A lectural session on biodiversity conservation and natural species is provided for school teachers from 72 schools in Đà Nẵng City. More than 10,000 school students will be educated with natural science and biodiversity conservation in reserves of Đà Nẵng in 2024-25. Photo courtesy of GreenViet

ĐÀ NẴNG — More than 10,000 students from 72 secondary schools in the central city of Đà Nẵng will be studying biodiversity conservation and natural species as part of an educational renewal programme from the Ministry of Education and Training.

Under the programme, more than 100 teachers have been given lectures and practical sessions on biodiversity and endangered species by conservationists from the Center for Biodiversity conservation and Endangered Species, GreenViet and the University of Science and Education under Đà Nẵng University.

Nguyễn Thị Tịnh, a biologist from GreenViet, said that the biodiversity conservation education programme will be included in the schools' regular science curriculum, and will include innovative experiences and practical study trips.

Tịnh said the programme will take students to see the Sơn Trà Nature Reserve, where they will learn more about threatened wildlife species, especially the endangered red-shanked doucs langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) living in the reserve.

School teachers join a jungle trip in Sơn Trà Nature Reserve in Đà Nẵng in exploring the existance of species living in the reserve. — Photo courtesy of Kim Tuyến

She said GreenViet, in cooperation with the Science and Education University, has signed an agreement to provide information for the already-launched web portal thiennhiendanang.vn (Đà Nẵng Nature). The organisation will give access to more than 3,000 documents, with 1,000 photos, 53 video clips and statistics from nature reserves in Sơn Trà and Bà Nà-Núi Chúa as well as a special-use forest south of Hải Vân near the central city.

“Secondary school students will be learning from real images and video clips of wildlife species living in the reserves near Đà Nẵng City, while participating in forest trips to explore what they saw in the classroom sessions,” Tịnh shared.

“We have been working with teachers at schools in the city since 2023, before launching the programme for all secondary school levels. The portal will be used for education at kindergartens and primary schools in the city as well,” she said.

Tịnh added that the web portal will also serve as a valuable database for 10,000 teachers and 300,000 students at all levels of education in Đà Nẵng.

The biology expert said the programme would help provide basic knowledge for a new generation of students to become young conservationists in the future.

According to the Centre of Learning and Research-Information Technology at Đà Nẵng University, the portal is the first-ever database for nature, forest protection, wildlife conservation and research on biodiversity in Việt Nam.

The portal's development was supported by the UK-based Synchronicity Earth, VisualViet, and Comclick.

A report from GreenViet shows that the Nature Education and Experience Centre on Sơn Trà Peninsula has provided nature awareness education activities for more than 25,000 students and 3,000 area residents.

A teacher checks samples of flora and fauna species at the Nature Education and Experience Centre on Sơn Trà Peninsula. Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Thị Tịnh

Earlier this year, the Việt Nam Bird Conservation Society (VBCS) planned to offer a free nature experience for primary school students, including education on life skills and awareness of migratory birds and the wetland ecology system in Đà Nẵng.

The city has approved a Master Plan on biodiversity conservation in line with sustainable development goals. The current nature reserves of Sơn Trà, Bà Nà-Núi Chúa and Nam Hải Vân, or southern Hải Vân forest, will be key priorities for strict protection of biosphere reserves, the natural landscape, and herb and botanical gardens.

The Sơn Trà Nature Reserve, located 10km from central Đà Nẵng, is home to more than 1,300 red-shanked doucs langurs and more than 1,000 plant and 370 animal species. — VNS