Reforestation for Sustainability
- Hà Tĩnh, Viet Nam

Deforestation and environmental degradation degrade the community livelihood

In Hà Tĩnh province, Viet Nam, illegal logging and rapid forest change that pursuit of short-term profits had devastated the original natural forests and affected the livelihoods of local people who were mainly engaged in agriculture and forestry.

Re-evaluation of the use of species and traditional knowledge

The forest in Hà Tĩnh province had a monoculture forest of non-native trees such as acacia and rubber trees. The various benefits of the forest that the community had traditionally utilized were re-evaluated. By rebuilding the forest in a manner similar to the original natural forest, identifying eight species of native trees, and promoting the planting of these trees, the ecosystem was restored and the forest was maintained so that the benefits of nature could be obtained.

In order to restore the original forest and continue to reap the benefits of nature, it is necessary to involve various stakeholders as well as to understand the natural mechanisms of the region. The project began with local people and botanists identifying the species of plants native to the forest, collecting their seeds, and establishing and expanding a nursery. In addition, the methods from collection to breeding were documented and shared with the local people so that they can proceed with reforestation on their own. In addition, local communities are able to record the reforested areas, observe and share the progress of growth, and continue to manage the area at the local level. In addition, since knowledge based on experience and observation of local native species was not documented, experts were involved to accumulate research findings and share them with the community. In this process, local government officials played a role in coordinating the participation of these people.

Thinking about long-term benefits

Since the problem in this area is that the natural forest has been devastated for short-term profit, the first step is to aim for long-term forest management. There also needs to be ownership of the forest so that it can be passed on to the next generation and ensure that the younger generation is aware of traditional knowledge. The knowledge on traditional forest use should be documented so that it can be used for forest restoration.