Vice President launches tree-planting festival in Quang Binh

According to the MARD, Vietnam planted about 227,000 ha of concentrated forest and 67 million trees each year in the 2016-2020 period. In 2020 alone, the country planted over 230,000 ha of concentrated forest and 80 million trees despite many difficulties arising due to the pandemic.

The national forest coverage rate is currently 42% while the export value of wood and wood products reached US$13.17 billion in 2020, up 16.4% compared to 2019.

In the 2021-2025 period, the forestry sector will continue to maintain the national forest coverage rate at present levels and is aiming at a total of US$20 billion worth of export revenue of forestry products each year.

Addressing the ceremony, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh said that every spring, localities across the country launch tree-plant festivals in response to a call from President Ho Chi Minh in 1960.

She noted that many provinces including Quang Binh are suffering from heavy losses caused by storms, floods and climate change, thus, tree planting and afforestation are of great significance, contributing to sustainable national development.

She also called on all people to participate in planting trees and respond to the initiative of planting one billion new trees in the next five years as launched by the Prime Minister.

On the same day, Thanh Hoa city also launched its tree-planting festival for 2021 with the aim of planting more than 105,000 trees across the city while Thua Thien Hue province launched its tree-planting festival at the Chin Ham historical relic site.