In Viet Nam, millions of people directly rely on forests for their livelihoods. These communities are often the ones who understand forests best, making them vital partners in understanding how best to protect forests for future generations. 

Unsustainable expansion of monoculture plantations, often for rubber and acacia, is one of the main drivers of deforestation in Viet Nam today. WWF is addressing this threat by engaging the supply chain--from the international companies sourcing the materials to the farmers producing them--to try and create a more sustainable supply and demand for products that are deforestation and forest degradation-free.

WWF is addressing a major driver of forest conversion by working with acacia smallholders in Viet Nam to obtain FSC certification, a qualification for forest products that verifies the social and environmental responsibility of the production processes. WWF-Viet Nam also supports smallholder to form cooperatives, which are jointly-owned associations through which they sell their certified timber. The cooperative model allows them to become a legal business entity that has better access to financing, enabling longer harvest cycles and more financial security for the community. When these plantations become more sustainably managed, they are more productive and there is reduced incentive for expanding into forested land.

Read more about our FSC work.