Towards a green future for central Truong Son

WWF supports Quang Tri province with nearly USD 6.6 million

On the afternoon of July 15, the People’s Committee of Quang Tri province, in coordination with WWF‑Vietnam, held a conference to announce WWF‑Vietnam’s conservation strategy for the central Truong Son for the 2026–2030 period.

The strategy aims to restore forest ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience through nature‑based solutions, aligned closely with global and national goals on climate, sustainable development, and nature protection.

The conference also summarized and evaluated nearly two years of the cooperation agreement between Quang Tri province and WWF‑Vietnam, and discussed directions for cooperation in the next phase.

The central Truong Son (from Ha Tinh to Da Nang) is an ecologically valuable landscape with high biodiversity and the presence of many endangered and endemic species such as sao la, large-antlered muntjac, Truong Son muntjac, and Indochinese rabbit. It is also home to more than 10 million people from over 20 ethnic groups, whose livelihoods are closely tied to forests and nature.

Ranked by WWF as one of the 200 globally important ecoregions, central Truong Son continues to be a strategic priority landscape for WWF in Vietnam. The strategy not only focuses on conserving forest ecosystems and biodiversity but also highlights the central role of people and local communities in solutions that promote harmonious socio-economic development and nature.

In October 2023, Quang Tri became the first province to sign a five‑year cooperation agreement with WWF. WWF‑Vietnam affirmed Quang Tri’s important role in implementing the strategy. The agreement provides a framework for implementing six key programs on sustainable forest management and development, biodiversity and wildlife conservation, sustainable energy and climate response, marine conservation and plastic waste reduction, sustainable food systems, and protection of water resources and freshwater ecosystems.

To date, WWF has cooperated on nine projects; it has also successfully mobilized a major program comprising five sub‑projects that has been approved by Quang Tri province, bringing the total number of projects in the province to 14, with total funding of VND 163 billion (USD 6.6 million).

Notable initiatives include converting 2,500 hectares of mono‑cropped Arabica coffee to agroforestry combined with natural forest restoration, conserving saola in Bac Huong Hoa, supporting local enterprises in producing sustainable non‑timber forest products, and a plastic waste reduction program in Dong Ha and Con Co island. Notably, the “nature‑based solutions in forestry and environment” programme for 2025–2030 with a budget of more than VND 114.8 billion was officially approved in June 2025 and is expected to make significant contributions to forest protection and community livelihoods across the province.

Commitment to building a green future

Mr. Hoang Nam, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Tri province, said that Quang Tri and WWF‑Vietnam should keep working together and grow their partnership in scale, scope, and depth, with a focus on long-term, strategic goals. He stressed, “Quang Tri province is committed to working closely with WWF‑Vietnam, not only to carry out our current agreement but also to build a lasting strategic partnership for a sustainably developed Quang Tri.”

Addressing the conference, Mr Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Editor‑in‑Chief of Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper (VAN News), shared that since its founding, the newspaper has aimed to act as a communication bridge for sustainable development, forest protection, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and green growth. The VAN team has participated in anti-plastic campaigns, wildlife protection efforts, and the development of a nationwide network of environmental journalists.

VAN News doesn’t just report. It advocates, monitors, and collaborates. With reporters based in nearly all 34 provinces and centrally run cities, the newspaper stays actively engaged with partners and communities. Mr. Thach emphasized that the heart of the WWF and Quang Tri partnership lies in “putting people at the center of conservation, not just treating them as beneficiaries.”

Delivering the closing remarks, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Tri commended WWF for its efforts to conserve biodiversity over the past 30 years. He emphasized the programme’s importance as Vietnam moves forward with its global environmental commitments. These include implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which aims to restore ecosystems and protect endangered species by 2030; pursuing the net-zero target by 2050, where forest protection and restoration play a key role; and tackling marine plastic waste under the national strategy for 2030, with Con Co island expected to serve as a model for waste management and marine conservation.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to support Quang Tri province not only through technical guidance but also by shaping institutions, strengthening international cooperation, and helping scale the model to other provinces across central Truong Son, eventually expanding it nationwide.

Quang Tri province and WWF-Vietnam signed a cooperation agreement on October 2, 2023, focusing on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, climate response, energy transition, sustainable livelihoods, and water resource protection. Since then, the programme has introduced sustainable farming practices, promoted biodiversity protection, cut greenhouse gas emissions and plastic waste, enhanced climate resilience, and engaged communities and businesses in environmental action.