I am pleased to share an update on my latest high-level documentary assignment with GIZ Vietnam, focusing on the crucial work of the Management and Protection of Protected Areas with Diverse Ecosystems (MEPA) project. This commission is a continuation of my long-term partnership with the GIZ biodiversity team, built on a proven track record of delivering high-impact visual documentation across various environmental subjects (e.g., Sustainable Supply Chains, Timber Documentation).
The MEPA project is a vital initiative addressing the increasing pressure on Vietnam’s rich biodiversity—one of the world’s top 20 most biodiverse regions. The core mission is to enhance the regulatory, institutional, and technical capacity for integrated management across key protected areas.
My recent assignment involved capturing visual assets that communicate the project’s complexity, its conservation efforts, and the direct impact on local communities across three distinct and ecologically significant sites: Hoang Lien National Park (Lao Cai), Xuan Lien National Park (Thanh Hoa), and Van Long Nature Reserve (Ninh Binh).
1. Hoang Lien National Park: Integrating Science and Alpine Protection
Hoang Lien, situated high on the majestic Hoang Lien Son mountain range and home to Fansipan Peak, represents Vietnam’s challenging alpine frontier. This is a landscape defined by extreme topography and rich biological uniqueness, making it a natural treasure trove for rare and endemic species found nowhere else.
My documentation here explores how the Park enhances its holistic protection system—a key objective of the MEPA project. The visuals capture the necessary balance between advanced research, daily law enforcement, and public outreach.
The assignment covered the wide spectrum of conservation work: from the high-tech application of tissue culture in laboratories to secure the genetic future of endangered medicinal flora, to the essential operations of the wildlife rescue center that rehabilitates confiscated species. Furthermore, the imagery highlights the critical, daily efforts of forest rangers—including intensive fire-prevention patrols in high-risk zones and the use of public exhibitions to educate visitors and locals on the value of conservation. This comprehensive approach is central to the MEPA project’s goal to enhance institutional capacity and technical expertise for integrated management in complex mountain environments.
Some images from the project.
2. Xuan Lien National Park: Central Vietnam's Ancient Forest Reserve
Located in the ecological transition zone between the Northwest and North Central regions, Xuan Lien National Park manages a vast and richly diverse forest area that serves as a critical biological buffer. It is particularly renowned as a rare sanctuary for ancient, old-growth flora, harboring significant populations of majestic Sa Mu (Cunninghamia konishii) and Pơ Mu (Fokienia hodginsii)—two of Vietnam’s most valuable and threatened long-lived conifer species.
My documentation in Xuan Lien focuses on active ecosystem management and resilience. The visuals capture the dedicated efforts to ensure the long-term health of this unique reserve, highlighting the systematic operational duties that secure its ecological value.
The assignment covered the continuous work of forest rangers in monitoring and utilizing advanced techniques for species protection and documentation, as well as the successful results of their rescue and rehabilitation programs for wildlife. Importantly, the images showcase the commitment to large-scale forest restoration, documenting the technical guidance provided to local communities on planting and managing native, high-value trees. This proactive work directly supports the MEPA project’s goal of improving regulatory frameworks and successfully implementing ecosystem restoration approaches in this vital central corridor.
Some images from the project.
3. Van Long Nature Reserve: A Wetland Oasis at the Industrial Edge
Van Long, a unique submerged nature reserve and recognized as a Ramsar site of international importance, offers a spectacular landscape of karst limestone rising from marshes and rice fields. This is an aquatic paradise and a diverse habitat for numerous bird and animal species, including water birds like white storks and rare primates such as the endemic Delacour’s Langur.
This unique setting demands a sophisticated conservation strategy. My documentation at Van Long focuses on managing the ecological boundary and mitigating conflict with external development activities.
The visuals illustrate the challenging reality of how the management team works to maintain ecological integrity when industrial stone quarrying operations create direct pressure on air, water, and habitat. Crucially, the documentation highlights the collaboration between the management board and local community partners who run community-based ecotourism services—a sustainable livelihood mechanism and a vital line of defense for protecting the reserve’s core zone. This work exemplifies the MEPA project’s commitment to developing sustainable financing tools and livelihood strategies to secure the future of sensitive protected areas.
Some images from the project.
Documentary Approach: High-Impact Visuals for Development
My work for GIZ is deliberately aimed at providing visually compelling, technically precise documentary images that meet the high standards required for international development communication. The goal is to move beyond simple illustration to provide context, narrative, and evidence that supports the MEPA project’s objectives. This project reinforces the necessity of collaborative efforts between international partners, national government agencies, and local communities to safeguard Vietnam’s natural heritage.
Looking Forward: I continue to collaborate with international organizations and NGOs on projects that require high-level, sensitive, and context-aware documentary photography on conservation, climate change, and sustainable development in Southeast Asia.
