Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Binh Thuan (VNA) – The south central coastal province of Binh Thuan is implementing the United Nations’ “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation” (UN-REDD) project funded by the Norwegian Government in 41 communes of seven districts.
The project is expected to bring other benefits to the province such as reducing poverty reduction, restructuring the forestry sector, and conserving biodiversity, heard a conference held on December 27 by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In 2014, Binh Thuan was one of the six provinces nationwide selected to carry out the second phrase of the programme. The province now has more than 350,000 hectares of forest land, accounting for half of its natural area.
Implementing the national programme on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by limiting forest loss and degradation and the UN programme on conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD ), Binh Thuan has focused on main components, including forest protection and restoration activities.
So far, the province has protected 153,000 hectares of forests and grown 9,400 hectares of new forests.
The REDD programme has helped reduce the encroachment of forest land for agricultural production and increase forest coverage, especially on sandy soil that has high risk of desertification.
To increase the forest coverage to 43 percent in 2020 from 41.6 percent in 2015, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will continue raising public awareness of forest protection and drawing investment in building sustainable livelihood models.
In addition to developing material forest areas and wood processing plants, the province will pay attention to new forest protection and development, and biodiversity conservation.-VNA
VNA
