Eight coastal localities to receive further support to protect forests

The 4,040 hectares of forests planted and restored in the first phase of the World Bank (Wb)-funded Forest Sector Modernisation and Coastal Resilience Enhancement Project will receive further care, as Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has issued a decision on the adjustment of the project investment, an official has said.

According to Phạm Hồng Vích, deputy head of the Management Board of Forestry Projects under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the decision is to raise resilience for coastal areas in the eight project localities, namely Quảng Ninh, Hải Phòng, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ

An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiênhuế.

Under the project, 37,956 hectares of protective forests are being reviewed and protected to complete protection fee payment, and the entire area of protective forests will be handed over to the localities after 2026 for further management and protection.

At the same time, the project has put in place about 100 livelihood investment packages in five localities, and it will maintain the results of the 50 packages done in the first phase.

The target communes, districts and communities will carry out the maintenance and operation of 22 production technology packages and 85 others for infrastructure, which aim to serve sustainable production, increase income for locals, and contribute to protecting and developing existing coastal forest resources.

The project will directly contribute to fulfilling the objectives set in the sustainable forestry development programme for the 2021-25 period, while improving the resilience of vulnerable areas, covering about 900 kilometres of coastline in the eight localities, Vích said.

Over 6,500 households have benefited directly from the project and 12,000 others, indirectly, with women accounting for about 40 per cent of the beneficiaries.