Biodiversity journalism sharing: When the lens and the pen broaden our view of nature

From September 10–12, 2025, PanNature organized a media exchange program titled “Biodiversity Through the Lens and the Pen: From Beauty to Concern” in Thuong Lam (Na Hang, Tuyen Quang). The event brought together over 50 journalists and participants from Hanoi and the Northeast region.

The Thuong Lam–Na Hang landscape is home to a rich variety of rare and endangered wildlife species, including two of Vietnam’s most threatened primates — the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) and the Francois’ langur (Trachypithecus francoisi). Despite continuous conservation efforts, biodiversity protection in the area still faces numerous challenges, particularly in safeguarding the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, which has not been sighted in Na Hang for many years.

Over the course of three days, journalists had the opportunity to listen to stories shared by local rangers, community forest patrol teams, and indigenous residents, who are directly involved in protecting the forest and wildlife. Participants also joined practical training sessions on environmental journalism skills, including multi-perspective interviewing, data analysis for environmental reporting, biodiversity storytelling through documentary film, and the power of multi-platform journalism in conservation communication.

The exchange program not only strengthened connections among journalists, local authorities, and communities, but also opened new perspectives in approaching and reporting on biodiversity conservation—from human-centered stories to in-depth environmental investigations. With the engagement of the media, biodiversity issues can reach broader audiences, inspiring collective efforts to protect Vietnam’s natural treasures.

Some highlights from the program: