Recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), received in 2000. It was a testament to the local authorities' determination and effort to make the mangrove biosphere into a success.

A local's early morning daily commute to the Biosphere. The location of the Biosphere requires a short 20 minutes ferry ride from the mainland.

The ferries used to head over to the Biosphere are primarily catered to the motorcycle-endowed locals. Although it does look a little chaotic, it is this very cacophony of noise and disorder that uniquely gives this morning scene its character.

The trip to the Biosphere requires an additional 1.5 hours of road time from the jetty before we arrived. The one and only observation tower was quite apparent from the entrance.

The view of the spiral staircase from the top of the observation tower

The local authorities that manages the Biosphere makes it a practice to encourage her visitors to participate directly in the rejuvenation process. Each visitor is given 20 sticks of mangrove seedlings to plant in an open-landed mangrove nursery. I definitely think this is just one excellent way for them to create that awareness and create that buy-in amongst her visitors.

As it is necessary for the administrators to move around the large swath of mangrove swamp and river tributaries easily, the main mode of transportation is still by small boats and the likes.

Our (very) skillful boat pilot who steers the boat admirably, even in tight corners and narrow bodies of water.

One of the ways that the authorities have adopted to ensure that the Biosphere is policed against poachers is to work together with the local families. We visited one of these families who have been put up in the barest of huts. But surprisingly, it was decent by developing country's standards, and it seems that they are rather adequately equipped with life's slightly less-than-modern amenities. Life was still tough, but what transpired during the conversation is about the realisation on the need for these locals to be able to play a role in ensuring that the Biosphere is well-protected. Challenges abound, especially when it comes to resourcing, but the locals and the authorities seem to be resourceful and able to manage these important shortcomings.

The youngest son of one of the family that we saw earlier was very much an excitable looking boy when we first came a-visiting. His excitement grew when an accompanying official handed him a simple and cheap ball-point pen to play around with. His joy piqued my curiousity, but I realise that what we see here is perhaps an indication to how limited the resources that they have at their disposal over here.

Towards the end of my visit and as I inched nearer to the boy, he began to show his worry and started crying. I can't recall whether he cried because he needed to return the new-found pen/toy earlier, or because I looked a little different with a camera in tow. But whatever it was, I vowed to make this incident and experience something that perhaps would leave a mark in my charges' visit to this part of the world a few months down the road.

In order to ensure the economic sustainability of the Biosphere, the authorities also engages in small-scale sea-farming. Besides the occasional fish-farms, there were also oyster-farms that was primarily export-driven. Who would have realised that such an exquisite delicacy comes from the waters and humble huts like what you see above.

It can be a lonely place working at these sea-based farms and in these sea-raised structures. Company is I guess, a necessity, and perhaps what better way to get some social time, than to have Man's best friend to be your house-mate.

Harvesting oysters is definitely a back-breaking work, and it is by no means something that I see is a suitable job for a desk-bound and air-con weakling like me. I grew to appreciate the kind of effort that one would associate with oysters, the next time I savour one.

The humility of the Vietnamese in general, and with the Vice-Director in particular, is somewhat exemplary, even in my eyes. He would gladly roll-up his sleeves and helped out with the day's harvest, which were specially done for our short visit.

The fact that someone of a high stature is willing to go into the kitchen to help in the food preparation was not lost on me, as I stood there in amazement.

These pictures marks the end of my initial trip to the Can Gio Biosphere in March 2011, as part of my preparation to prepare my lesson materials for my students during their trip in May of the same year.

The same hustle and bustle of the ferry greeted me once more as I boarded the ferry 2 months later, this time with my young charges.

I just can't help but capture the cluster of ants...that seems to bring forth the idea of hope, that perhaps, it IS still possible for Mankind to save Mother Nature. There is still time...and there is still hope. It took the Vietnamese one generation, it probably would take the rest of us longer...but we have to start somewhere, anywhere...and soon!

The face of the boy saddled at the corner of his hut greeted me and my students once more. His excited face turned to cries when he saw the large group heading his way...but all was well after that as he realised the gifts that we brought along for him and his family.

My young charges sitting on the floorboards, listening intently to the house owner narrating his story and experiences.

I think one of the most humbling thing that I learned amongst the Vietnamese was the pervasive need to make your guests feel welcomed. A simple pot of hot tea was all it took for me to affirm that belief, and hopefully my charges could see that.

A gentle caring/playing pair of hands from mummy always help to sooth any sadness...and I guess it cuts across all barriers of race, religion and nationality.

His appreciation for our visit was indeed authentic and deep-rooted, as could be seen by his physically-closed gesture to some of my charges.

It was definitely a tiring trip physically...but I do hope that these set of photo-stories are a step in the right direction to create that awareness amongst my viewers about the importance of protecting Mother Nature and about being satisfied with what they have.

It took the Vietnamese over 1 generation of about 40 years to achieve what they have achieved now, even with all the resourcing constraints that they had. Through sheer determination, ingenuity, and perhaps innovation, the Biosphere was on her way to be a flourishing swath of green mangrove swamps once more.

But lest we are thinking that this was an easy process, let us remember that it was definitely not! It was not going to be easy to do what they had done, with all the multi-dimensionalities that they had to consider...but it was definitely something that they had achieved and done, and would continue on doing.

And I hope that their determination and resolve would be something that my students can emulate, in both their studies, and more importantly, their lives. This is only a start...perhaps a start to something even greater...for all of them.

Thanks to all for your viewership...and to the people involved in the Can Gio Biosphere project. You are indeed an inspiration.

Irfan Darian