The latest update about World Land Trust’s work in Vietnam’s Khe Nuoc Trong (KNT) forest and how its work has transformed the region.
As one of the major World Land Trust (WLT) projects funded by the Carbon Balanced Paper programme, Vietnam’s Khe Nuoc Trong (KNT) forest is one of the country’s most biodiverse areas of land but was also one of its most threatened. Estimated to contain around 10% of the world’s animal and plant species, its endangered inhabitants include the Southern White-Cheeked Gibbon, the Red-Shanked Douc Langur, and the spectacular Crested Argus bird.
However, since WLT started work in the KNT forest in 2014, working in close partnership with local conservation group Viet Nature, those threats have gradually decreased and the land restored. Now, WLT is proud to mark the successful conclusion of its support for the project, confident that its work with Viet Nature has delivered real, measurable impact on the ground.
A remarkable transformation
What WLT and Viet Nature have done in a decade is nothing short of remarkable. Throughout the project, forest protection has been strengthened through ranger teams, patrols and community-led conservation, providing defence against illegal hunting and habitat destruction. Thousands of wire snares – the most common tool of poachers in Southeast Asia – have been removed from the forest floor, protecting thousands of threatened mammals and birds.
Alongside protection, the project invested heavily in biodiversity monitoring – a critical tool for understanding what lives in the forest, as well as making the scientific case for its conservation. Camera traps, acoustic surveys and field research have revealed a rich tapestry of life in KNT, including species of global conservation concern.
In addition, the project invested in community forestry cooperatives and agroforestry initiatives, enabling sustainable livelihoods that reduced pressure on the forest while giving local people a direct stake in its future.
KNT also became a proving ground for innovative climate science. WLT’s early collaboration with the University of Leeds helped pioneer a bespoke methodology for measuring the carbon benefits of avoided deforestation, laying the groundwork for verifiable emissions reporting from the site. In a world increasingly focused on nature-based climate solutions, such rigorous scientific research is crucial.
Continuing the cause
As WLT reflects on ten years of work in Khe Nuoc Trong, the scale of what’s been achieved is striking. A forest that was at risk of gradual degradation now carries strong legal protections. Wildlife that might otherwise have disappeared continues to thrive under the protection of dedicated rangers, while local communities have new sources of income that are linked to the positive health of the forest.
“Our decade of work in Khe Nuoc Trong has helped elevate the forest’s status, protect its wildlife and support local communities. We’re proud of what’s been achieved and grateful to everyone who made it possible.”
