Overview

Tuyen Hoa district in Vietnam’s Quang Binh province (presently Quang Tri province), located in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, boasts exceptional natural and cultural wealth. The region’s evergreen tropical forests are home to unique fauna and flora. This includes the Endangered (IUCN) and CITES Appendix II listed Hatinh langur (Trachypithecus hatinhensis), and threatened tree species such as the Critically Endangered ebony Diospyros mun and the Endangered legume Pterocarpus macrocarpus. Illegal cutting of valuable timbers, wildlife hunting, in particular of the Hatinh langur, agricultural expansion, and indiscriminate collection of non-timber forest products, are key drivers of biodiversity loss. Quang Binh province therefore has approved the establishment of over 500 hectares of Special-use forest (SUF) in Tuyen Hoa. The SUF presents important biodiversity
conservation opportunities but also challenges for livelihood security of some 2,770 households, half of whom are poor and dependent on wild forest resources, farming and raising livestock in the SUF area. The establishment of SUF directly impacts their livelihoods as legal restrictions apply to agricultural activities and collection of forest products.

Outputs

1. The socio-economic status, income sources and market situation of households in Tuyen
   Hoa district are assessed and market-based agroforestry practices are established​
2. The SUF community co-management plan is jointly developed and implemented with
   community members and local authorities ​
3. Knowledge of and capacities and capabilities of local communities in Tuyen Hoa district in
   forest restoration, sustainable and income generating agroforestry, small-scale farm
   businesses, and prevention of zoonotic diseases from close animal-human interaction, are
   increased ​
4. Best-practice of development and implementation of community-based management of
   SUF, including forest ecological restoration and sustainable agroforestry models, is
   promoted for integration in national and sub-national policies by the end of the project
   (2025)​

Education and Public Engagement Strategy

Goals of the Education and Public Engagement Strategy

• Increasing public awareness about the White-necked langur, its endangered status, and the
  importance of the conservation of this species and its habitat.
• Educate the public about the risks of zoonotic diseases and promote good hygiene practices
  and responsible interactions with wildlife to reduce the risk of transmission.
• Engage local communities and foster a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the
  conservation of the White-necked langur and its habitat.
• Establish partnerships and collaborations: foster partnerships with local authorities, NGOs
  and volunteer groups working in the area, to work collaboratively towards the conservation
  of the Langur and its habitat.

Overview of Activities

ToT sessions with forest rangers, Commune People’s Committees, Village Heads, representatives of schools in project communes, and VCG members, about SUF conservation and zoonotic disease prevention. 41 participants attended the 2-day ToT program in December 2023, which covered topics like biodiversity, the risks of disease transmission from animals to humans, and practical communication strategies for raising awareness.

School activities for primary and secondary schools to equip students with the necessary knowledge and raise their awareness about the White-necked langurs and their habitat in Tuyen Hoa district, as well as their protection and possible disease transmission.

• The school program involved 766 students and 40 teachers from four secondary schools and was organised in May 2024. A photo exhibition was put up in each school to learn more about biodiversity in Quang Binh province, followed by a workshop. The 10 students who performed best during the workshop were chosen to become ambassadors and joined a field trip to observe the White-necked langur in the wild organised by the Volunteer Conservation Group.

• To support conservation education a comprehensive Teacher’s Toolkit was developed in both English and Vietnamese. This resource includes a variety of activities designed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the White-necked langur and its limestone mountain forest habitat. As part of the initiative, ecology lessons can be adapted to incorporate local examples, making conservation education more relevant and impactful for students. The toolkit was tested in February 2025 by a teacher and 30 students.
  
  Teacher's Toolkit

• Four schools participated in an art contest with the theme “Protecting the White-necked langur”. The teachers made a selection of the best artworks and 17 of these were shortlisted. Over 1000 people watched the artworks and voted for the best ones on Facebook.

The Volunteer Conservation Group activities focus on community engagement, primarily through village meetings and patrols. These meetings serve as platforms for raising awareness about the langur, its endangered status, and the broader biodiversity of the region. The group also uses patrols to monitor wildlife and educate locals about conservation practices. The group conducted 69 sessions and reached 265 community members, discussing the importance of protecting the White-necked langur, its role in the local ecosystem, and strategies for reducing human-wildlife conflict.

Awareness materials and media: Two informational leaflets were been designed about the the langur’s ecology and habitat and about zoonotic disease prevention. The inception workshop was broadcasted on Quang Binh TV and 3 videos have been produced emphasising the importance of conserving the Langur and raising awareness about zoonotic disease transmission risks, as well as highlighting the efforts of the VCG and its volunteers.

Conclusion

The People, Primates, Plants: Co-managing Biodiversity and Improving Livelihoods in Vietnam project
has made significant strides in raising public awareness and fostering community engagement
around the protection of the White-necked langur and its habitat. Through a combination of
well-structured activities, including training sessions, school programs, art contests, and media
outreach, we have succeeded in not only informing local communities about the importance of
biodiversity conservation but also inspiring tangible actions towards sustainable practices and
zoonotic disease prevention.
The collaboration with local authorities, NGOs, and volunteer groups has strengthened the project’s
impact, building a network of partners dedicated to the conservation of the langur and its habitat.
These partnerships have not only facilitated knowledge-sharing but also created a platform for
collective action towards the long-term protection of biodiversity.

While the project has made considerable progress, ongoing efforts will be necessary to ensure the
sustainability of the initiatives. Future actions should focus on strengthening local capacity,
expanding community engagement, and ensuring the continued use of the tools and knowledge
shared through the program. The experiences and lessons learned from this project provide valuable
insights that can inform similar conservation and public engagement initiatives in other regions.

In conclusion, the People, Primates, Plants project has successfully contributed to the conservation of the White-necked langur and its habitat, enhanced community awareness around the importance of forest protection and restoration, and provided a platform for sustainable environmental action.
With continued support and commitment from all stakeholders, the long-term protection of this
iconic species and its habitat remains within reach.

Partners

Supported by the UK government’s Darwin Initiative, this project is implemented in partnership with
Center for Highland Natural Resource Governance Research (CEGORN), Viet Nam, ICRAF (World
Agroforestry), Viet Nam and Langur Conservation Voluntary Group (VCG)​. This 3-year-project started
in June 2022 and ended March 2025.