Tree planting festival on lunar New Year occasion launched

On November 28, 1959, President Ho Chi Minh wrote an article which was published on Nhan dan (People) newspaper, stressing the significance of tree planting to each person, each family and the entire nation.

Since then, the tree planting festival has become a custom practice whenever a new year comes. Tree planting and afforestation activities have been conducted in a widespread and effective manner and greatly helped with environmental protection and socio-economic development in Vietnam.

To promote positive results and address shortcomings, MARD requested the People’s Committees of provinces and cities to direct their localities to map out plans on tree planting and afforestation following the 2016-2020 Sustainable Forestry Development Target Programme and a project on restructuring the forestry sector.

Relevant units were asked to intensify management over the quality of trees planted.

The tree planting festival will be implemented in the northern region in the lunar New Year festival and in the southern region on the occasion of the late President’s birth anniversary (May 19) to conform with the time to plant trees and afforest in each region.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 214,000ha of concentrated forests and over 50 million scattered trees are planted nationwide this year. The forest coverage reaches 41.65 percent, and collection from forest environment services surpasses 2.7 trillion VND (116.3 million USD) – the highest-ever number. The export turnover of wood and forestry products enjoys a year-on-year increase of 15 percent, reaching 9.4 billion USD.

In accordance with the Target Programme on Sustainable Forestry Development for 2016-2020, the forestry sector targets raising forestry production value by 6-6.5 percent, increasing forest coverage to 42 percent and forestry export to 10 billion USD by 2020, contributing to mitigating natural disasters and reducing poverty in combination with new-style rural development and ensuring national defence-security.