Vietnam forest protection initiative launched

The project was officially launched on February 6

The project will work towards more effective and integrated protected area management. This will be achieved through strengthening the regulatory, institutional, and technical capacities of the responsible authorities and the local communities.

The initiative focuses on four key outputs, including strengthening regulatory and technical frameworks and capacity development, and securing financing for protected area management. It combines the implementation of ecosystem restoration through targeted planning and pilot interventions, and promotes community-based and sustainable tourism to support conservation while creating local economic benefits.

Doan Hoai Nam, deputy director general of Vietnam’s Forestry Administration said, “By strengthening regulatory frameworks and technical capacity, advancing sustainable financing, and encouraging ecosystem restoration and environmentally friendly community-based tourism, we expect the scheme to contribute to a comprehensive and sustainable approach to managing Vietnam’s protected areas, preserving biodiversity, and supporting local livelihoods over the long term.”

The initiative places strong emphasis on stakeholder participation, community empowerment, and gender-sensitive approaches, ensuring that local communities - particularly ethnic minorities - contribute to and benefit from conservation efforts, while traditional knowledge is integrated into protected area governance.

“The project turns commitment into action. German Development Agency, on behalf of the German government, will provide practical, on-the-ground support to pilot integrated management approaches, strengthen capacities, and co-develop financing and restoration solutions with VNFOREST and provincial partners - delivering measurable conservation results and tangible benefits for local communities,” said Oemar Idoe, coordinator of the Environment and Climate Cluster of the Vietnam’s Forestry Administration and German Development Agency in Vietnam.

The scheme is being implemented until June 2028, with a total budget of €4.5 million funded by the German government and a contribution of €74,949 from the Vietnamese government. Vietnam’s Forestry Administration and the German Development Agency will jointly implement the scheme, including pilot activities in three selected areas: Van Long Species and Habitat Conservation Area (Ninh Binh), Xuan Lien National Park (Thanh Hoa), and Hoang Lien National Park (Lao Cai).

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