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This project has improved the face of highland areas as well as the lives of residents in these areas.
The project is funded by the German Development Bank (KFW) of the Federal Republic of Germany. Investment in this project totals four million euro and that includes three million euro worth of nonrefundable aid of the German Government and one million euro worth of Vietnamese reciprocal capital. The project will finish in 2013.
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The final objective of the project is to increase the rate of forest coverage in the region, manage natural resources on forest land in a sustainable manner, improve the environmental condition, and conserve rare plant genes both quantitatively and qualitatively. At the same time, the project aims at creating stable income sources and employment for residents in the areas where the project is implemented. The project is expected to promote socioeconomic development in these areas by establishing forestry cooperatives. There will be also facilities to provide information about the market and forest product processing services. Every effort will be made to improve the face of highland forests as well as the lives of ethnic-minority people in these areas.
The implementation of the project began in 2007 with participation of three provinces with six districts and 17 communes. Thus far, according to the project management board, 8,590ha of forests have been established, including 1,380ha in Son Dong district of Bac Giang province, 4,210ha in Dong Trieu, Ba Che and Tien Yen districts of Quang Ninh province, and 3,000ha in Van Lang and Cao Loc districts of Lang Son province.
The project has improved considerably the lives of residents in highland areas. Several years ago, most forests in the above mentioned districts were in an alarming situation in terms of both quantity and quality. Forest trees were chopped down illegally under no control. And those were among the poor districts of the country.
As soon as it was developed, the above districts showed their response to the project by forming Community Forest Management Boards that are responsible for coordinating with the peoples committees of communes to get involved in the implementation of the project. They have put in place forest management and protection regulations and proposed ways in which forests can be protected and managed effectively. One of the important contents of these regulations is to make forest owners aware of the need to restore natural forest resources and improve the ecological condition in forest areas.
Thanks to suitable planting techniques, all forest trees in the above districts are growing well. Many natural forests are recovering. Forest protection and management activities with participation of the entire local community have been effective. Deforestation activities have been prevented successfully.
The project has contributed significantly to eradicating hunger and reducing poverty in highland areas. "We believe that in the future there will be more forests and we will be able to make higher incomes from forestation activities," said a resident in Tien Yen district.
From now to 2013, the project will focus on improving forest management activities. The project management board said that they will provide local authorities with instructions for sustainable forest management. They will also transfer new planting techniques to local residents.
Mai Hoa - Thu H