Vietnam plans to plant one billion new trees in the next five years

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently launched a five-year-lasting campaign of growing one billion trees. Nationwide, various effective models, initiatives, and actions have been put in place to scale up tree planting in response to President Ho Chi Minh’s legacy, who used to point out the importance of trees for the country´s environmentally friendly development. In the meanwhile, the protection and sustainable management of forests is set as a long-term strategic task by the Vietnamese Government.

On 20 February 2021, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc kicked off the tree-planting Festival in Tuy Hoa City of Phu Yen. “Only when the economy develops, a peaceful society is secured, culture flourishes, the environment is protected, and humans live in harmony with nature, people can enjoy real peace and happiness,” he said towards this occasion. He requested ministers, heads of departments, heads of governmental organizations, and Chairpersons of People’s Committees of cities and provinces to launch the national campaign with a Tree-Planting Festival during 2021 Lunar New Year in their respective localities. Towards this end, he requested to select suitable plant species, prioritize the selection of native plant species, prepare good quality seedlings, and increase the rate of use of tissue varieties.

Hanoi City has set itself a goal of planting 300,000 new trees in 2021 alone. Previously, Hanoi City had fulfilled its goal of planting one million trees for the period 2015 to 2020 two years ahead of schedule.