VietNamNet Bridge – The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Forest Protection Department of the central province of Quang Nam have started the program to rehabilitate forest in the Truong Son range in the border area of Laos and Vietnam.

Sao la, a rare species endemic to the Truong Son area. Photo: WWF.

The program has been implemented in 20 communes in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces to grow the native plants on 630 hectares of forest in the critical areas of the two provinces.

In 2014, the program will continue to plant the native plants on more than 250ha and recover 2,970 ha of forest in the area.

According to conservation experts, Truong Son is a place of high bio-diversity of the region and the world, with many rare animal species which can only be found here as sao la, langurs, Truong Son muntjacs, giant muntjacs and Annamite striped. However, Truong Son forests are being fragmented by human activities, especially illegal logging, wildlife hunting and unsustainable forestry methods.

Habitat fragmentation is one of the main threats to the natural biological "corridor," restricting movement and breeding of species. The biological corridor is fundamental to the survival of endangered species living in this biodiversity hotspot. Many species have been pushed to the brink of extinction. Without reforestation efforts, the regional ecosystem will not recover.

"WWF is trying to connect the fragmented forest patches in the central Truong Son region to create the natural ‘corridors’, which can ensure the safe movement of endangered species of the region, including sao la," says Dr. Le Thuy Anh, Programme Manager of the WWF Central Truong Son – Vietnam Program.

"Planting native plants is one of the activities to recreate the seamless linking of this unique biodiversity region," Dr. Anh adds.

Forest restoration component of the project is a strategy to protect and develop forest based on the communities and it is done with the cooperation of local households. Households are those who will carry out the afforestation, which provides their livelihood.

S. Tung