ENV

News Brief (E190, 4th - 10th Nov, 2006)

Trade Seizures
Dong Nai province – On August 10, 2006, Dong Nai Forest Protection Department (FPD) in co-operation with local police raided a company in Long Thanh district and confiscated eight Asiatic black bears (Selenarctos thibetanus). According to the manager of the company, the bears were bought in July 2006.

(People’s Police issue 524 dated November 2, 2006; Dong Nai provincial Forest Protection Department)

Quang Ninh province – On November 7th, Tien Yen district police in co-operation with traffic police of Quang Ninh province stopped a car and discovered a shipment of 35 weighing a total of 195 kg being transported in six boxes. 

(Website www.monre.gov.vn dated novembro 8, 2006; Quang Ninh provincial FPD)

Thanh Hoa province – On November 9, traffic police in Nga Son district attempted to stop a tourist vehicle traveling north on Highway 1.  The vehicle failed to stop, striking a police car and fleeing the scene.  Thanh Hoa authorities in cooperation with Ninh Binh Police later stopped the vehicle and arrested the occupants.  Police inspectors found 72 pangolins (270kg) in the vehicle, which was reported to have originated in Ha Tinh.

(The Youth issue 255 dated November 10, 2006; Thanh Hoa provincial FPD)

Marine Turtle Traders
The Hanoi People’s Committee has issued an official letter to relevant functional agencies ordering an end to the illegal trade of marine turtles in Hanoi.   The letter instructs the police, fisheries and city departments to inspect shops and remove turtles and products made from turtles.

Hawksbill and green turtles are commonly stuffed and sold openly in gift shops at high profile tourist spots throughout Vietnam.  Turtle shell is also used to make jewelry, eyeglasses frames, and other crafts.  Additionally, marine turtles are slaughtered for their meat, kept as pets outside hotels and restaurants.

The ENV Wildlife Crimes Monitoring Unit has been working closely with national and provincial Fisheries Departments to combat the illegal trade of marine turtles.  These efforts have yielded a fair number of successes over the past two years including removal of marine turtles from a number of shops and business establishments, confiscation of live turtles from markets, and voluntary transfer and release of marine turtles captured by fishermen.  Moreover, out of six reported hotline cases involving marine turtles in Hanoi, five of these cases were concluded with the successful removal of turtles from the establishment. 

ENV welcomes the recent drafting of a letter by the Hanoi People’s Committee supporting active enforcement measures to end the sale of marine turtles in Hanoi.  ENV hopes that other provincial People’s Committees will take similar steps to stop the illegal and open trade of marine turtles.

New Measures to Protect Co To Coastal Area
Quang Ninh – Recently the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province signed Decision 4153/UNND-NL on investigating and monitoring the exploitation of marine products in order to protect coral reefs in Co To coastal area.  The new decision requires relevant functional authorities to carry out regular monitoring, and bans the use of toxic chemicals, electronic devices, explosives, and other harmful fishing practices.

In addition to the Co To area, the new measures include monitoring and enforcement in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long as well.

(Website  www.monre.gov.vn dated November 11, 2006)

New publication

Hanoi – Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) has produced an Urban Environmental Education Handbook that includes a series of eight lesson plans for middle school children focused on urban environmental issues. 

This new educational resource was developed as part of ENV’s urban environmental education program, active in nine Hanoi schools for the past two years. 

The urban club meetings run weekly as an extracurricular activity.  Though attendance is voluntary, 100% of students join in at most schools.  Each lesson lasts about 45 minutes, and revolves around a central theme ranging from the wildlife trade to urban waste disposal and air pollution, utilizing a combination of discussion, games, and activities to increase student understanding and awareness of the issue.

Upcoming event

Bear exhibition coming in November
On November 25th and 26th, ENV will host a major public event on the protection of Vietnam’s bears.  The Bring Peace to Vietnam’s Bears exhibition will feature winning artwork from a competition held in late 2005 that attracted 96,166 entries nationwide.  In addition to this selection of amazing and colorful artwork that expresses ideas about bears and bear trade, the exhibition will also feature famous national celebrities signing autographs on event posters, performances, bear chipping demonstrations, informative panels, and a “torture chamber” where visitors can visualize what it is like to be a captive bear in Vietnam. 

The event will be held at the Gallery on 29 Hang Bai Street, Hanoi.

Open 8:30am –5:00pm Saturday November 25 and Sunday November 26

Make sure to put this important event on your calendar! 

For more information, please contact Nguyen Phuong Dung, 04-775-3685

Links to environmental articles (Vietnamese)

Vietnam: at least 5 new Ramsar sites proposed before 2008
http://www.khoahoc.com.vn/view.asp?Cat_ID=7&Cat_Sub_ID=4&news_id=9720

Phu Tho: discovery of a rare and precious warty newt species
http://www.laodong.com.vn/Home/khoahoc/2006/11/9296.laodong

“ Green barrier” and the operation of business
http://www.nea.gov.vn/Sukien_Noibat/Tinkhac/thang%2011-2006/tin3a.htm

For more information, please contact:

Nguyen Thi Phuong Ngan
Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV)
No.2/C5 tap the Dai hoc Ngoai Thuong, pho Chua Lang, Ha Noi.
Tel/Fax: 04-775 3685
Email: env@fpt.vn or communication.env@fpt.vn