Hai Phong to host Environmental Festival 2009

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has selected the northern coastal city of Hai Phong as the host of activities responding to the World Environment Day 2009 (June 5), with the theme “The Earth needs us to join hand to prevent climate change.”

New species of snake unveiled in Cao Bang

Russian and Vietnamese scientists have announced their discovery of a new species of rattle-snake, which belongs to Protobothrops family, in the Trung Khanh National Park in the northern province of Cao Bang. The discovery was published in a Russian scientific magazine named “Reptile and Amphibians” in January 2009.

White whale beached on northern coast

A big white whale was found dead on the beach of Bach Long Vi island district in northern port Hai Phong city. Found on the morning of April 6, the whale, measuring 10 m long, is estimated to weigh 9-10 tonnes.

Finland helps localities cope with climate change

The Finish Embassy in Hanoi on April 7 announced it will finance two projects capitalised at 460,000 EUR to help correct and prevent climate change in Vietnam. The first project is aimed at improving capacity in dealing with climate change within Vietnam’s civic organisations and will be carried out by the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development under the Union for Scientific and Technical Associations; it will begin in April and continue for three years.

Toshiba helps cut greenhouse gas emissions

Japan’s Toshiba Corporation has announced the establishment of a new company that will carry out a green development project designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vietnam. Toshiba Clean Development Service Company, Vietnam, a joint venture between Toshiba and Vietnam’s Nguyen Vu Company, will use the Japanese enterprise’s high concentration organic wastewater treatment technology to recover biogas. It will then make the recovered gas available to factories to use as fuel.

Red-headed cranes return to Tram Chim

Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong district, southern province of Dong Thap, said that nearly 80 red-headed cranes have returned to the park, mainly in A1 and A5 zones. The A1 and A5 zones were recently burnt or attacked by mai duong trees (mimosa pigra) so red-head cranes went away. After nearly one year, the ecological environment in Tram Chim has recovered so red-headed cranes have come back.

Resident projects threaten wetlands

A wetlands area in southern coastal Kien Giang Province that is a feeding ground for red-headed cranes is again in danger of being damaged, following years of efforts to protect the area by international and local organisations.

Tourist discovered wild animals in cages

A visitor called the Education for Nature to inform them about the Madagui Tourist Site in the central highlands province of Lam Dong that illegally caged many wild animals.

Hanoi to free environmentally-friendly delivery bags from April 1st

From April 1, customers will receive free environmentally-friendly delivery bags in some of Hanoi’s supermarkets to help reduce the use of plastic bags, according to Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Association.

Mangro forest welcomes new amphibian-reptile residents

Scientists have found the presence for the first time of nine new species of amphibian-reptile in the Can Gio mangrove forest in Ho Chi Minh City. This was the result of a research project on amphibian-reptile biodiversity developments in the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve carried out between September 2006 and March 2008, said the project’s director Nguyen Ngoc Sang.