A corner of the cinnamon forest in Đồng Đinh Hamlet of Định Hóa District in northern Thái Nguyên Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

THÁI NGUYÊN — The authorities in Thái Nguyên Province aim to maintain local forest coverage above 46 per cent, alongside activities for forest protection and a sustainable forestry economy.

Specifically, in 2023, the province aims to grow 3,434 hectares of new forest, of which protection forest accounts for 245ha, production forest 3,190ha, large timber forest 640ha, and small timber forest 2,550ha.

In addition, a project growing seven million trees across the province from 2021 to 2025 will also be implemented.

Lê Cầm Long, director of Thái Nguyên Forest Protection Department, said that to ensure the quality of the programme, the unit has worked with authorities to ensure the quality of forest tree seedlings.

The number of seedlings for this year’s forest growing season has reached 28 million various varieties.

As of January 2023, local people have re-grown 16.5ha after harvest. More than 4,000 trees were planted in the Tết (Lunar New Year) tree planting festival.

The province also promotes the growing of large timber forests and medicinal plants to increase the value of the grown woodland.

Instructions on sustainable forest management, fire prevention and forest certification will also be given.

Forestry product processing, trading, and projects with different use of forests will also be under strict supervision.

Forest management is also aimed at sustainability and utilising the advantages to develop eco-tourism.

Long added that the provincial forestry sector is also actively working on digital transformation in forest management and protection, an example being the application Thai Nguyen SmartTrees.

The application has helped local people and authorities to receive updates on the situation of trees and forest areas.

Currently, the number of trees in the Thai Nguyen SmartTrees’ database is 6.3 million.

Technology is also applied to create barcodes for forestry product management, remote sensing for early fire detection, environmental monitoring system, traceability and certification.

Last year, Thái Nguyên Province grew nearly 4,200ha of concentrated forest, surpassing the initial plan by 12.5 per cent, along with 1.8 million trees outside the forest area.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate is also given to 1,331ha.

The local forestry production value reached VNĐ649 billion (US$27.4 million) last year, an increase of VNĐ41.3 billion ($1.7 million) compared to 2021. — VNS