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Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) was discovered by scientists in 1992 in Vietnam, and is considered among the most important large mammal discoveries of the twentieth century. However, it is also the least known large mammal due to its small population, narrowly distributed in the Northern and Central Annamite of Vietnam and Southern Laos. In addition, hunting, trapping and loss of forests are the most important causes of this ungulates' severe population decline. Therefore, since 1995, studies and surveys have been made across all their ranges but few were found. In addition, conservation plans for saola have been envisioned, but the highest priority remains to accurately assess the current saola population and its primary distribution, thereby devising the most impactful and effective conservation plans. Picture 1. Camera trap setup team©CCD/2024 To perform intensive studies and develop drastic conservation measures for this exceptionally rare animal, "Saving saola from the brink of extinction" project funded by European Union (EU) is implemented by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam) in the 2022 – 2024. Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) is one of the partners participating in the project, focusing on saola surveys in the field. (from left to right)Picture 2. Water sample retrievingPicture 3. Leech collectingPicture 4. Camera trap installation©CCD/2024 During the 8-month period of 2023 - 2024, CCD’s team has carried out 3 saola investigations in 3 priority areas in the Northern Annamite region with a total of 1,700 hours of surveys and more than 691,200 hours of camera trap investigations. The team also collected various eDNA and other samples for analysis to assist in determining the existence of saola in the study areas. With its vision, CCD implements long-term conservation programs for threatened species and habitats throughout the country as well as in Indochina. To effectively carry on the effort, CCD will expand cooperation with organizations and localities to conserve and effectively restore nature and wildlife.

Alluvial plains and islets on the Red River under the administrative boundaries of Hanoi city can be considered one of the most important natural habitats in the Red River Delta. Commons at alluvial plains and islets are clusters of timbers, hardy sugar canes, common reeds, interlacing with creeks, canals which form diverse habitats for birds. These areas are feeding and wintering grounds for settled and migratory birds on the East Asian/Australasian Flyway. (from left to right)Picture 1: Phu Cuong islets, Ba Vi district retained its integrity while being a living and wintering ground for threatened wild birdsPicture 2: The natural habitat of tall grass and reed on Phu Cuong - Tan Hong alluvial plains.(©CCD/2024) From 2021 - 2024, Center for Nature for Conservation and Development (CCD) cooperated with partners in survey the inventory, threads and habitats of wild birds along the Red River’s alluvial plains and islets. In the search for possible conservation solutions, our team identified at least 232 species of birds, including 192 migratory birds, listed in endangered and critically endangered levels or equivalents in multiple indicators of the health of the biodiversity. Appearing to be among important bird areas in Northern Vietnam, our team frequently recorded illegal capturing and hunting wild birds, with most devastating methods being mist nets and playbacks of bird songs and calls, surging during migratory seasons (from the September to the next April). In addition, the invasion and destruction of grasslands, hardy sugar canes, common reeds to grow fruit trees such as bananas, apples, guavas, and other crops are seriously degrading the natural habitat of either wild birds or other wildlife. (from left to right)Picture 3: Huge mesh of mist nets at alluvial plains and islets are destroying population of wild birdsPicture 4: A Critically Endangered Yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola) entangled in a mist netPicture 5: Dead bycatch can be found in disposed mist nets during migratory seasons.Picture 6: CCD's team is surveying the inventory of wild birds on Phu Cuong islet(©CCD/2024) In efforts to protect the important bird area in Hanoi, CCD has coordinated with the Hanoi Forest Protection Division and partners to monitor and disseminate related information to protect wildlife and natural habitats in the Red River’s alluvial plains, islets, as well as natural forests in Hanoi city. Among efforts to strengthen protection measures, CCD submitted proposal to Hanoi People's Committee to establish wild bird sanctuaries and natural parks in the big alluvial plains and islets along the Red River to increase the conservation area and the green space for the city, while promoting educational activities for students and nature experiences for citizens at the capital. (from left to right)Picture 7: Pied harrier - (Circus melanoleucos) Picture 8: Red avadavat (Amandava amandava) Picture 9: Barred button quail (Turnix suscitator) Picture 10: Black stork (in the middle) (Ciconia nigra) (©CCD/2024)

Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) cooperated with Vu Quang National Park to organize communication campaigns at local primary and secondary schools on the northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) conservation. These events are within the framework of the project “Conservation of White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) in Vu Quang National Park, Ha Tinh Province”, pertaining to the project “Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation” (VFBC), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Picture 1: Sharing biodiversity values at Vu Quang National Park©CCD/2024 Campaigns at local schools promoted biodiversity values, sharing the importance of large mammals and primates in natural ecosystems, hence the strict regulations to protect them from wildlife crimes. In addition, CCD encourages active, creative and sensible participation in conservation efforts of northern white-cheeked gibbons and other wildlife at Vu Quang National Park. Picture 2, 3: Communication events shared visual messages and promoted interaction, creativity through lively pursuits ©CCD/2024 With its vision, CCD aims to work with localities, national parks/nature reserves, and forest owners to implement communication campaigns on raising awareness for the public, especially in educational institutions for the nature conservation messages dissemination to pupils/students. CCD put efforts into expediting the prudent acts toward nature of the mass youth, ultimately for the better social response to climate change, forest degradation/loss, environmental pollution, and biodiversity reduction.

In January 2024, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) coordinated with the Management Board for Forestry Projects (VFBC) of Ha Tinh province/Vu Quang National Park to organize a gibbon study training course for national park staff and forest rangers at the Park. The training is part of the project "Conservation of the Northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) at Vu Quang National Park, Ha Tinh Province", under the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation (VFBC) project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2023 to 2024. Picture 1: The training gathered the key staff of Vu Quang National Park The main training objectives were shared knowledge and skills in study and monitoring gibbons in their habitats, utilizing specialized equipment and skills for surveying, analyzing, managing data, and developing reports. By exchanging and and discussing on matters related to training’s objectives, technical staff and forest rangers obtained essentials for developing effective studies, monitoring plans, and succesfully implementing them. In addition, the training course informed Vu Quang's staff about the updated provisions on the protection of wildlife, especially gibbons, thereby integrating in communication plans for local communities, stakeholders and effectively prevent violations. Picture 2, 3: CCD’s team at the training course ©CCD/2024 With its vision, CCD has been coordinated with national parks/nature reserves and localities to enhance management capacity, biodiversity conservation, threatened wildlife protection and restoration, implementing awareness-raising communication, thereby gradually and collectively restore nature in Vietnam.

Soc Son district situated at the north, 35 km away from the center of Hanoi city. Here lies the Noi Bai International Airport and the intersection of critical highways, waterways which connect northeastern, northwestern, and southern provinces. Not only complemented its transportation infrastructure, the tourism potential at Soc Son is boosted by magnificent attractions, namely its lake sequences (Dong Quan, Dong Do, Ham Lon lake); Soc Temple relic complex, entailing the tale of Saint Giong; etc., To enhance its culture – nature tourism potential, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) cooperated with the Culture and Information Office of Soc Son district to formulate a sustainable tourism development plan, integrating with its socio-economic development objectives in the 2023 – 2030 period, vision to 2050. The plan aims at comprehensive development, including synchronous infrastructure, service systems towards the development of large-scale and professional tourist destinations, emphasizing sustainability and responsibility. Ultimately, by harnessing its strengths, Soc Son will definitely be a highlight of tourism of the northern part of Hanoi city. With its capabilities, CCD cooperates with localities in planning and sustainably develop tourism, resulting in creating new jobs and stabilize revenue streams. In CCD’s vision, not only contributing to the socio-economic development and environmental protection, local tourism activities will resonate with culture – nature values for preservation and restoration purposes while forming its uniqueness. Picture 1: Consultation meeting with the People’s Committee of Soc Son district©CCD/2024 Picture 2: The Statue of Saint Giong, Phu Linh ward©Soc Temple Picture 3: Hoa Son lake, Nam Son ward©CCD/2024

The global voluntary carbon market generates $1 billion per year in carbon credit sales and is forecast to grow to around $50 billion per year by 2030. According to some estimates, up to one-third of this supply will come from nature-based carbon projects, including reforestation, agroforestry, forest protection, blue carbon, and mangrove plantings. There is currently a lack of nature-based carbon projects in Vietnam, representing a substantial missed opportunity for Vietnamese communities, forest owners, and environments to benefit from the substantial long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits these projects can offer. On 04/01, at the Australian Embassy of Vietnam in Hanoi, the Centre for Conservation of Nature and Development (CCD) in collaboration with NatureCo, One Tree Planted, Cooper Energy and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) organized the workshop "Building capacity to implement carbon projects and nature-based solutions in Vietnam". The workshop is within the framework of the initiative "Facilitating nature-based carbon projects", under the Business Partnership Platform (BPP) – a program of DFAT aimed at developing the carbon market in Vietnam. Picture 1: The workshop connects interested parties to the carbon market in Vietnam©CCD/2024 The total of 9 local organizations participated in the workshop, which were determined as active units in implementing nature-based solutions thus far. By sharing experiences, discussing potentials of carbon projects and methods to effectively develop them, organizations can declare their initiatives via BPP to receive funding opportunities from investors and financially support forest owners and local communities. From left to right:Picture 2: CCD presents the general idea of its nature-based carbon project©CCD/2024Picture 3: BPP’s partners discusses the project idea©CCD/2024 With its efforts and initiatives, CCD and the partner group will continue to support nature-based solutions in Vietnam to reach the goals of carbon neutrality, following international standards and attracting private sector investments. The partner group expects successful pilots will facilitate the long-term investment for the carbon market and nature-based solutions, thus accelerating the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals for Vietnam.

Dien Bien Phu city is the most important historical and cultural destination of the Northwest region, famous for the Dien Bien Phu victory and the unique cultural identities. In regards to the concentration of merits, Dien Bien Phu city is critical for tourism development strategy, connecting tourist destinations in the Northwest region. To promote its potentials, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) is supporting the Department of Culture and Information of Dien Bien Phu city to formulate a tourism development plan to 2025, in coherence with the city’s natural and cultural resources. The goal of the plan is to identify prime and unique tourism products to advance tourism of the city and adjacent areas in the province. With a favorable geographical position, high cultural and historical value ​​and a newly upgraded transportation system, Dien Bien Phu city will certainly be a special destination in the coming time. Complementing the tourism development plan of the city, in 2022, CCD cooperated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province to formulate the province’s tourism development plan to 2025, vision to 2030, emphasizing its strengths of cultural, historical and community-based tourism. In its strategy, CCD encourages partners to promote community-based tourism, rural and eco-tourism activities to harness and conserve cultural identities of ethnic groups, historical relics, and natural values, ultimately improving and enriching the material and spiritual life of people. Picture 1: Pa Khoang lake - a key eco-tourism and community-based tourism area@CCD/2023 Picture 2: Che Can village, a new community-based tourism destination@CCD/2023 Picture 3: Survey the community-based tourism in Ban Kha village@CCD/2023

From December 19 - 20, 2023, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) coordinated with Vu Quang National Park to implement communication events on conserving northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) and other endangered species of the Park, with the goal of raising awareness of wildlife protection laws and promote the participation of local communities in the forest protection and nature conservation. These communication events are within the framework of the project “Conservation of the White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) in Vu Quang National Park, Ha Tinh Province”, belongs to the project “Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation” (VFBC), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The communication events gathered people and governmental representatives from communes in the buffer zone of Vu Quang National Park. The events shared information that emphasized the endangered level of wildlife in the Park, especially northern white-cheeked gibbon and the urgency to protect them from extinction. Throughout the events, stakeholders expressed advocacy as well as commitment to take part in forest and biodiversity conservation efforts, such as disseminating conservation messages and related laws; preventing forest crimes; etc., With its missions, CCD has been coordinating with national parks/nature reserves and localities in implementing programs/projects on advancing capacity on forest management, biodiversity conservation, awareness and responsibility raising for the public to effectively protect and restore nature in Vietnam. Picture 1: Communities share impacts and threats to wildlife@CCD/2023 Picture 2: Enthusiastic participation of local communities, especially women@CCD/2023 Picture 3: Biodiversity conservation commitment of participants@CCD/2023

U Minh Thuong National Park is among few places which preserves the original ecosystem of the Southern forest land. As part of Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve and ASEAN Heritage Park, U Minh Thuong National Park is recognized as the 8th Ramsar site of Vietnam, with precious ecosystems of peatlands, wetlands and its Melaleuca forest. U Minh Thuong is also home to many endemic wildlife species and globally endangered species. Contributing to its value, U Minh Thuong preserved culture from prehistoric times and being the war zone during resistance wars in Vietnam. These natural, cultural and historical values will be an important foundation for tourism development, generating additional revenue for conservation and communities in the buffer zone. Despite strong potentials, tourism activities in U Minh Thuong have not been implemented in a methodical and sustainable way due to tourism infrastructure being underdeveloped, lack of resources, promotion and connection strategies to attract investors as well as tourists. Picture 1. A high-altitude photo of U Minh Thuong National Park@CCD/2023 In order to harness its tourism potentials, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) cooperates with U Minh Thuong National Park Management Board to develop a tourism development plan for the 2022 – 2030 period. Within its vision, the plan promotes ecotourism, natural-based solutions and natural harmonization as well as local culture through tourism experiences, educational and outreach activities. From left to right:Picture 2: U Minh Thuong illustrates a fraction yet unique environment and ecosystem of the Southern forest landPicture 3: The convergence of core zone and buffer zone at U Minh Thuong National Park@CCD/2023 With years of supporting forest owners in the Southern forest land and Vietnam as a whole, especially national parks and nature reserves, CCD is jointly developing and promote sustainable, responsible tourism, contribute to revenue stability for manage, restore and conserve biodiversity

To improve capacity to effectively implement projects, from December 5-6, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam organized a workshop to share the "Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning" (MEL) toolkit with new partners, including the Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD). The workshop aims to support USAID’s partners understand MEL processes and develop the most effective MEL plan, helping to identify specific activities, corresponding and measurable outputs, thereby making adjustments, adaptations accordingly. Understanding the basic principles and developing an appropriate MEL plan will greatly support projects on nature conservation and biodiversity that CCD is implementing. In its working strategy, CCD has been and will continue to implement biodiversity conservation activities, including priority programs for threatened wildlife species and their habitats throughout the country. CCD also pays special attention to the protection and restoration of the delacour’s langur population on the limestone mountain range in Huong Son; wild birds on the alluvial plains and islets along the Red River. CCD ensures along with a metropolis which Hanoi is becoming, the city will be a safe home for the thrive of wild animals, and a sustainable, livable city.

On December 02, in Ba Vi National Park - Ba Vi district, Hanoi city, the Environmental Crime Prevention Police Department (C05) in collaboration with Ba Vi National Park organized a launching ceremony to advocate the plan of strengthening prevention and countering biodiversity crimes in 2023 Picture 1: Major General Ha Xuan Duy – Deputy Director of C05 is giving the opening remarks in response to the implementation of the biodiversity protection plan (©CCD/2023)Picture 2: The launching ceremony gathered units in the police sector, non-profit organizations in biodiversity conservation sector, secondary and high schools in Tan Linh commune, Ba Vi district, local people and tourists (©CCD/2023) In the coordination between C05 and internal and external parties in dissemination and education in the frame work of "Strengthening prevention and fighting of biodiversity crimes to 2030, vision to 2050" plan. The launching ceremony aimed to raise public awareness of biodiversity as the foundation for humans to build a better future, thereby requiring the participation of all parties in developing and implementing nature-based initiatives and solutions to global climate issues, health, food security, water resources and sustainable livelihoods for people. Conservation of nature and biodiversity is also key to many challenges in sustainable development, disaster mitigation, climate change, ecosystem restoration to build a sustainable future for all life. Picture 3: Coordinated initiative to raise public awareness, disseminate related legislation and the value of wild and migratory birds to the biodiversity (©CCD/2023)Picture 4: Wild, migratory bird photos attracts visitor's attention (©CCD/2023) Readily respond to the objectives of the Plan, contributing to initiatives to raise public awareness and promote legal dissemination on wildlife protection, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD), Vietnam Wild Bird Research and Conservation Chapter (VBCS), and other conservation organizations opened a photo exhibition with the theme "Join hands to protect migratory birds" within the framework of the launching event. With more than 40 photographs carrying vivid messages of wild, migratory birds and its anthroprogenic threats, the exhibition aims to evoke the love of nature and promote public participation in the protection of wild, migratory birds in particular and biodiversity in general.

Ha Long city imprints on tourists' minds whenever mentioning heritage tourism, the same impression goes to Uong Bi district, Cua Ong temple when thinking about spiritual tourism in Quang Ninh province. Aside from aforementioned destinations, the province possesses a magnificent place where people and nature live in harmony, with tourism features diversely developed – Tien Yen district. Tien Yen district has various topographies, including mountainous, coastal areas, embracing vibrant natural, urban, and rural landscapes. The district has high biodiversity value in its mangroves forest, with similar consequential diversity when considering 17 ethnic communities living within its administrative boundary, embodying beautiful architecture which is saturated with French and Chinese characteristics, and unique cuisine in every custom. The longer those features are preserved, the better in value it becomes, strengthening its harmony and diversity. In supporting and respecting natural protection, cultural diversity, Tien Yen will become an extraordinary tourism destination. From left to rightPicture 1: A peaceful creekPicture 2: An archaic relic of architecture@CCD/2023 To enhance its precious value, Center for Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) is cooperating with Tien Yen district to formulate a tourism development plan for the district by 2025, with a vision to 2030. With natural harmonization and diversifying tourism features, Tien Yen will cohere with the sustainable tourism development of Quang Ninh province and Vietnam as a whole. In addition, CCD is supporting Quang Ninh province to formulate plans, strategies in ecotourism development, reducing greenhouse gas emission, thus creating quality tourism products, raising public awareness and responsibility of stakeholders. Picture 3: An idyllic village@CCD/2023 Picture 4: Dawn in Tien Yen district@CCD/2023 Picture 5: A hectic street by the sea@CCD/2023