Ha Long to add a little green to the blue

Recently, a joint project between local students and a group of Japanese-government-sponsored university professors and students has added a bit more renewable green to the beauty of Ha Long bay by planting anew some approximately 5000 mangroves.

The plantation is one part of the project to support a cycle of resource-renewable developments that involve local residents. It was proposed by the Management board of Ha Long bay, and funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The project aims to increase the size of Ha Long's mangrove forest and to educate people in the area of the importance of such reserve. Once established,  the ecosystem that these trees create will provide a home for a great variety of other organisms. Also, that will prove to be a new sight to behold for tourists visiting the legendary wonder of the modern world.

Ha Long, being a World Heritage site, attracts a large amount of visitors, both domestic and international, every year. However, it is a paradise ruined. The water has long lost its emerald charm and the mindful travelers often find themselves in a painful situation to either board a kerosene-leaking junk or abort the trip. Since most opt for the former, the unregulated tourism activities have wreaked havoc to the natural environment of the bay.

It is rather late in the game for such project. However, it is still a welcoming sign that promises more to come.