A special day in the Cat Tien forest for the CEO of WWF-Australia 
Cat Tien National Park, 24 May 2025 – Today, the CEO of WWF-Australia, Mr. Dermot O’Gorman, made an emotional visit to Cat Tien National Park. Together with WWF-Viet Nam’s management team, he visited and offered his heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Nguyen Van Kiem, a ranger who recently lost his life while on patrol to protect the forest. He also expressed his admiration for the strong will and dedication of the park’s leaders and staff in overcoming challenges and consistently seeking solutions to protect the forest.
 
Cat Tien National Park was established in 1992, covering a total area of over 71,000 hectares. With its characteristics of tropical humid forests and forest cover exceeding 80%, the Park is assessed to have high biodiversity, recording 1,729 animals and 1,655 higher plants, of which more than 100 animals and plants are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and require preservation. UNESCO recognised the Park as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2001 and 2011.
 
With its rich and unique biodiversity, Cat Tien has attracted the attention of scientists and undertaken numerous effective conservation activities, serving as a living testament to the journey of biodiversity restoration in Viet Nam. Since the 1990s, with only a few crocodiles released, the population has now exceeded 600, serving as a successful restoration model. 
 
Since its early days in Viet Nam, more than 30 years ago, WWF has collaborated with Cat Tien National Park to implement numerous conservation activities and enhance the livelihoods of local communities to alleviate pressure on forests and foster a sustainable future. Some examples include the Ta Lai Long House Ecotourism and other community ecotourism models, which help create livelihoods for ethnic minorities. Another one is the community forest guard model helps make Cat Tien a safe habitat for wildlife. 
 
“Cat Tien was once home to the last Javan rhinoceros in Viet Nam. WWF hopes that one day the rhino will return. And that day will come - if we continue to act,” said the CEO of WWF-Australia.
 
On the same day, Mr. Dermot participated in a commemorative tree planting activity with leaders of the National Park and WWF-Viet Nam.
 
During his trip to Viet Nam, Mr Dermot O’Gorman also visited the WWF-Australia-funded livelihood models in the Mekong Delta.
 
Strengthening conservation cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment
Hanoi – 27 May 2025 – Mr. Dermot O’Gorman held a working session with Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to enhance cooperation between the two parties and discuss forthcoming collaboration, especially in the areas of conservation and climate-resilient agriculture.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri expressed gratitude to the Australian Government for its support of Viet Nam in addressing climate change in the Mekong Delta, particularly in developing local-level response strategies and promoting sustainable agriculture. He also acknowledged the contributions of WWF-Australia and DFAT in implementing nature-based solutions at the community level through the project “Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in the Mekong Delta (CRxN)." The project makes a significant contribution to the Government’s policy on Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Development, which promotes the adoption of nature-based solutions.

The Deputy Minister also shared Viet Nam's priority goals for the immediate future, including international commitments such as Net Zero by 2050, the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and the 30x30 commitment. He also highlighted some of Viet Nam's priority policies, which include reducing emissions across various sectors, transitioning to renewable energy, and developing carbon markets; promoting a circular economy, green economy, and blue economy; adopting nature-based solutions for sustainable agriculture and forestry; and implementing a programme for one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta. 

For his part, Mr Dermot expressed gratitude to the Deputy Minister for his warm welcome and shared his impressions of Viet Nam's nature and people during his trip to Cat Tien and the Mekong Delta. He thanked the Deputy Minister and the Ministry for supporting WWF's activities in Viet Nam and highly valued the Ministry's role in Green Development, the One Health Programme, and climate resilience agendas.
 
Mr. Dermot emphasised that WWF will always commit to supporting current national priorities, such as cross-sectoral emission reduction in agriculture and forestry, developing green and sustainable economic models, and promoting climate-resilient, nature-based agroforestry activities.

On this occasion, the Deputy Minister also encouraged WWF-Australia to amplify the positive outcomes of the CRxN project, which contributes to the initiative of cultivating one million hectares of low-emission rice. With many years of experience in implementing conservation programmes for diverse ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, and Murray-Darling Delta, he expressed hope that WWF-Australia could share these insights, as Viet Nam also possesses similar ecosystems. Finally, he conveyed that Viet Nam welcomes international support in fulfilling its Net Zero commitment by 2050 and urged WWF-Australia to mobilise funding from various sources.

In response to the Deputy Minister, Mr. Dermot stated that WWF-Australia and DFAT have been implementing climate-friendly solutions in Southeast Asia and the Pacific since 2021, with Viet Nam being one of the strategic partners. He also expressed a desire to align with MAE’s policy priorities in both agriculture and environmental governance, particularly in light of the recent ministerial merger. He affirmed that WWF is committed to being a long-term partner with the Ministry to foster a sustainable and climate-resilient future.

On the same day, Mr. Dermot also met with leaders of the People's Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) and the Australian Embassy in Viet Nam to discuss and explore opportunities for future conservation cooperation.