President Truong Tan Sang on Jan. 29 launched the Tree Planting Festival in Kim Dong commune, Kim Son district in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

Addressing the ceremony, President Sang stressed the importance of planting trees and protecting forests amidst increasing world temperatures, climate change and rising sea levels that are threatening people’s livelihoods.

He called upon the entire Party, army and people to take part in planting trees and forests in an effort to protect the environment, making it a fine tradition of the Vietnamese people during Tet festival.

In 2011, the country planted an additional 212,000 hectares of forest, increasing forest coverage to 40 percent from 32 percent in 1998 and contributing to promoting socio-economic development and maintaining national defence and security./.