Last update 19:33 | 06/02/2018  vietnamnet

The People’s Committee of central Quang Binh province has approved a detailed planning scheme to develop the world’s longest zip-line system in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park.

The zip-line system, alongside a world-class tourism service complex, will be built in a mountainous area of 350,000 sqm in the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, which is home to Son Doong Cave.

It will run over Chay River to the entrance of Toi (Darkness) Cave to offer travellers a magnificent view of the nature and wildlife there.

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mongabay.com

• Vietnam’s global press freedom ranking is one of the lowest in the world.
• Reporters Without Borders ranks Vietnam 175 0f 180 in its 2017 annual press freedom index.
• Environmental journalists in Vietnam, including citizen journalists and bloggers, routinely face roadblocks and sometimes jail time.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but reporting on the environment in Vietnam is not an easy task. The one-party state was recently ranked 175 out of 180 in Reporters Without Borders’ 2017 World Press Freedom Index, between Sudan and China.

The main chamber of Hang En, the third-largest cave in the world, located in Phong Nha-Ka Bang National Park. Photo by Michael Tatarski/Mongabay.

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Last update 16:22 | 15/01/2018  vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has signed a decision to establish the Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park in the northern province of Cao Bang.

Phia Oac – Phia Den National Park will be a more popular destination to tourists. — File Photo

The park is aimed at protecting the local ecology and diversity, comprising 90 genres of plants and 58 rare animals as well as cultural values, landscapes and ecological environment.

The park, which used to be a nature preservation area, has been established to protect the natural forest area and increase the green cover from 84 per cent in 2016 to 95 per cent by 2030, creating a more conducive environment for flora and fauna.

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Last update 07:50 | 12/01/2018  vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – Dr Le Viet Phu, a lecturer at Fulbright University, says the damages caused by air pollution to Vietnam in 2013 could be assessed up to $10 billion. 

Vietnam is among 10 countries with the worst air quality

The figure was calculated based on WTP approaching method, which considers the willingness to pay for reduction in air pollution.

In 2013, the number of deaths because of PM 2.5 dust was 40,000, including 3,000 in HCMC.

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Last update 11:34 | 12/01/2018  vietnamnet

Elephants at the Pu Mat National Park in the central province of Nghe An. Many elephant herds in the province are now finding it difficult to find enough food to survive. — Photo: baonghean.vn

Last October, six wild elephants went on a rampage in a commune village and destroyed family crops.

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Last update 08:28 | 03/10/2017  vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – Along Huong River, from mountain to estuary, the environment is at risk of being disrupted by natural disasters and urbanization.
With its geographic characteristics, Thua Thien Hue has played an important role in the development of Vietnam.More than 350 years ago, on the banks of the Perfume River, there was an urban area called Kim Long-Kieng Hue, the capital of Dang Trong kingdom (an area of Vietnamese southwards expansion during the 17th century Trinh–Nguyen War).

The urban area became the capital city of Vietnam under Tay Son and Nguyen dynasties and then an important city in the central region.

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Last update 07:10 | 08/01/2018  vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – Vu Thị Mai Anh, 23, a student at the Hanoi University of Education, has conducted research on isolating and selecting bacteria capable of converting basa fish (catfish) fat into Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). 

Vu Thi Mai Anh

After being subdivided and selected, microorganisms are cultured in catfish fat and converted into environmentally friendly bioplastics.

The research won first prize in the field of food technology at Euréka 2017, a contest for technology students organized by the HCM City Youth Union.

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Mongabay.com

• Throughout 2017, scientists discovered new populations of rare wildlife, and rediscovered some species that were previously thought to be extinct.
• Some countries created large marine protected areas, while a few others granted land rights to indigenous communities.
• In 2017, we also saw the ever-increasing potential of technology to improve conservation monitoring and efforts.

The past year may have seemed like doom and gloom for the environment, but there was plenty to be thankful for. So once again, we bring you some of the happier environmental stories of 2017 (in no particular order). These include rediscoveries of species that were once thought to be extinct, local communities being granted land rights, and the emergence of new technologies that are boosting conservation efforts.

Grauer’s gorilla. Photo by Joe McKenna via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).

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