Forest rangers helped plant trees at the Thái Thuỵ Wetland Nature Reserve on February 4. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hoài

HÀ NỘI — A tree planting festival celebrating the Lunar New Year and World Wetlands Day was launched at the Thái Thuỵ Wetland Nature Reserve in the northern province of Thái Bình on Tuesday.

The event was also meant to mark the 66th anniversary of late President Hồ Chí Minh’s tree planting campaign and the 95th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

Representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Việt Nam, Vingroup’s For Green Future Foundation, Panasonic Việt Nam, Toyota Việt Nam, Airbus, and Mangrove Development JSC collectively donated 10,000 willow and kandelia candel mangrove trees to the reserve.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Đỗ Đức Duy took the stage to remind participants about the role of planting trees in biodiversity conservation, environmental protection and climate change adaptation.

He called on agencies, businesses and communities to effectively carry out the 2021-2030 National Action Plan on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wetlands. This includes integrating wetland protection, management and restoration into local socio-economic development plans.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), World Wildlife Fund Việt Nam and various companies donated 10,000 trees to the Thái Thuỵ Wetland Nature Reserve. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hoài

Adding to the momentum, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Việt Nam Ramla Khalidi highlighted the UNDP’s long-term partnership with MONRE, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and local authorities. Together, they have already planted and restored over 4,000ha of mangrove forests, with plans to expand by another 1,000ha.

Khalidi also announced the ongoing building of a coastal mangrove carbon database, a key tool that will shape Việt Nam's future conservation and climate adaptation policies.

The UNDP stands firmly by Việt Nam's side as a trusted partner in its mission to protect wetlands, conserve nature and combat climate change, she added.

On the same day, similar festivals were also held in the northern provinces of Vĩnh Phúc and Bắc Kạn. — VNA/VNS