Kien Giang working hard to conserve forests, improve livelihoods of coastal residents

Kien Giang (VNA) - The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has been investing in recovering local mangrove forests, improving the livelihoods of coastal residents, combating coastal erosion, and protecting the environment.

Of its more than 89,600 ha of forestry land, more than 76,200 ha is covered with forests, including 58,000 ha of natural forests and 18,180 ha of artificial forests.

Local forests, including special-use, protection, and commercial forests, are concentrated in the U Minh Thuong and Long Xuyen Quadrangle areas, the island districts of Phu Quoc and Kien Hai, and some island communes in Kien Luong district and Ha Tien city.

Forestry coverage in the province now stands at 12 percent.

A large number of production models combining forestry and aquaculture have proven effective, helping raise incomes while protecting forests.

Afforestation is being carried out in the coastal zones of An Bien, An Minh, and Hon Dat districts, funded by the climate change response and green growth programme, in order to cope with coastal erosion.

Projects to form alluvial ground for planting mangrove forests and protecting sea dykes have been implemented. As a result, 35 ha of forest in the coastal areas of An Bien district’s Nam Thai commune and another 50 ha along the coast from Binh Son to Binh Giang communes in Hon Dat district have taken shape.

Kien Giang has also revised its forestry zoning plans to maintain an appropriate area of special-use and protected forests and convert poorly-performing commercial forests into agricultural land.

Forestry protection has also been entrusted to local households, who are in turn permitted to use forests to earn a living.

Authorities have also promoted forest environment leasing, in which ecotourism is associated with forestry conservation and development.

Kien Giang has also taken strong action to manage and protect local natural forests, including closing all such areas and prohibiting any activities harmful to forests.

Relevant forces coordinated with authorities last year to prosecute 177 cases violating the Law on Forestry, collecting fines of more than 2 billion VND (87,200 USD).

Thanks to such efforts, deforestation, forest encroachment, and illegal resources exploitation have been contained, keeping the forest area stable./.