Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) was established in 2000 as Vietnam’s first non-governmental organization focused on conservation of nature and wildlife. Their mission is to foster greater understanding amongst the public about the need to protect Vietnam’s rich natural heritage and the living world. Through a creative and innovative approach to addressing key conservation and environmental issues, they aim to influence attitudes and behavior, and encourage greater public participation in this important and challenging task.
 
Trinh Nguyen of ENV, working in the field
Trinh Nguyen of ENV, working in the field
EJF has been providing Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV) with video training since 2003. This training has provided ENV with targeted knowledge about the importance and role of media and how to prepare an effective media campaign including writing press releases, developing and broadcasting films and conducting interviews.

EJF and ENV have also undertaken joint investigations into the Vietnamese bear bile trade around Hanoi. Together we were able to gather filmed evidence of the appalling conditions that bears are kept in on ‘farms’, and the painful process of extracting the bear bile, which is used for medicinal purposes in much of Asia. Bear farming presents a significant conservation problem as poachers sell wild bears to stock and replenish bear farms.

ENV's conservation and education programme aims to raise public awareness of these pressing issues and reduce consumer demand for bear bile, which is causing this unsustainable trade.

EJF's training has resulted in the production of a thirty-second television Public Service Announcement (PSA) targeting bear bile consumers. The PSA featured nationally renowned pop star, My Linh, who encourages audiences to avoid the use of bear bile and other bear products and help ensure that bears remain "in the wild where they belong". The PSA film has been aired on more than 40 provincial TV channels throughout the country. ENV has built upon this success, and with further training from EJF in 2008, have recently produced further PSA’s for Vietnamese national television.

To find out more about the work of ENV please visit their website: http://www.envietnam.org

 

Vietnam - My Linh PSA with ENV