The Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet) is conducting its first project in Vietnam, “Demonstration of Capacity of Sustainable Forest Restoration and Management in Vietnam,” to increase forestry’s contributions to poverty reduction, environmental services and livelihood improvement.

The US $500,000 project will be carried out in the two communes of Thanh Son and Tan Son in the northern province of Phu Tho, where residents are mostly Muong and Dao ethnic people.

At least 50 ha of degraded natural forests there will be restored and managed in a sustainable way.

APFNet General Director Qu Guilin said, the project will help to raise forest coverage in the Asia-Pacific region to 20 million ha by 2020.