She is one of Viet Nam's most passionate conservationists and Le Thi Trang has recently been recognised for her wildlife work with an international award.

Le Thi Trang (2nd, left) in the ‘I Love Son Tra’ tour

The US Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) has named Trang one of the top 10 Hotspot Heroes in the world in 2020 to honour her dedication to protection and conservation of wildlife in Da Nang.

Le Thi Trang, 34, a resident of Da Nang, is the only female conservationist in Viet Nam to be honoured with this international award.

In 2015, the Future for Nature Fund named Trang among the world’s 10 best young conservationists.

Trang is now the Vice Director of the GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Centre, a Da Nang-based non-government organisation that is dedicated to conservation of wildlife and habitats.

Over the past years, Trang has dedicated much of her working life to protecting the natural environment in the Son Tra Peninsula which is dubbed a 'green pearl' in the heart of Da Nang. The Son Tra Peninsula shelters over 300 red-shanked douc langurs which were declared endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2013. They are considered “Queen of primates” thanks to their distinctive and unique appearance.

Trang and other staff members of GreenViet have focused on raising public awareness about the protection of the biodiversity and the families of red-shanked douc langurs on the peninsula.

In particular, they have posted banners about the langurs at bus stops in the city in order to raise public awareness about wildlife protection, especially the endangered red-shanked douc langurs on the Son Tra Peninsula.

Also, GreenViet has organised extra-curricular activities for primary and junior high school pupils, as well as opened seminars and photo exhibitions on biodiversity conservation in the city in a bid to raise their awareness of the beauty and the importance of the Son Tra Peninsula, and the need to protect and conserve it.

Over the past 7 years, Trang has made every effort to protect red-shanked douc langurs in central Viet Nam

Specifically mentioned is the ‘I Love Son Tra’ tour around the peninsula, which is initiated in 2013 by GreenViet.

The tour is offered to local residents free of charge, with the aim of raising public awareness of the multi-biological values of the peninsula’s nature reserve, including its population of red-shanked douc langurs.

The tour is also appealing to anyone wanting to get far away from the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in beautiful nature, or to take photos of memorable moments with their family members or friends.

Over the past 7 years, a total of over 500 local people have participated in such a highly practical tour.

Trang and other GreenViet members have joined efforts with local residents to build the first Nature Education and Experience Centre in Da Nang.

The centre is offering free education and nature experiences to school pupils and university students in the city. It also hosts field trips into the jungle for pupils, students and nature lovers. Included are wildlife study, painting contests, cleaning the environment, and planting trees on the peninsula.

Notably, Trang and other GreenViet members have launched a campaign to save the Son Tra Peninsula from uncontrolled tourism development. This campaign helps to save Viet Nam's largest population of the endangered red-shanked douc langurs and engage people from all walks of life in the conservation movement.

“Trang was at the centre of the campaign, bringing dynamism, creativity and inexhaustible energy. The work of Trang and GreenViet is an inspiration to me,” said Jack Tordoff, CEPF managing director, who also oversees the CEPF investment the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, including Viet Nam.

By XUAN SON - Translated by MAI DUNG