Vietnam has a landmass of 330,000 km2 and three quarters of the country is mountain and hillside terrain. Well into the 20th Century the uplands of Vietnam still mostly held forests, but since then the landscape has been transformed as a result of several wars, high population pressure and an aggressive economic development policies. According to FAO, Vietnam lost a staggering 51% of its primary forests between 2000 and 2005.

The government of Vietnam is recognising the need for reversing its forest loss and improving management of existing forest resources. Forest resources are also regarded as a way to mitigate climate change impacts since forests help slow global warming by storing and sequestering carbon. Forest plants and soils drive the global carbon cycle by sequestering carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and releasing it through respiration. Although carbon uptake by photosynthesis eventually declines as trees age, many mature forests continue to sequester carbon in their soils.

Nordeco signed last week a long-term framework contract agreement on forest sector assignments with the Embassy of Finland in Hanoi. Nordeco will provide services within the areas of forests and climate change and principles on environmental pollution control measures and forest industry permits. Finland is one of the leading donors supporting the forestry sector in Vietnam.