Ms. Sung Thi Lan, a Mong ethnic woman from Ta Van commune, Lao Cai province, shares her journey of creating new livelihoods with her fellow villagers in the highlands. Photo: Thuy Tien/VOV

Hoang Lien National Park has a uniquely valuable ecosystem and a rich accumulation of ethnic cultural traditions shaped over generations, forging a strong bond between humans, nature, and indigenous knowledge.

However, climate change, with its more severe weather patterns, plus pressures from economic development, intensive agriculture, and mass tourism, is posing significant threats to local ecosystems and livelihoods. In this backdrop, women in Ta Van and Ban Ho communes, Lao Cai province, are finding ways to adapt and sustain their livelihoods while safeguarding cultural identity.

Sung Thi Lan, a resident of Ta Van commune, said: “At Muong Hoa cooperative, we’re producing recycled brocade products linked to tourism and agriculture. We guide locals to collect used items such as traditional costume accessories, and through handicrafts, embroidery, and sewing, we transform them into new products for sale the market.”

An impressive display of fabrics dyed with beeswax patterns at an exhibition showcasing the stories of highland women about their journey in preserving natural and cultural heritage. (Photo: Thuy Tien/VOV)

Each sustainable livelihood, each tourism initiative, and each adaptive step reflects a practical effort for the future.

Giang Thi Tang of Ta Van commune said: “We want to preserve traditional skills like drawing and embroidery passed down from our mothers, so that future generations can continue and develop them. We sell brocade products and offer visitors hands-on experiences with wax painting and embroidery, both to promote our culture and pass it on to younger generations.”

Inspired by these highland women, from July 2024 to December 2025 experts from Vietnam’s Institute of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Hull, Loughborough University of the UK, and the Vietnam Women's Museum collaborated on a research project titled “Storytelling Journey of Heroic Vietnamese Women in Ecotourism Adaptation to Climate Change.”

Highland women share their stories of cultural preservation. (Photo: Thuy Tien/VOV)

The project aims to support ethnic minority women in the buffer zone of Hoang Lien National Park in conserving nature and culture, while recognizing their pioneering role in sustainable development amid climate change.

Assoc. Prof., Dr. Bui Ngoc Quy, Deputy Director of the Institute of Natural Resources and Environment, said: “Our research focuses on identifying how women have adapted to these changes in their daily lives. At the same time, we’re studying local livelihoods in the new context to see how women adapt and how they preserve cultural identity and traditional values.”

This journey by highland women to preserve natural and cultural heritage is showcased in the exhibition “Green Seeds at Cloud Peaks” at the Vietnam Women’s Museum until April 10. The exhibition portrays the lives of women from the Mong, Dao, Giay, Thai, and Tay ethnic groups, highlighting their efforts to adapt their livelihoods to climate change.