VietNamNet Bridge – With an aim to protect the environment and to bring a new experience to tourists, the Centre for Natural Resources and Environment Studies (CRES) and Hoi An Eco-Tour have been organizing a new tour in which guests will be shown how to plant mangrove palms or Nipa palms in the locality since earlier this year.

Tourists visit Bay Mau mangrove palm forest in a tour in Cam Thanh Village in Hoi An

The tree is mostly found in Cam Thanh Village in the ancient town of Hoi An in the central coast province of Quang Nam. The location is known for its Bay Mau mangrove palm forest, a popular sightseeing spot for tourists. The forest is among various tourism products in the project to sustainably use the salt marsh area in Cam Thanh, carried out by CRES and the authority of Hoi An City.

Participants in the tour have an insight into local nature and culture and they can plant trees to help preserve nature and the environment for the public good.

This was such a meaningful act to ensure sustainable development of tourism, Hardy Mikkelsen, a German tourist, said of his first experience in an eco-tour to plant trees in a forest to help prevent erosion.

According to Tran Van Khoa, director of Hoi An-Eco Tour, the cooperation between the company and CRES has received positive responses from local authority and people. Biological preservation and eco-tourism development are closely connected and these tasks have been reflected through eco-tours initiated by the company.

“Currently, eco tourism is one of the activities to support the preservation in the locality. However, it takes a huge human resource and budget to both protect the environment and the diversity of biology. The project will be a success once locals acknowledge their benefits from the activities to protect the mangrove palms and be more active in preservation work,” Khoa added.