April 2014 – Wildlife At Risk (WAR) and Phu Quoc Marine Protected Area (MPA) organised a five-day study tour on marine conservation and education at Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan Province for approximately 30 leaders and staff from relevant functional agencies on Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang Province. This is one activity of the project entitled “Conservation of Dugong and Biodiversity of Phu Quoc and Tho Chu Islands” conducted by WAR and Phu Quoc MPA for the period of 2013 to 2015.
Participated in the study tour were local leaders and staff on Phu Quoc Island including Department of Education and Training, Department of Nature Resource and Environment, Department of Economics, Culture and Tourism Center, District Youth Union, a number of Border Posts and community volunteer groups, principals and teachers managing six Marine Conservation Clubs of six local secondary schools, Phu Quoc MPA, and WAR.Participants were exciting to share experiences and to exchange relationships with staff of Nui Chua National Park. They also visited numerous typical landscapes of the Park, including coral reefs and dry forest. Delegates also met with teachers and students of Ngo Quyen and Nguyen Van Linh secondary schools of Ninh Hai District in order to share experiences on marine conservation initiatives. “The study tour is quite useful. It helped us to be aware that strong cooperation amongst relevant functional authorities is key to the success in marine conservation, especially in education and communication activities” – shared Mr. Dong Thanh Dat, Head of the Department of Education and Training. Most of the delegates committed that they would apply what they learnt at Nui Chua National Park to their jobs in order to conserve marine resources. The trip also connected each delegate to the others and toward saving endangered marine creatures. This will hopefully result in stronger cooperation among relevant bodies on Phu Quoc Island in marine conservation activities in the future.
Please click here to see some photos of the study tour