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| Home | Oct 27, 2001 |
vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn |
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MARD aims to
reforest Mekong Delta
HCM CITY — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced plans to increase the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta’s forest coverage to 9.3 per cent by 2010. The target will be part of a major project which will address the delta’s forest economy over the next 10 years. Although the delta now has forest cover of just 6.8 per cent, around 142,000ha of land – mostly alluvial soil – remain uncultivated, according to MARD experts. To reach the target, the ministry will work with local authorities to tap available labour and capital resources and restore and protect mangrove forests along the coast. In addition, more paper pulp forests will be planted in acidic soil in order to protect the region’s coastal ecology. The ministry will also introduce measures to protect Tram Chim National Park and other national reserves in the delta. Under the scheme, timber trees for construction projects will be planted, and more vegetation will be introduced along traffic routes and canals in the region. Special attention will be paid to combining forest growth with seafood farming in order to both protect the environment, and improve incomes in the area. The ministry will encourage farmers to take full advantage of the region’s natural resources to breed reptiles of high export value, such as pythons and crocodiles. Experts believe that with these initiatives in place, the delta’s forestry sector should develop substantially over the next decade. — VNS
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