Quang Ninh: Businesses help farmers to plant timber tree forests

To fulfil the goal of planting 2,500 hectares of timber trees in 2022, many enterprises in the northern province of Quang Ninh donated money and seedlings. The period from July to the end of September is the best time to plant trees in the reforestation efforts for the province.

To date, the province has received funding from 46 agencies and businesses to help re-plant over 1,000 hectares of timber trees. After more than six months of implementation, the progress of afforestation of timber tree species in the province has reached over 57% of the plan assigned by the provincial People's Committee. Localities and units have planted more than 1,426 hectares of forests.

Specifically, Sun Group has donated 5 billion VND (213,700 USD) to assist Quang Ninh in planting 400 hectares of indigenous timber trees in 11 localities and units.

Of the sum, Tien Yen district received 1 billion VND, Mong Cai city 350 million VND, Hai Ha 900 million VND, Dam Ha 250 million VND, Ba Che 500 million VND, Van Don 700 million VND, Uong Bi 200 million VND, Binh Lieu 400 million VND, the provincial Military High Command 300 million VND, and Trang Luong and Binh Khe communes of Dong Trieu township 400 million VND.

Meanwhile, Amata Group has donated 11,000 seedlings to residents in Po Hen village, Hai Son commune of Mong Cai city to plant 10 hectares of timber trees. This gift has helped Mong Cai city complete its plan to plant 60 hectares of timber forests assigned by the provincial People's Committee in 2022.

Deep C Industrial Park Complex in Quang Yen township has donated to Tien Yen district 300 million VND worth of seedlings, in which Bac Tien Phong Industrial Park Joint Stock Company donated more than 11,500 seedlings, Tien Phong Industry Joint Stock Company provided nearly 14,400 others.

Together with major enterprises and groups, the timber afforestation programme has also received the engagement of various agencies and units. The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of Quang Duc Border Guard Station coordinated with the youth union of Hai Ha district to encourage union members, youths and people in the locality to participate in planting nearly 4,000 timber trees along the border road managed by the station. This helps raise awareness and actions of officials, union members and young people in protecting border security, protecting the environment, and developing a sustainable green economy.

The Youth Union of the Office of the provincial People's Committee has also donated 100 million VND, equivalent to 10,000 seedlings, to the Youth Union of Dam Ha district to plant 10 hectares of timber forests at the foot of Bach Van waterfall in Tam Lang village of Quang An commune.

The Quang Ninh Branch of the Bank for Social Policies has supported 66 forest owners in Ba Che and Ha Long city to gain access to loans worth more than 2.6 billion VND to plant timber and indigenous tree species in accordance with the policy of the province. At present, the bank is continuing to coordinate with localities to expand the number of benefited forest planters according to regulations.

The timber afforestation programme is expected to bring about "double benefits" in both increasing the value of forest production and business, and sustainable poverty reduction, and contributing to the regulation of water resources and environmental protection. This programme was successfully implemented in Ba Che district when people grew local precious medicinal plants under the canopy of timber trees so that forest growers could have more income to wait for timber trees to be harvested.

Thanks to the active participation of local authorities and the response of units, organisations, businesses and individuals, Quang Ninh expects to complete the goal of planting 2,500 hectares of timber forests in 2022. The province is striving to have 12,900 hectares of timber forests by 2025, of which nearly 9,000 hectares are planted and over 3,800 hectares are converted.