Ca Mau leads Vietnam in coastal afforestation, adds nearly 1,880ha in 5 years

The event highlighted strong progress in Vietnam’s 2021-30 coastal forest protection and climate-resilience program.

The ministry reported that coastal provinces have made significant gains in protecting and expanding coastal forests during the 2021-25 period.

Among 21 coastal localities, Ca Mau posted the largest newly planted area, especially mangrove forests, which play a critical role in shoreline protection.

Over the past five years, coastal provinces have collectively protected more than 281,000 hectares of forest, surpassing program targets.

The total newly planted and restored forest area reached more than 11,600 hectares, including about 7,700 hectares of mangroves and over 4,100 hectares of wind- and sand-shielding protection forests.

Newly planted forests accounted for over 6,400 hectares, while more than 5,100 hectares were rehabilitated or enriched.

Provinces also managed nearly 8,000 hectares of forest through assisted natural regeneration and planted approximately 329 million scattered trees along coastlines.

Several provinces and cities such as Quang Ninh, Hue, Hai Phong, and Vinh Long reported strong results.

Ca Mau alone planted nearly 1,880 hectares of coastal forest, the highest among all provinces.

Despite progress, some provinces have not initiated new planting or restoration projects, while others posted low results due to limited land availability, harsh coastal conditions, or insufficient resources.

Alongside afforestation, many provinces invested in supportive infrastructure such as seawalls, soft revetments, ranger stations, and combined patrol roads.

Since 2021, coastal provinces have launched 147 forest-protection and development projects with total investment exceeding VND2.6 trillion (US$99 million), funded by central and local budgets, ODA, and other sources.

The ministry stressed that coastal provinces face growing threats from storms, tropical depressions, tidal surges, strong seasonal winds, and climate-driven sea-level rise, all of which are accelerating shoreline erosion and loss of forest and land.

Remaining available land for coastal restoration has become fragmented and costly to develop, particularly for mangroves, which are highly vulnerable to waves, pests, pollution, and marine debris.

Speaking at the conference, Phan Minh Chi, deputy director of Ca Mau’s Department of Agriculture and the Environment, said the province continues to manage more than 148,000 hectares of forest and forestry land, including over 102,000 hectares of mangroves, an ecosystem crucial to the southern coast and the broader Mekong Delta.

From 2021 to 2025, Ca Mau has patrolled and protected more than 93,000 hectares of coastal forest.

However, Ca Mau still faces severe challenges.

Both its East Vietnam Sea and West Sea coastlines experience intense erosion, claiming an average of 300 hectares of coastal forest each year.

The remaining plantable land is small and scattered, and local livelihoods under forest canopies are strained due to declining aquaculture productivity, he added.

Looking ahead to 2026-30, coastal provinces aim to maintain and effectively protect existing forests, especially protection and special-use forests, while restoring and expanding 23,374 hectares of new and rehabilitated coastal forest.

This includes planting more than 13,500 hectares of new forest and restoring nearly 9,800 hectares to strengthen climate-resilience and support sustainable coastal development.