Dong Nai to spend nearly 76 billion VND on reforestation in 2026

The People’s Committee of Dong Nai Province has recently issued Plan No. 114/KH-UBND on replacement afforestation activities in 2026. This plan serves as an important legal basis to ensure that the area of replacement planting corresponds to the area of forest converted to other land uses, contributing to the protection and development of existing forest resources, the establishment of new forests, and the enhancement of protective functions and ecological environmental sustainability.

Aerial view of the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve. File photo

According to the plan, the total area of forest to be replanted across Dong Nai Province in 2026 is 620.06 hectares, with 23.37 hectares designated as special-use forest, 558.49 hectares as protection forest, and 38.20 hectares as production forest.

The total estimated cost for planting and maintaining these replacement forests is nearly 76 billion VND. The funding will be sourced from payments made by project owners into the provincial Agriculture and Environment Fund to fulfill reforestation obligations.

The 2026 reforestation plan consolidates areas drawn from various resolutions of the Provincial People’s Council and other directives. Notably, the largest portion, 474.83 hectares, originates from reforestation requirements under Decisions No. 1851/QD-UBND and 1852/QD-UBND dated July 10, 2022, issued by the former Binh Phuoc Provincial People’s Committee.

Major projects requiring reforestation in 2026 include: 131.69 hectares as stipulated in Resolution No. 08/NQ-HDND dated July 8, 2025; 7.56 hectares under Official Document No. 660/TTg-NN dated July 22, 2022, of the Prime Minister (related to the Tan Phu, Dong Nai – Bao Loc, Lam Dong expressway project); A total of 5.98 hectares from Resolutions No. 43/NQ-HDND dated October 15, 2024, and No. 15/NQ-HDND dated February 27, 2025.

The reforestation and forest maintenance program will be implemented from 2026 to 2030. Planting activities will take place in the Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve and at several Protection Forest Management Boards, including Xuan Loc, Long Thanh, Dak Mai, and Bu Dang. Five entities have been assigned as project owners with the following specific areas: Bu Dang Protection Forest Management Board: 513.03 ha; Xuan Loc Protection Forest Management Board: 40 ha; Dak Mai Protection Forest Management Board: 30 ha; Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve: 23.37 ha; Long Thanh Protection Forest Management Board: 13.66 ha.

In terms of technical solutions, the plan requires the selection of tree species suited to the ecological conditions, such as Hopea odorata (Sao den), Dipterocarpus alatus (Dau rai), Afzelia xylocarpa (Go do), Pterocarpus macrocarpus (Giang huong), Dalbergia cochinchinensis (Trac), and Anthocephalus chinensis (Gao vang). The planting density is 833 trees per hectare (subject to adjustment). Importantly, the survival rate of trees must reach at least 85%, with strict adherence to technical standards to ensure that the planted areas develop into mature forests as prescribed.

The provincial People’s Committee has instructed all reforestation project owners to take full responsibility before the Committee for the progress, quality, and outcomes of the reforestation work.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment has been assigned to appraise designs and cost estimates, supervise and inspect the reforestation process, and submit annual progress reports to the provincial People’s Committee and the Forestry and Forest Protection Department before December 15 each year.

By Diec Quyen – Translated by Trieu Ngan, Minho