Soc Trang to implement sustainable forestry management programme
The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang will carry out an action programme for sustainable forest management in its three coastal districts under the project “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation” (REDD+).
A cajuput forest in Soc Trang province. (Photo: VNA)
Soc Trang (VNA) - The Mekong Delta provinceof Soc Trang will carry out an action programme for sustainable forestmanagement in its three coastal districts under the project “Reducing Emissionsfrom Deforestation and Forest Degradation” (REDD).
The targeted areas are Vinh Chau town, Tran De andCu Lao Dung districts.
At a meeting between local authorities and adelegation of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) onMay 8, Vice Chairman of the Soc Trang People’s Committee Le Van Hieu said theprovince is one of the areas in the country most affected by climate change.
Salt intrusion has also caused damage toagricultural production, Hieu said.
Hieu said the REDD project will help to not onlyprotect the existing forest in a sustainable way but also spur local socio-economicdevelopment.
According to a report delivered at the meeting, deforestation and illegalhunting have also occurred, with residents cutting down forests to grow crops.
The IUCN delegation told leaders of agencies in the province about theregulations to protect the forests, as well as finance and human resources forthe implementation of REDD .
According to Pham Trong Thinh, Director of the Southern Forest Planning andInvestigation Sub-Institute, and a member of the IUCN delegation, REDD is aninternational effort to encourage a path towards sustainable forest developmentand a low-carbon economy.
In Vietnam, it is also a part of the nationalprogramme for green growth. Currently, 18 out of 63 provinces and cities in thecountry have drawn up an action plan for the REDD project.
The IUCN will provide assistance to the province so it can reach the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by limiting forest loss and deforestation by 2030.
The province has more than 16,200ha of forest andzoned forested areas, including more than 10,800ha of forest. Its total forestcoverage is 2.5 percent. The area’s mangrove forests have a high levelof bio-diversity, leaving room for tourism development.
The province has worked with local authorities toset up 16 forest cultivation and protection teams and three forest managementco-groups.
According to the REDD Desk, which is acollaborative resource for REDD readiness, REDD is an important component ofVietnam’s climate-change mitigation efforts and is central to the NationalClimate Change Strategy.
The National Action Programme on REDD 2011-20,approved in June 2012, is the major framework for REDD implementation inVietnam.-VNA
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A cajuput forest in Soc Trang province. (Photo: VNA) 
