Recently, the Center for Nature Conservation and Technology (CTNC) has collaborated with the Ea Sô Nature Reserve (EASO NR) Management Board and local authorities to implement a series of activities aimed at raising awareness and strengthening community participation in wildlife conservation within the buffer zone. These activities were organized in Xe Dang Village, Ea Puk Village, Cuana San Village, and Ea So 1 Hamlet of Ea Knop Town, attracting significant interest and positive responses from a large number of local residents.

The community communication series focused on providing basic knowledge about the biodiversity values of EASO NR, the vital role of wildlife in forest ecosystem stability and balance, as well as the existing threats to natural resources in the current context. Additionally, residents were informed about legal regulations related to forest protection and wildlife conservation, helping to improve legal understanding, thereby strengthening the sense of responsibility and the proactive role of the community in long-term conservation work.

Community engagement at the buffer zone villages

The propaganda sessions were organized in an open exchange format, encouraging active participation from residents through sharing experiences, voicing opinions, and discussing difficulties and challenges in forest-related livelihoods. Through communication activities, training, and community discussions, a total of 130 residents from the EASO NR buffer zone directly participated and gained improved awareness of wildlife conservation. Residents did not only receive information one-way but were also encouraged to propose ideas and initiatives and discuss topics related to the protection of forest resources and ecosystems. Through discussions, the majority of residents’ opinions suggested that the main cause of the decline in forest resources and wildlife species in the locality is due to long-term indiscriminate exploitation and irrational resource use; many opinions emphasized the importance of biodiversity and the irreplaceable role of wildlife species in maintaining forest ecosystem balance.

Parallel to community communication activities, CTNC has implemented environmental education programs in schools to spread conservation messages to the younger generation – a force that plays an important role in nature conservation in the future. Prominent in this series of activities was the “Golden Bell” competition held at Ly Tu Trong Secondary School with the participation of 50 students from grades 6, 7, 8, and 9. The contest received enthusiastic cheers from the entire school’s students along with the attention and companionship of the teaching staff, creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.

Golden Bell Winner: Doan Thi Thanh Ngan

“The competition was held on Monday morning… Through the interactive and vivid test format, students accessed conservation knowledge in a close and easy-to-understand way. At the end, em Doan Thi Thanh Ngan, a student of class 7B, excellently passed the questions and was the only person to ring the Golden Bell.”

Mr. Le Quang Trung – Vice Principal

“According to Mr. Le Quang Trung, Vice Principal of Ly Tu Trong Secondary School, this Golden Bell competition is a meaningful activity, contributing to helping students improve their knowledge, nurturing a spirit of eagerness to learn, and forming positive awareness of environmental protection. Through this playground, they not only learn new knowledge but are also inspired to love nature more.”

In addition, on this return, CTNC also organized and awarded the drawing contest with the theme “Joining Hands to Conserve Wildlife” at three schools: Ly Tu Trong Secondary School, Ea Ly School, and Chu Van An School. The contest was implemented over a period of three months, from October 2025 to January 2026, aimed at creating a useful playground for students to express their creativity and artistic talent, while encouraging the younger generation to raise awareness and participate in nature conservation activities.

At the end of the contest, the Center received more than 100 entries, demonstrating creativity, rich imagination, and the students’ love for nature. The works focused on depicting the ecosystem at Ea Sô Nature Reserve and images of rare wildlife species, thereby conveying meaningful messages such as no illegal hunting or trading of wildlife, no forest destruction, no littering, and a call for the community to act together for a green and sustainable future.

First Prize Winner: 'Ea Sô – A Safe Home'

DRAWING CONTEST RESULTS

FIRST PRIZE Trinh Chau Anh (Ea Ly School) – Subject: “Ea Sô – A Safe Home”
SECOND PRIZE Truong Bao Ngoc (Chu Van An) & Do Van Nam (Ly Tu Trong)
THIRD PRIZE H.P. Linh Dan, D.T. Yen Nhi (Chu Van An) & N. Van Sy (Ea Ly)
 

Through these educational activities, students do not only access conservation knowledge visually and vividly but are also encouraged to think creatively, thereby spreading positive awareness of wildlife protection to their families and the surrounding community.

Another important highlight in the series of activities is CTNC’s proposal to organize and restore the Gau Tao Festival with coordination between Ea Buk Village and Giang Dong Hamlet. This is a festival that has almost faced extinction today. Restoring festivals not only helps diversify local culture, but CTNC also flexibly integrates nature conservation propaganda activities. Dak Lak is a locality with more than 30 ethnic groups living together, possessing diverse and rich cultural identities. The festival is oriented to become a community cultural living space where traditional cultural values are preserved and promoted, while integrating messages on forest protection and wildlife conservation. Through working sessions and discussions with the local community, the parties agreed to organize the Gau Tao Festival in March, creating a prerequisite for the harmonious combination of indigenous culture and nature conservation activities.

In addition to communication and education activities, CTNC has coordinated with the EASO NR Management Board to establish a core group to participate in forest protection work in the locality with 8 members. This core group is oriented to become a support force for SMART patrolling activities in the reserve, while playing an important bridge role between forest management forces and buffer zone resident communities. Building and strengthening local core forces contributes to improving the efficiency of forest resource management and monitoring and promoting sustainable participation of people in conservation work.