Authorities plant mangrove forests in Tra Vinh province’s Cau Ngang district. (Photo: VNA) This is meant to protect the environment, adapt to climate change and improvepeople’s livelihoods, according to the coastal province’s Forest ProtectionSub-department.
The province plans to plant 2.1 million trees in the 2021-25 period, 1.1million in urban and rural areas and the rest in 372ha of forests.
Nguyen Vu Phuong, head of the sub-department, said 200,000 trees would beplanted in forests every year.
Tra Vinh is one of the delta’s provinces hardest hit by climate change, especiallyrising sea levels, which have impacted the environment and the lives of peopleliving in coastal areas.
To mitigate the impacts, it has implemented various forest growing programmesin recent years.
For instance, it launched a mangrove reforesting project in Cau Ngang district’sMy Long Nam commune last week.
The sub-department and other relevant units planted 1,000 mangrove trees in thecommune on the first day of the programme.
Le Quang Rang, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture andRural Development, said more than 360ha of forests were planted in the lastfive years and another 54ha would be planted this year.
The province has nearly 9,500ha of forests, the sixth largest area among thedelta’s 12 provinces and Can Tho City, he said.
Mangrove forests have helped protect the province’s 65 kilometres of coastsfrom strong winds, waves and storms.
They are also habitats for aquatic species that provide livelihoods tolocals.
Farmer Nguyen Truong Chinh in Cau Ngang district’s My Long Nam commune saidthanks to mangrove forests the lives of local people have improved.
He has a 3,000sq.m of farmlands near a mangrove forest where he growswatermelon and peanut, and earns a large income, he said.
He grows three watermelon crops a year and earns an average income of 8-10million VND (350-430 USD) per 1,000sq.m per crop, he said.
The province aims to increase its forest cover rate from 4 percent last year to4.2 percent by 2025.
To achieve this, the sub-department plans to strengthen disseminationactivities to enhance the awareness of local authorities and people aboutforest management, protection and development.
It is also strengthening the role of local communities in protecting forests,and encouraging investment in planting and protecting forests.
It has set up nurseries to ensure they have a steady supply of seedlings forplanting. One of them is a huge 50ha nursery in Duyen Hai district’s Dong Hai communeto produce mangrove seedlings./.
VNA
