Strengthen forest management and protection at Chu Mom Ray National Park

With nearly VND 49.7 billion in funding, the project aims to plant 50 hectares of new forest, strengthen natural resource management capacity.

The Quang Ngai Provincial People’s Committee has issued Decision No. 273/QD-UBND approving a project to “Strengthen Capacity for Sustainable Forest Planting, Management and Protection, Linked to Livelihood Development for Ethnic Minority Communities in Chu Mom Ray National Park”.

The project has a total investment of nearly VND 49.7 billion and will run through 2027. Of this amount, approximately VND 33 billion is allocated for construction, while more than VND 7 billion is earmarked for training and capacity-building activities.

Under the decision, the Chu Mom Ray National Park Management Board will lead the project, which will be implemented in Sa Thay Commune, Quang Ngai Province, covering a land-use area of 51.26 hectares. Funding comprises VND 42.832 billion in non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) from the Italian Government and VND 6.859 billion in counterpart funding.

One of the project's key objectives is to increase forest cover at Chu Mom Ray National Park to 97% by 2030 by planting 50 hectares of new forest. The selected tree species include Pouteria (loi tho), Pterocarpus macrocarpus (burma padauk) and Hopea odorata (merawan), which will be planted in mixed stands in Sub-compartment 663 at a density of 1,333 trees per hectare.

In addition to reforestation, the project will allocate funding to upgrade approximately 3 km of forest protection patrol roads to support forest fire prevention and firefighting. The works will cover two routes measuring 0.91 km and 2.09 km, respectively.

Infrastructure for forest protection and biodiversity conservation will also be improved. Planned works include the construction of a 608-square-meter community center, the construction and upgrading of fencing around the forest protection team's workplace, repairs to the wildlife rescue center, and the procurement of equipment and vehicles for specialized operations.

In addition, the project aims to strengthen the application of technology in forest management and protection. Specialized forest protection forces will receive training in the use of GIS, WebGIS, SMART, drones and camera traps for patrols, inspections, surveys and monitoring changes in forest resources.

Alongside infrastructure investment and capacity-building for specialized personnel, the project emphasizes the role of communities in buffer zones. Residents from ethnic minority communities surrounding the national park will receive training to improve their livelihood development skills. At least 70% of trainees are expected to be women, who will be equipped with skills to develop household economies through forest protection contracts, forest protection inspections and sustainable livelihood models.

Community centers are envisaged as venues for vocational training, forest conservation awareness activities, and promoting local biodiversity and cultural heritage. Through exhibitions, educational activities and visits, the project aims to raise awareness of nature conservation among local communities, school pupils, students and tourists.

The project also seeks to support the revival of traditional cultural activities among ethnic minority communities, including xoang folk singing and dancing, gong performances and local festivals. This will help link indigenous cultural values with socio-economic development, creating further incentives for local residents to participate in long-term forest protection.

$ 1 = VND 26,070 (source: Vietcombank)

Duy Khanh