After two years of implementation, the restoration project for 17 hectares of special-use Melaleuca forest in Tân Hưng District, Long An Province, has concluded with remarkable results: 340,000 trees revived and educational campaigns launched to raise awareness among local students.
On November 22, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hosted a project wrap-up meeting in collaboration with the Lang Sen Wetland Reserve (LSWR). The event assessed the project's environmental impact, carbon sequestration and discussed the opportunities for verifying and trading carbon credits from planted forests.
The project, funded by The PAN Group and C.P. Vietnam, has been executed by IUCN and LSWR.
From 2022 to 2024, IUCN Vietnam and LSWR restored 17 hectares of forest by planting 340,000 Melaleuca trees. The initiative, funded by PAN Group and CP Vietnam Livestock Corporation (C.P. Vietnam), also involved educational activities, reaching about 500 students in buffer zone schools to raise environmental awareness.
Mr. Truong Thanh Son, Director of LSWR, emphasized the critical role of restoring 17 hectares in sub-region 11, which supports biodiversity conservation and preserves the unique natural landscapes of Dong Thap Muoi. This effort also mitigates climate change and natural disasters while providing habitats for aquatic species, reptiles, and rare waterbirds.
He acknowledged and appreciated the invaluable contributions of PAN Group and C.P. Vietnam, which have assisted LSWR in fulfilling its conservation mandate assigned by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Representatives at the project review ceremony.
The PAN Group representative expressed hope that the project would significantly contribute to preserving Vietnam’s seventh Ramsar site by increasing green cover, combating climate change, and reducing CO2 emissions.
As part of the “Life from Forestry” launched by The PAN Group in 2020 with the goal of planting 1 million trees by 2030, this project has continued to contribute 340,000 trees, not only enhancing forest cover but also supporting the livelihoods of local communities.
"After the project's completion assessment, the Group will closely monitor its environmental and social impacts as committed and hope to receive positive results," said representative of The PAN Group.
The revival of 17 hectares of Melaleuca forest.
Established in early 2004, LSWR manages 1,971 hectares of core wetlands in Dong Thap Muoi, spanning three communes in Tan Hung District, Long An Province: Vinh Loi, Vinh Dai, and Vinh Chau A.
As one of the few remaining natural inland wetlands in the Mekong Delta, LSWR features diverse landscapes, including marshes, seasonally flooded grasslands, Melaleuca forests, and riverine woodlands. This biodiversity hotspot serves as a habitat for various flora and fauna species.
The Long An provincial government has approved LSWR’s plan to plant 110 hectares of special-use and border protection forests from 2021 to 2025.
As of 2023, 80 hectares of the approved area have been restored, with more degraded areas requiring rehabilitation. Continued support from social organizations and businesses is essential to this effort.
In 2022, member companies of The PAN Group, including Aquatex Ben Tre, Lafooco, Sao Ta, and VFC, participated in forest restoration efforts.
