Bayer Young Environmental Envoys (BYEE) is a global environmental awareness project which is part of the partnership between Bayer and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in the area of youth and environment. 

 

In Vietnam, students from different university will have chance to apply their environmental ideas to become an envoy and they will have 2 months to turn that idea into a real projects. 
Annual Eco-camp will be the ending of that 2-month period, envoys and BYEE alumi will have a camp to study more about environment, organize their children project, team-building and sharing their love to environment together. 

 

This year, BYEE eco-camp was organized in Phuoc Buu - Binh Chau Reserve, Vung Tau province. This is a place with mountain, forest and ocean, with a great biology diversification where BYEE can learn more about ecology and enhance their love to the environment. 

 

Young envoys were really inspired by the walking through the forest, enjoying the nature and listening to the benefit of forest. 
When BYEE sat by the beach, we have a lesson and discussion with Mr. Nguyen Tran Vy, an expert from HCMC Environment Protection Agency (HEPA). The more listening to him, the more envoys love the environment. 
The value of beach, forest and biology diversification is not about the environment, but also the value in culture and history. Mr. Nguyen Tran Vy told about the past when Vietnamese soldiers hide in the forest. Then, he asked BYEE about the idea to conserve and protect this area. 

 

There are many ideas have been raised. 

 

We talk about how we can develop this forest into an eco-tourism, where tourist just like us will be inspired by the nature and raise their love to the environment. But, the question about how is a real eco-tourism is a problem to young envoys to think about. "There are many eco-tourism areas in Vietnam. But, none of them is a real eco-tourism", Mr. Nguyen Tran Vy said. 

So, what is a real eco-tourism?

Real eco-tourism is not about tourist, enjoy and relaxing (like normal tourism). But, it must be also provide the information about ecology to tourist and make them love the environment and turn this love to action. Involved in an eco-tourism, they not just relax but also learn and come nearer to the nature. 

 

Young envoys dedicated the idea to target to the youth first, because they were open-minded and chase strange experience and no one can deny the impact of young people in the society. 

 

Next, the ecological information and other scientific things about forest only attract tourists if they are simple, and even children with no background in ecology and science can understand easily. If they can understand, they will interest. The best way to make scientific knowledge become simple is easy experiments, showing them real things in real life, connecting to daily life and basic knowledge. Explain in very simple language.

 

Finally, all of us agreed that even environmental activity and a reserve like this need a serious marketing campaign and plan to promote. Everyone in the society should know about the existing of Binh Chau, Phuoc Buu Reserve, and a good marketing plan should also be successful to raise the inspiration and the love in society. They need to aware that forest, ocean and Phuoc Buu Reserve is their pride, is the country pride and they need to protect it!

 

We do not know how many more years that we will have a real eco-tourism in Vietnam. How we can change the tourism culture and make Vietnamese know that tourism is not about relaxing, but also learning, experiencing and more over loving. But, it should be started by ideas and a small talk next to the beach like that. 

Ideas today, changes tomorrow!