(Illustrative photo)

Trieu Van Luc, Deputy Director of the Department of Forestry, said that with a total of over 14.7 million ha covering 42.2% of Vietnam's natural area, the forest systems are home to tens of thousands of species of wild animals and plants.

About 25 million people, most of them are ethnic minority people, rely on the forests for subsistence.

Forests and national parks offer destinations where tourists can observe wild flora and fauna in addition to providing livelihoods for the locals, especially people in the "buffer zone”, said Luc.

He added, “We not only preserve and protect forests but also promote the benefits of biodiversity conservation. Through improved policies, biodiversity conservation will be tied to ecotourism.”

According to Luc, “Developing ecotourism and a green economy along with conservation of valuable forest resources is an inevitable trend and we need to raise our sense of responsibility.”

Delegates underscored the need for Vietnam to create better policies, strategies, and approaches to diversifying forest ecosystem services.