Young people join hands for the goal of nature conservation in Vietnam

Young people have a responsibility to come up with new and effective conservation methods and to inspire communities about the importance of protecting rare animals and their habitats.

Following the Student Conference on Nature Conservation (SCNC) in 2022 and 2023, SCNC 2024 was successfully held from August 23-24 in Da Nang City with the participation of nearly 100 young conservationists, multidisciplinary students and experts.

SCNC 2024 is co-organized by WildAct Vietnam, Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Center and University of Education - University of Danang.

Discussion tables at the Conference. (Source: Organizing Committee)

With more than 60 research topics from three regions of the country, 25 excellent topics were selected to present at the Conference, including 14 presentations and 11 posters.

Delegates participated in lively and multi-dimensional discussions on urgent issues within the framework of 5 topics: Biodiversity monitoring; preventing illegal wildlife trade; wildlife release, rescue and welfare; zoonotic diseases; and education and social media.

In addition, the theme "Youth for conservation" at this year's event affirmed the role of the young generation in protecting nature.

Not only for individuals working in the conservation sector, the conference is also open to the participation of delegates from different professions, with an interest in ecosystem conservation. This innovation has brought completely new and objective perspectives to the event, thereby expanding the perspective and career opportunities and multi-disciplinary cooperation for the conservation sector.

Dr. Nguyen Trang, Director of WildAct Vietnam, shared: “We expect SCNC 2024 to continue to affirm its position as a prestigious forum for young conservationists. The conference is a sustainable platform, helping to shape the future of conservation in Vietnam.

Through sharing knowledge and experience, we believe that SCNC, together with the “youth power”, will create positive changes for the conservation community and the sustainable development of the environment. This is also an opportunity to build strong partnerships, contributing to the protection and development of Vietnam's biodiversity."

Honoring 9 outstanding professional and amateur topics in two main categories (speech and poster), the Conference will be a springboard to promote youth participation in human resources of the Vietnamese conservation industry.

Master Tran Huu Vy, Director of GreenViet, shared: “The lack of human resources in the field of biodiversity conservation is a problem we are facing. The trend of students choosing biology, forestry or similar majors is very low, and after graduation, they still face many difficulties in accessing and developing their careers.

Therefore, it is necessary to organize conferences that provide orientation, recognition, and motivation for the young generation of conservationists to participate. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more and more conferences aimed at career opportunities for young people with a passion for biodiversity conservation.

“As a wildlife care technician, I see my job as more than just care, but also a connection to nature on a deep level,” said conservationist Phan Phu, Animal Welfare Technician at Animals Asia.

We, the young people, have a responsibility to come up with new and effective conservation methods, and to inspire the community about the importance of protecting rare animals and their habitats."

The conference is an opportunity to build strong partnerships, contributing to the protection and development of Vietnam's biodiversity. (Source: Organizing Committee)

In particular, SCNC 2024 has opened up field trips for delegates with outstanding research topics to Son Tra Peninsula. This is an opportunity for everyone to gain practical access and learn about the region's unique ecosystem, specifically rare primates such as the Red-shanked Douc.

The visit encouraged young researchers to interact and exchange knowledge and experience with conservation experts in a real-world environment.

As a conference dedicated to the young generation of Vietnam’s conservation sector, SCNC 2024 provides an open environment and opportunity for researchers and young conservationists to learn about conservation programs. In the future, efforts to create opportunities by local conservation units such as WildAct will create a strong network of connections between young conservationists in particular and the conservation sector in general.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/gioi-tre-chung-tay-vi-muc-tieu-bao-ton-thien-nhien-o-viet-nam-283945.html