The People’s Committee of Lam Dong Province, in collaboration with Novaland Group -- a prominent real estate investment and development firm in Vietnam, on Friday launched the planting of 50 million trees for a five-year period in order to increase the green coverage in the Central Highlands province.

The 50 million trees will contribute five percent to the Vietnamese government’s campaign of planting one billion trees.

Lam Dong’s scheme is meant to increase the province’s green coverage by two percentage points to more than 55 percent from now to 2025.

In the urban area alone, the green coverage is expected to soar by 70 percent to hit the target of building “a forest in a city, a city in a forest” in accordance to the vision designed for Da Lat -- the capital city of Lam Dong.

Of the 50 million trees, 30 percent will be planted on empty forest land while the other 70 percent will cover vacant slots for public landscape in urban areas, according to Nguyen Van Son, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Members of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union's division in Lam Dong Province plant a tree at the launching ceremony of a mass planting project, Vietnam, April 23, 2021. Photo: Duc Tho / Tuoi Tre

The planted trees include 9.77 million trees for urban landscape greenery, 6.95 million forest trees and 33.28 million shade trees, Son said.

Specifically, 280,000 cherry-like apricot trees will be planted in many locations in Da Lat City and its vicinity.

Son also hailed the planting scheme as it will greatly expand the green space for the areas of living, business, tourism and relaxation in the province.

A bird's eye view of blooming cherry-like apricot trees in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, April 23, 2021. Photo: Duc Tho / Tuoi Tre

Likewise, Van Ngoc Thinh, country director for the World Wildlife Fun - Vietnam, praised that the planting project would help deal with the actual situation in Da Lat, which is facing a lack of urban greenery.

On the launching ceremony of the project, Novaland Group also announced a grant of VND11 billion (US$478,450) for the local tree planting activity, becoming the very first sponsor for the five-year project.

“It’s a pleasure of Novaland Group and our members to lend a hand and accompany Lam Dong Province,” said Bui Xuan Huy, general director of Novaland Group.

Forest protection officials plant a tree at the launching ceremony of a mass planting project, Vietnam, April 23, 2021. Photo: Duc Tho / Tuoi Tre

According to Huy, scholarships will be provided to the children of those involved in the tree planting scheme.

The VND11-billion sponsored by Novaland Group accounts for 22 percent of a total of VND50 billion ($2.17 million) that, Lam Dong chairman Tran Van Hiep said, needs to fund the planting.

The provincial authorities also plan to mobilize more resources from donors, using official development assistance (ODA) loans, and incorporating public investment programs of the state for the project in the future, according to Hiep.

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