The annual tree-planting festival in commemoration of Uncle Ho has become a fine tradition of our nation every spring, boosting forest protection and the afforestation activities of all sectors and making an important and practical contribution to national sustainable development.
The Prime Minister issued Directive No. 45/CT-TTg on December 31, 2020 on the organisation of the tree-planting festival and the promotion of forest protection and development in 2021.
The Directive states all sectors and localities must have plans to turn the programme of planting one billion trees into an emulation movement with the participation of a large number of people, focusing on urban areas, industrial zones, concentrated residential areas, cultural-historical and memorial sites, traffic corridors, agricultural areas, and others.
This goal does not include trees in replacement forests or reforestation after logging. Priority should be given to the planting of large, perennial, and multi-purpose timber trees associated with the implementation of the national forestry development strategy and sustainable development goals, according to the Directive.
In addition, the supervision and evaluation of the movement should be conducted every year to draw experience and further expand the movement.
Over the past years, natural disasters have seen complicated and unusual developments in many regions of the country. The protection and development of forest has become an urgent, long-term and strategic task due to the serious consequences to people's lives and property caused by climate change, extreme weather events, storms, floods, landslides, droughts, and salinity.
In order to improve the quality of tree planting, sectors, localities and organisations should continue to disseminate information and implement the provisions of law on forestry development fully.
It is necessary to raise the awareness of all strata of people about the role and values of forests as well as the meaning behind tree planting and afforestation.
On the one hand, it is imperative to strengthen the management of forest seedlings, apply technical advances to the planting of large timber forests, and improve the productivity and value of planted forests.
The organisation of tree-planting must be practical and efficient, creating conditions for all agencies, organisations, unions, schools, armed forces and all classes of people to actively participate.
Moreover, organisations and individuals with outstanding results in the implementation of the programme should be praised and rewarded.
It is necessary to synchronously implement measures to prevent forest fires while fighting against illegal tree-felling and deforestation, especially in the 2020-2021 dry season.
The Government's instructions regarding the conversion of forest use purposes, the closure of natural forests and the handling of forest violators must be strictly followed.
