The island district of Phu Quy in the central province of Binh Thuan has raised its forest coverage rate to 45 percent with a total area of 800 hectares. Ta Minh Nhut, Vice Chairman of the district People’s Committee attributed the achievement to the Government’s afforestation support programmes as well as the district’s efforts. He said that the local agro-forestry station has actively cultivated seedlings instead of transporting them from mainland and promoted tree planting movements among individuals and organisations. It has planted 15,000 mangroves, Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata trees on a trial basis in some coastal areas such as Lach Du, Hon Tranh and Lo Sau in Tam Thanh commune , he added. The station is also expanding the area of trees in order to create an eco-environment on sandbars, form green walls against raging waves and provide safe habitats for marine species. In addition to afforestation, islanders have been encouraged to change their crop structure from short-day to perennial trees, Nhat said.  About 56 nautical miles from mainland, Phu Quy island district has a natural area of about 17 square kilometers and a population of 27,000.-VNA