Thua Thien-Hue launches USAID-funded forest protection project

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Phuong thanked the USAID for selecting Thua Thien-Hue to carry out the non-refundable aid package project, which is expected to ensure sustainable forest preservation and development and increase climate change resilience for the local community.

The committee promised that all activities of the project will be carried out publicly and efficiently, benefiting local residents, he said.

Climate change is a priority issue that directly threatens Vietnam’s sustainable development goals. To accelerate the country’s transition to low-emission development, the USAID has supported Vietnam to cope with climate change through adaptation, sustainable landscapes and clean energy programmes.

Forests play a critical role in Vietnam by protecting watersheds, preventing soil erosion, and building resilience for communities. Forests in the Annamites Range of Vietnam are home to rare and endemic species found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, these forests, and the species that live in them, are disappearing at an alarming rate, as nearby communities increasingly depend on these limited resources for their livelihoods. 

The USAID Green Annamites project supports the provinces of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam to protect the region’s globally significant biodiversity and help local and ethnic minority communities to diversify and improve their livelihoods.

Key program results include improving the livelihoods of 20,000 forest dependent people, improving biodiversity of over 400,000 hectares of natural forest, mobilising at least US$20 million in public and private resources for sustainable livelihoods and forest conservation, and avoiding and/or removing the equivalent of at least 7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.