Story | 26 Oct, 2023

Students learn about nature through art in Lang Sen Wetland Nature Reserve

On 26-28 September 2023, IUCN collaborated with Lang Sen Wetland Nature Reserve (NR) to organise a nature and art event on the theme “I love wetlands in Lang Sen” at the Vinh Chau A, Vinh Loi, and the Vinh Dai Primary & Secondary Schools in Long An Province. The aim was to educate and raise awareness of students living in the buffer zone of Lang Sen on wetlands conservation.

Photo: Students finished their paintings in Vinh Chau A school © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Students in Vinh Dai school were drawing at the contest

Photo: Students in Vinh Dai school received the third prize at the contest © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: A student in Vinh Chau A school was drawing at the contest © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Students participating in the contest at Vinh Chau A school © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Ten most beautiful pen cases in Vinh Chau A school on 26 September © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Students were answering quizzes about wetlands © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Students received the fourth prize in Vinh Chau A school © IUCN Viet Nam

The first prize of Vinh Dai school on 28 September

Photo: First prize of Vinh Dai school on 28 September © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: The first prize of Vinh Loi school on 27 September © IUCN Viet Nam

The first prize winner in Vinh Chau A school on 26 Sept 2023

Photo: Ms. Vo Thi My Duyen - the first prize winner in Vinh Chau A school © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Judge members are assessing the paintings in Vinh Chau A school © IUCN Viet Nam

Photo: Students participating in the contest at Vinh Chau A school © IUCN Viet Nam

An art teacher was guiding students before the drawing contest

In 2015, Lang Sen Wetland NR was recognized as Viet Nam’s seventh Ramsar site (a wetland of global importance) and the 2,227^th in the world. The three buffer zone communes of Vinh Chau A, Vinh Dai, and Vinh Loi in Tan Hung District, cover 5,000 hectares of some of the last remaining seasonally flooded grasslands in the entire Dong Thap Muoi area.

The event, which was part of a 2-year project funded by PAN Group and CP Group to plant 17 hectares of melaleuca forest in the NR, included a painting contest using acrylics on canvas in each school. Painting on canvas using acrylics is a much more sophisticated, technically complex, and long lasting medium than the crayons on paper that schoolchildren usually use.

More than 500 students and 60 teachers joined the event along with representatives of PAN, CP, IUCN, and the media.

At the painting contest, 10 prizes were announced in each school: one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes, and four consolation prizes. On 27 Oct 2023, the winner of the first prize in each school participated in a larger canvas painting to exhibit at Lang Sen NR office. Students reviewed books on bird species and wetlands biodiversity to develop ideas, draft the layouts and finalised the painting. See the painting below.

Three winners of the contest showed their canvas painting on wetlands ecosystems

“I painted sarus cranes as I enjoyed them and would like to show the beauty of living creatures in wetlands. I hope to convey the message of protecting wildlife to our community” said Vo Thi My Duyen, a 9^th grade student in Vinh Chau A who won first prize. Ha Bao Chau, a 7^th grade student, shared “I am excited to learn how to mix acrylic color and paint on canvas materials”. She won the second prize for a painting of a lotus field in full bloom.

This is the first time these students have used acrylics on canvas, which they quickly mastered to paint colourful pictures showing the beauty of natural wetlands and native species such as lotus and sarus cranes. The students also learned about wetland ecosystems by answering quizzes on educational videos.

Through art, students can absorb and share knowledge on the Mekong Delta’s wetlands in creative and interactive ways and, hopefully, contribute to wetlands conservation in the long run.