The central province of Quang Nam is focusing on biodiversity restoration to combine economic development with ecological environment protection, climate change response, and resource efficiency.

Thanks to these efforts, the locality, home to seven nature reserves, was selected by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to host the National Biodiversity Restoration Year 2024.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Ho Quang Buu said Quang Nam is one of the pioneering localities in biodiversity conservation, elaborating that in 2005, it issued the strategy for conservation of western forest biodiversity.

In 2011, the provincial People’s Committee issued a decision approving the biodiversity action plan by 2015 with a vision towards 2020.

The WWF said Quang Nam has achieved initial results in forest management and protection, and biodiversity conservation, and identified it as a priority for biodiversity in central Vietnam, and included it among the top 200 ecological regions worldwide.

The fund has run six non-governmental projects in Quang Nam related to biodiversity conservation, forest protection and livelihood improvement with a total cost of more than 95 billion VND (3.7 million USD).

These projects have actively contributed to biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest protection, towards forest carbon credits and raising the livelihoods of mountainous residents.

In its economic development orientations, Quang Nam prioritises the ecological industry, green tourism, and organic agriculture.

However, experts said, like many other localities, Quang Nam is facing biodiversity degradation, due to the impact of water and air pollution and plastic waste, along with overexploitation and economic impact.

Given this, joint efforts are needed to prevent biodiversity loss, and ensure the maintenance of ecosystem services, and sustainable development, they said.

The provincial master plan for 2021-2030 with a vision towards 2050 also mentions nature and biodiversity conservation. Accordingly, apart from circular economy, Quang Nam will work towards organic agriculture and sustainable forestry.

Within the framework of the National Biodiversity Restoration Year 2024, the province will host various events, including forums and symposiums on biodiversity, and tourism promotion activities./.