The US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam and the Red Cross Society in the northern province of Nam Dinh launched a tree planting campaign to protect the environment in Nam Dien commune, coastal Nghia Hung district on March 2.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) The campaign is part of the USAID-funded Vietnam Forests and Deltas Programme to be carried out in four provinces, aiming to strengthen the localities’ resilience against climate change and reduce natural disaster risks in coastal areas. It also targets strengthened management over natural disaster and minimize greenhouse gas, while helping localities in building their plans to tackle natural disaster risks caused by climate change. According to USAID environment officer Terhi Majanen, Nam Dinh is among provinces that are greatly influenced by climate change, especially sea level rise, saltwater intrusion and storms. She expressed hope that the programme will help raise the local community’s awareness of challenges facing them and provide them with smart approaches in climate change adaptation. Along with the tree planting campaign, the programme has also supported over 2,500 locals in improving their livelihood through models of smart production of potato and rice, shrimp and rice-fish farms adaptable to climate change, she said. Mejanen added that the programme has also assisted vulnerable communes to build climate change plans with rapid responding measures and alerting systems. Meanwhile, Vu Minh Chau, head of the provincial Red Cross Society said that the programme has been conducted in 30 communes in three coastal districts of Giao Thuy, Hai Hau and Nghia Hung. Over 200,000 trees of different kinds have been planted, contributing to protecting the environment and coping with climate change, he said. After the launching ceremony, participants and locals planted 500 trees in bare areas along rivers and sea dyke. Nam Dinh currently has about 3,110 hectares of forest, including 1,955 hectares of protection forest, mostly in Nghia Hung, Giao Thuy National Park buffer zone in Giao Thuy district.
