Preserving green spaces in the heart of Dong Nai City

In its journey to build a civilized, modern, and livable city, Dong Nai identifies the development of green spaces as one of its key tasks to improve environmental quality, adapt to climate change, and move toward sustainable development.

A tree-lined road in Tran Bien ward. Photo: Hoang Loc

Along with coordinated infrastructure development, the city will prioritize protecting existing green spaces while expanding parks, squares, and public areas to enhance the urban landscape and create distinctive features for the city center.

"Green lungs" in the heart of the city

In recent years, the appearance of the central area of Dong Nai City has continued to change through a series of investments in transportation infrastructure, urban areas, and commercial and service projects. Rapid urbanization has created strong momentum for economic development while also placing greater demands on environmental protection and residents' quality of life. In this context, investment in parks, tree-lined streets, regulation lakes, and public spaces has become the city's "green lungs," helping maintain ecological balance.

Residents exercise at Nguyen Van Tri Park in Tran Bien ward. Photo: Hoang Loc

Every early morning and late afternoon, the riverside park along the Dong Nai River is bustling with residents coming to exercise, play, and relax. Nguyen Thi Dau, a resident of Tran Bien ward, joins a group of elderly seniors every morning at Nguyen Van Tri Park in Tran Bien ward to practice health-enhancing exercises. Dau said the open space, fresh environment, and riverside scenery are valuable assets that help improve residents' quality of life.

"I have lived here for more than 30 years, but I have become more attached to the park since I retired in 2018. I appreciate that the city has preserved the green spaces along the river despite its rapid development. Recently, the city also invested in a major riverside road, which improves transportation and creates more space for residents to exercise and enjoy recreational activities," said Dau.

An aerial view of Bien Hung Park in Tran Bien ward.

Bien Hung Park in Tran Bien ward, Duong Tu Giang Park in Tam Hiep ward, and City Square Park in Tan Trieu ward have also become popular places for residents to exercise, play, and relax.

Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, a resident of Bien Hoa ward, said that she takes her children to City Square Park every week. For her, such public spaces provide opportunities for relaxation while also strengthening connections within the city's residential community.

In addition to developing green spaces, the city also requires agencies, units, and localities to make use of available land along transportation corridors, in residential areas, on school campuses, and around office buildings to plant more trees under the principle that "many a little makes a mickle," gradually increasing the urban tree coverage.

Green trees enhance the landscape, help regulate the climate, reduce flooding, and strengthen the city's ability to adapt to climate change. In its roadmap toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, Dong Nai identifies urban areas as one of the seven priority sectors for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Alongside technical measures such as investing in transportation infrastructure, water supply and drainage systems, and the development of modern urban areas, expanding tree coverage and green spaces is regarded as an important direction for building a sustainable city.

Creating more public space for residents

Dong Nai City is adjusting the general planning of four former urban areas: Bien Hoa, Trang Bom, Long Thanh, and Nhon Trach. At the same time, it is reviewing, completing, and revising the city's overall master plan following Dong Nai City's establishment.

Member of the City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee Ho Van Ha said that during the process of adjusting and implementing planning schemes, the city has consistently made green and sustainable development its guiding principle. Transportation infrastructure, residential areas, housing projects, public transportation systems, and industrial development must all be planned in an environmentally friendly manner, with resources used efficiently and residents' quality of life improved. The city will also prioritize allocating appropriate land for parks, squares, and public spaces. These facilities will allow every resident to benefit from urbanization while helping create a distinctive identity for the city.

Member of the City Party Committee’s Standing Board and Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Tuan Anh, speaking at the launching ceremony of the “2026 Tree-Planting Festival in eternal gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh,” called on communes and wards to continue promoting afforestation and dispersed tree planting along roads, in parks, at schools, and at hospitals, while linking these efforts with the “Building civilized urban areas and new-style rural areas” movement to expand green spaces and improve the living environment.

In the period ahead, Dong Nai will prioritize resources for investment in social infrastructure, including public spaces and green parks. It will also step up the upgrading and development of the landscape corridor along the Dong Nai River, aiming to create a livable urban area for residents.

Member of the Central Party Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee,

and Head of the Dong Nai City National Assembly Delegation Vu Hong Van

At the working session on June 13 with Politburo Member and Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and the Government's working delegation, Member of the Central Party Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee, and Head of the Dong Nai City National Assembly Delegation Vu Hong Van acknowledged that Dong Nai currently faces a certain imbalance between industrial economic development and investment in social infrastructure. While the industry sector has developed rapidly, attracting a large workforce and making significant contributions to economic growth, facilities serving residents' daily lives, including green parks, have not kept pace. In particular, the landscape corridor along the Dong Nai River is a valuable natural asset that has not yet been developed in a manner commensurate with its potential and inherent value. The city has clearly identified these shortcomings and is gradually adjusting its development approach toward a more balanced model that harmonizes economic growth with improvements in residents' quality of life.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho