Kien Giang steps up measures to protect, develop forests

Kien Giang (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is taking measures to retain its forest coverage rate at 11 percent, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Hoang Van Tuan, Deputy Director of the department, said the province is promoting forest protection and forest fire prevention to relevant individuals and organisations.

It has strengthened inspections of violations of forest protection regulations, especially in important localities like the island districts of Phu Quoc and Kien Hai and protective forests along coastal areas, he said.

Kien Giang has more than 82,650ha devoted to growing forests. Of the figure, 46,230ha are natural forests, while 14,678ha are man-made forests. The remaining area has no forests.

The province, which has the largest land area in the Delta, has adjusted its zoning for special use forests, protective forests and production forests. It has turned a part of ineffective production forest areas into agricultural production areas.

The province has achieved its target of growing forests every year, focusing on planting protective forests along coastal areas to prevent erosion and cope with climate change.

It has also allocated about 4,000ha of forested lands in coastal areas for local households and organisations to protect. The forest-allocated households have improved their incomes by exploiting forest resources and breeding aquatic species in forested land./.