The primamry aims of the planning grant are to promote the participation of key stakeholders of the proposed project, including local authorities and relevant agencies and communties, and provide scientific assistance for the project development. Major activities of the project include conducting surveys on socio-economic conditions of the proposed project site, identifying proposed project objectives and activities and assessing their feasibility, and providing needed technical assistance in project design and writing project proposal which will be submitted to GEF/SGP for review and appraisal; and identifying possibilities for project synergies and resource mobilisation.
Shorea falcata Vid. belongs to the plant family of Dipterocarpaceae, which is a typical plant family of tropical forest in South East Asia. It is listed in the Plant Red Book (1996) as a critically threatened species. Shorea falcata Vid. grows into pure stand on sandy soil and sand dunes along the coast. It can tolerate drought and other harsh conditions as well as poor soil. In Viet Nam, Shorea falcata Vid. is found in only two areas in My Ca, Cam Hai Dong Commune, Cam Ranh Township, Khanh Hoa Province, and Xuan Hoa and Xuan Hai Communes, Song Cau District, Phu Yen Province.
The main purpose of the proposed project is to contribute to rehabilitating the semi-arid ecosystem, conserving Shorea falcata and developing a model of sustainable protection forest in coastal sandy areas. The proposed project will promote conservation of Shorea falcata by establishing two areas to conserve the genetic resources of this species and to provide seed for growing Shorea falcata at the present and in the future. It will also test a sustainable protection forest model on sandy soil of mixed Shorea falcata and C. Equisetifolia. Shorea falcata will be introduced in the crop structure of the agroforestry model aiming to develop community forestry as an additional source of income for the community living in the coastal sandy areas. The proposed project will give priority to raising awareness among the local authorities, relevant agencies and community about the importance in conserving Shorea falcata and restoration of the forest ecosystem in coastal sandy areas for sustainable development of the community.