The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Vietnam and the Korea Forestry Service have discussed and emphasized the contents of cooperation and promotion in the coming time. Specifically: Sustainable forest management; Digital transformation in forest resource management and protection, and some areas of application of scientific and technological advances…

Planting forest in Con Noi, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province.

In the afternoon of February 7, 2023, in Con Noi, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, the MARD in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Ninh Binh province and the Forestry Project Management Board held a Forestry Plantation Kick-off Ceremony within the framework of the Red River Delta Mangrove Restoration and Sustainable Management Project funded by the Korean Government through the Korea Forestry Service (KFS).

COASTAL MANGROVE RECOVERY

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr.Sang-seop Lim, Deputy Minister of the Korean Forestry Service affirmed: Planting forests and restoring mangroves combined with extensive cultivation under the mangrove canopy is the first cooperation project between the two agencies of the two countries in the field of forestry.

In addition to propagating to prevent deforestation and increase the area of planted forests, the support for aquaculture of the project will contribute to improving the lives of people in the relevant areas.

The total source of the Project is more than 4.3 million USD, of which the non-refundable aid capital of the Korean Government through the Korean Forestry Service is approximately 3.8 million USD equivalent to over 89 billion VND; The remaining is the counterpart capital of Vietnam. The KFS Project was implemented in Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces, which was previously launched in Nam Dinh in mid-2022.

Mangrove Plantation Launching Ceremony.

The Project will focus on three main contents: financial support for mangrove recovery and sustainable management, investment in more effective management mechanisms through sustainable aquaculture support activities associated with mangroves, diversification of long-term benefits from mangrove protection and maintenance through sustainable livelihood support.

“The KFS Project will focus on new planting of 250 ha and restoring 80 ha of mangroves in Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh province and Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province; establishing mangrove seedlings in Kim Son, Ninh Binh; supporting the development of sustainable forest management and tourism development in mangroves”. 

Mr.Sang-seop Lim, Deputy Minister of the Korea Forestry Service.

According to the Forestry Project Management Board (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the total area of coastal forests in Vietnam is currently about 454,000 ha. Although coastal forest only accounts for about 3% of the total national forest area, it plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance, conserving biodiversity, preventing waves and winds, limiting coastal erosion, and protecting sea dikes.

In recent years, Vietnam’s forest coverage has remained stable at about 42%, but coastal forests have been degraded. Mangroves in Vietnam have reduced by nearly a third, from 408,500 ha in 1943 to just over 270,000 ha today.

In many parts of Vietnam, coastal forests have been transformed into unprofitable short-term activities, while the recovery of mangroves is extremely difficult and complicated./.