Leveraging green economy from the South’s largest forest area

With more than 370,000 hectares of forest, accounting for around 27% of its natural area, Dong Nai is currently the province with the largest forest coverage in the Southeastern region.

This feature is not only a valuable natural “asset” but also opens up opportunities to harness and promote green economic values in connection with conservation and sustainable development.

Dong Nai has the largest area of forest and planned forest land in the Southeast as well as in the Southern region. With about 87% of the area consisting of natural and planted forests, the province has significant advantages to both preserve and generate sustainable revenue streams.

 

The first advantage lies in forest environmental services. As forests play a crucial role in regulating and sustaining water resources, hydropower plants and clean water production facilities are required, under the 2017 Law on Forestry, to pay fees for these services. According to the provincial Agriculture and Environment Fund, revenue from forest environmental services in 2025 is estimated at approximately VND 83 billion. This feature provides a sustainable financial source for reinvestment in forest protection and development, while also encouraging local communities to participate in forest conservation efforts, thereby easing the fiscal burden on the state.

 

Another promising avenue is the carbon market. In recent years, the government has issued decrees and plans targeting the pilot operation of a domestic carbon exchange in 2025 and its official launch in 2029. With its vast forest resources, Dong Nai is well-positioned to actively participate in carbon credit markets, both domestically and internationally, through emission reduction and climate change response programs. This undertaking would create a new and important source of revenue for the province while enhancing its competitive advantage in attracting green development projects. It also aligns with Dong Nai’s net-zero emission target for 2050.

 

Forests also hold exceptional potential for eco-tourism and resort development. Dong Nai’s forests are rich in biodiversity, with mostly flat terrain interspersed with lakes, wetlands, rivers, and streams that together create stunning natural landscapes. In addition, the province is home to some of the Southeast region’s well-known mountains, such as Chua Chan and Ba Ra, as well as areas of mangrove forest. These features form a true “treasure trove” for eco-tourism development.

 

Cat Tien National Park, Bu Gia Map National Park, and the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve currently attract strong interest from both domestic and international tourists. In the future, with proper planning, tourism products such as forest trekking, wildlife observation, eco-resorts, local cultural and historical experiences, and venue rentals for events like natural science competitions, marathons, and cycling races could become signature offerings of Dong Nai tourism. This undertaking also aligns with the growing trend in eco-tourism.

Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang affirmed: “Dong Nai has vast forest resources, with forest cover at 25%. This is an invaluable asset for green economic development and environmental protection.”

 

Forests are not only the “green lungs” that balance ecosystems amid rapid industrialization and urbanization, but also a unique advantage for generating sustainable revenue. This strength is also a “plus point” in the eyes of foreign investors who value social and environmental responsibility.

 

The province is currently implementing a project to enhance forest quality through 2030, with dual goals of improving reserves, increasing biodiversity, reinforcing protective functions, preventing natural disasters, and enhancing carbon absorption. The specific target is that by 2030, the entire natural forest area, including degraded forests, will be restored and improved through silvicultural measures, effective management, protection, and fire prevention.

 

Comprehensive solutions are being applied, from management and protection to silvicultural techniques to enrich forests, promote multi-layer and multi-species models. At the same time, the province is advancing mechanisms and policies to encourage socialization and community participation in forest protection and development linked with livelihoods. Local people, particularly households and communities, benefit from additional income, creating strong incentives to stay connected with forests.

 

In addition, science and technology are being increasingly applied: breeding drought- and pest-resistant tree varieties, using tissue culture to propagate indigenous species, researching multi-species economic forest models, and developing high-value non-timber forest products. In forest management, the province aims for sustainability standards, integrating biodiversity conservation with forest environmental services such as carbon absorption and eco-tourism.

 

Dong Nai currently has more than 370,000 hectares of forest and planned forest land, including nearly 180,000 hectares of natural forest, over 142,000 hectares of planted forest, with the rest being non-forested land. The overall forest cover rate is more than 25%.

 

To realize these goals and solutions, the province is diversifying its investment sources, including the state budget, socialized funding, official development assistance (ODA), and public-private partnerships. At the same time, communication and awareness-raising efforts are being strengthened to help communities, businesses, and society as a whole better understand the ecosystem value of forests in sustainable development, ecological security, and climate change adaptation, thereby encouraging practical and meaningful action.

Pham Xuan Thinh, Director of Cat Tien National Park, noted: “This site boasts a rich ecosystem with numerous rare flora and fauna species, offering great potential for eco-tourism, scientific research, and forest environmental services. In 2024, Cat Tien became the first national park in Vietnam to be listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Green List. These two factors form a solid foundation for developing an economy tied to nature conservation.”

 

Dong Nai, both before and after the administrative merger, has maintained its position as the province with the largest forest area in the Southeast region. This undertaking serves as a vital foundation for building the "Green Dong Nai" brand, with the goal of becoming a national model in forest-based economic development aligned with sustainability objectives.