listened to Mai Ky Vinh's report on "Information collection and analysis", Vu Van Dung's report on "Assessment and Suggestion for the Extension of Vietnam Protect Area System Based on Information Analysis" and Le Trong Trai's report on "Monitoring Protected Areas - Consistent and Different Points". The participants at the conference discussed and contributed various ideas to fulfill the final report of the project. They focused on discussing ten newly suggested protected areas and the extension of 16 existing ones. The conference highly appreciated the great work that the project did and expressed a hope that the project would perfect the final report. The Second Consolidation Workshop for Project Adviser Team (PAT) of the Environmental Education (EE) Project VIE/98/018 was organized in Thai Nguyen City from 25 to 29 July 2000. The workshop was held based on the EE Project VIE/98/018 between the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and the UNDP aiming at assisting the PAT, who are leading officers of MOET, Departments of Education and Training (DOET) at local level, institutes and teacher training universities, to be able to organize EE seminars in their locality in the near future. With the great support of a foreign expert and project staff, the PAT discussed excitingly the policy and strategy on EE in Vietnam schools and worked actively to plan and carry out a real workshop with the participation of 15 teachers of Thai Nguyen City. The workshop wrapped up successfully on the afternoon of 29 July 2000. Forthcoming seminarsA seminar on "Trees are our friends" is going to be held on 12,13 September 2000. The seminar will focus on sharing experience on organizing training courses for teachers, difficulties and solutions to book usage methods in schools; sharing experience of Bach Ma National Park on conservation education and the coordination between the park and schools. For further information, please contact Mr. Huynh Van Keo - Bach Ma National Park - Phu Loc - Thua Thien Hue, Tel: 054.871330. A seminar on "Agro-forestry Education in Northern Mountainous Area in Vietnam" Venue: Thai Nguyen Agro-Forestry University Content: Agroforestry science and technology transfer in lowland and mountainous areas For further information, please contact Department of Scientific Management and International Relations, Thai Nguyen University, Luong Ngoc Quyen St., Quang Trung District, Thai Nguyen City. Tel: 0280 851588; Fax: 852666. A Seminar on "World National Park Convention zur Expo 2000"
will be held on October 23rd- 27nd 2000 in GOSLAR am National Park HARZ http://www.nationalpark-harz.de |
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COMMUNITY PARTICIPATORY METHODS IN COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENTThe book " Community participatory methods in coastal resources management" is a three-volume set that the Philippines International Institute for Rural Replanning (IIRR) published in 1998 and the Center for Resources and Environment Studies (CRES), Hanoi National University translated into Vietnamese and printed in May 2000. The book introduces methods to raise community and mass organizations' awareness so that they can take part actively and greatly in natural resources management especially coastal resources. Volume 1 describes characteristics of natural resources, coastal communities; and the development, principles, stages and strategies on coastal resources management based on the community. Volume 1 also consists of the community participatory method in coastal resources management. Volume 2 describes step-by-step different participatory methods that have been tested on the field by the writers and organizations. Each method includes: definition, purpose, materials, suggested approaches, strong points, weak points, results and changes, and examples. Volume 3 describes some important activities with the topic on mangrove forestation and marine protected area establishment. In addition volume 3 lists relevant equipment and a matrix to choose the livelihood for community based coastal resources management. Contact address: CRES, Hanoi National University - 19 Le Thanh Tong St., Hanoi Biological Conservation BasisThe book titled " Biological Conservation Basis" written by Richard B. Primack, Boston University, USA was firstly published in 1995. The book has been translated into Vietnamese by the Center for Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), Hanoi National University and published by the Science and Technique Publishing House in1999. Translation and editing group includes Vo Quy, Pham Binh Quyen, Hoang Van Thang, CRES, Hanoi National University. The book includes 365 pages with six following chapters: Chapter one on Biological Conservation and Biodiversity, Chapter two on Threats to Biodiversity, Chapter three on Conservation at the Level of Population and Species, Chapter four on Conservation at the Level of Society, Chapter five on Conservation and Sustainable Development, and Chapter six on Biodiversity Conservation in Vietnam. The book provides fundamental knowledge on ecology, biology and conservation. The book helps equip students and nature lovers with major necessary knowledge for conservation. Contact address: CRES, Hanoi National University - 19 Le Thanh Tong St., Hanoi Vietnam BirdsVietnam Birds is the first guide book to identify birds in Vietnamese that helps people determine birds easily in nature. The book is developed by Birdlife VIetnam under the Birdlife International Program in Vietnam and it was published in March 2000. The book includes chapters on biological characteristics of birds, birds in Vietnamese culture, methods and places to watch birds in Vietnam, protection of Vietnam birds. The book introduces more than 500 out of all existing birds in Vietnam with attached pictures for each. For further information, please contact Nguyen Phu Quoc, Communication Officer of Birdlife Vietnam through email: quoc@birdlife.netnam.vn |
1. Full name
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Office:
Tel: Fax: Email:
Residence:
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9. Works related to conservation education in the past and at present:
10. I hearby register to become one member of CEN
Day ……Month…. …Year 2000
Signature
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Group discussion at the seminar |
Group discussion reporting at the seminar |
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Visiting Cuc Phuong National Park |
CucPhuong Conservation Project's staffs in puppet showcomposed and performed by themselves |
