"Green gold mine" of Lao Cai

From just “forest preservation” to cover bare land with greenery, Lao Cai is now turning forests into a strong economic sector. “Green gold” is not only fragrant cinnamon canopies but also sustainable livelihoods, a vision of harmonious development between economy and ecology in the border region.

Cinnamon trees are considered “green gold” by the people of Lao Cai , helping them escape poverty. Photo: Thien An

Lao Cai province has nearly one million hectares of forest and forestry land, with a coverage rate of over 61%. From these resources, the province has identified forestry as a key economic sector, shifting development from protection to exploiting forest values ​​in a diverse and sustainable manner.

Cinnamon trees - the "green gold" of Lao Cai - are being widely planted, associated with essential oil processing and export. Each year, the province produces tens of thousands of tons of bark and branches, exported to Europe, the US, and China; the total value is about 800 billion VND. Bao Thang, Van Ban, Bao Yen, and Bac Ha districts account for more than 88% of the province's cinnamon area, helping thousands of households escape poverty. Many processing enterprises have begun to invest in raw material areas, forming a chain linking planting - purchasing - processing - consumption, bringing Lao Cai cinnamon products into the global value chain.

Lao Cai also exploits forests in a multi-purpose direction: developing medicinal herbs, non-timber forest products, and eco- tourism . Six special-use forests with more than 100,000 hectares are becoming a "gene bank" and a new livelihood for local people. Under the forest canopy, people grow cardamom, ginseng, raise bees for honey, and develop OCOP products, creating a significant additional source of income.

By 2030, the province aims for the forestry economy to account for nearly a quarter of the agricultural structure; by 2045, it will become a major wood processing and export center in the region, with all products having legal certificates. However, Lao Cai still has to remove "bottlenecks" in planning, forest land and investment in deep processing, while at the same time developing more strongly forest environmental services and tourism under the forest canopy so that the forest can truly become a long-term and profitable asset.

The forest economy in Lao Cai is clearly changing: from the state of "forests are natural resources that need to be protected" to "forests are capital to exploit value, develop the economy, but must be sustainable". This shift not only helps people in mountainous areas have a stable income, help reduce poverty, but also contributes significantly to environmental protection, maintaining ecosystems, and responding to climate change. Lao Cai's determination that forests are not only "green lungs" but also "economic hearts" is a testament to the vision of synchronous and sustainable socio-economic development.

Economic resilience of Lao Cai forests:

- 36,000 hectares of forest and cinnamon have been certified for sustainable management; more than 23,000 hectares meet organic standards.

- The annual output of cinnamon essential oil and wood is worth about 800 billion VND.

Thien Thanh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/mo-vang-xanh-cua-lao-cai-post917348.html