Ninh Thuan to grow more new forests

Ferntop ash, a type of indigenous tree which can cope with dry weather and drought, is planted in coastal protective forests in Ninh Thuan province’s Thuan Nam district. (Photo: VNA)

Ninh Thuan (VNS/VNA) – The south-central province of Ninh Thuan plans to grow 1,121ha of new forests to replace forest areas which are cut down in 2023-25.

The replacement forests include 500ha of special-use and 621ha of protective forests which are managed by the management boards of special use forests and the management boards of protective forests.

The province grows forests in vacant lands and bare hills, protects existing forests and develops new forests, according to Le Huyen, deputy chairman of the province People’s Committee.

It promotes the environmental protection of forests, secures water resources, copes with climate change proactively and effectively, prevents erosion and desertification, and protects natural resources and biodiversity, he said.

It also provides diversified forest environment services, creates jobs and incomes for local people, and aims to increase the forest coverage rate to 49% in 2025.

To reach the targets, the province People’s Committee has asked its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Forest Protection Sub-department, forest owners and localities to check land funds and identify areas for growing replacement forests on vacant land and areas that cannot grow into forests naturally.

Of the 1,121ha of replacement forests, 400ha will be planted this year, 401ha next year and 320ha in 2025.

The province will mobilise human resources from forest protection forces and hire people from communities and households in areas which will plant the replacement forests between September and November every year.

The province has had policies to encourage organisations and individuals to invest in the forestry sector to protect and develop forests.

It aims to exploit the maximum value of forests through combining agriculture and forestry development, growing medicinal plants, and developing forest environment services.

The province has more than 196,800ha of forests and forestry land for growing special-use, protective, and commercial forests. It planted nearly 1,000ha of new protective and special-use forests last year.

Ninh Thuan has a forest cover of 47.1%./.