QUẢNG TRỊ — The central province of Quảng Trị has planned to set up corridors to protect its biodiversity from urbanisation and illegal exploitation.

Following a recent decision by the province’s People’s Committee, the local Department of Natural Resources and Environment will undertake the zoning of primary forests in the locality, ensuring a green coverage of 52 per cent of the total area of the province.

The department, at the same time, has planned to recover mangrove forests in the estuaries of Bến Hải and Thạch Hãn rivers. This is crucial to adapt against climate change along local coastlines, said the People’s Committee.

The protection of corals and seaweeds in the local waters is a must. The department will also hasten the setting up of three nature reserves in the mountainous Hướng Hóa and Đakrông district and in Cồn Cỏ Island.

In the mountainous reserves of Hướng Hóa and Đakrông, a corridor will be set up spanning 15,000ha to connect the areas. The idea is to expand the choice of habitat for wildlife endemic to the reserves in the context of climate change impacts.

The People’s Committee also requested the department to identify vulnerable species and habitat areas threatened by social development.

All this will involve planning, manpower and creating awareness among concerned communities.

The province will allocate a billion Vietnamese đồng for the work, which is expected to commence early this year.

According to a report by the department, central Quảng Trị Province is home to 98 species of mammals, 198 species of birds, 83 species of amphibians and reptiles, 336 species of fish and 2,152 species of flora. These include rare and threatened species, such as saola, Annamite striped rabbit, giant muntjac, Vietnamese pheasant and agarwood.

The province also has 113 corals, 57 seaweeds and 221 marine fish species in its sea. — VNS