
Established in 2016, Gaia Nature Conservation Center has become widely recognized for its engaging reforestation programs and immersive nature experiences.
With a mission to connect with and inspire broad participation from corporations, schools, and especially young people, Gaia regularly organizes tree planting and forest protection activities in critical conservation areas across Vietnam, including Cuc Phuong, Ben En, Xuan Lien, Phong Dien, Bach Ma, Dong Nai, Ta Kou, Can Gio, and Ca Mau.
Just recently, Gaia hosted a tree planting day in Ma Da Forest, part of Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve, an event that drew over 100 enthusiastic participants. After a two-hour journey from the city center, the convoy of volunteers arrived, ready to undertake their mission of planting 450 saplings from eight precious native species, including Giant Crape Myrtle, Siamese Rosewood, Barwood, Dipterocarpus alatus, Makha Wood, Copper Pod, Black Star, and Black Rosewood.
Everyone watched intently as guides demonstrated the proper techniques on how to soften the soil, position the young sapling for optimal growth, and firmly pack the earth around it. Armed with hoes and saplings, the volunteers broke into small groups, heading to pre-dug holes to begin their work. In just about two hours, all 450 young trees were securely in the ground. The volunteers then carefully numbered, cataloged, and measured each one, a tangible sense of accomplishment and shared joy filling the air.
For Dao Hien, the 1st Runner-Up of Miss World Vietnam 2023, the experience was profound. “It was my first time planting a Makha Wood tree, a truly rare species, with my own hands,” she shared. “This program made me realize that reforestation isn’t just about planting trees; it’s about giving nature a chance to be reborn.”
With the aim of spreading a love for the wild and imparting valuable knowledge, Gaia’s excursions also feature “forest bathing” sessions. Here, volunteers venture deep into the woods, immersing themselves in the forest’s atmosphere while learning about the unique functions of its flora and fauna.
It’s a chance to understand the symbiotic dance between species and to witness remarkable forest life up close. Along the trail, many were thrilled to taste a fresh slice of wild ginger or to catch a glimpse of great hornbills soaring overhead and shy pheasants rustling in the post-rain undergrowth.
Gaia’s story doesn’t end when the last tree is planted or the forest bath concludes. It’s a story of a persistent, long-term journey of nurturing new forests. Each reforested area is meticulously cared for and monitored for two to six years to ensure a high survival rate, typically between 75 percent and 86 percent. This follow-up care is intensive and varied, involving everything from weeding and fertilizing to cutting back invasive vines, creating firebreaks, and managing pests.
“In my 27 years working in conservation, the forest has become more than my workplace; it’s where I learn how to live, more slowly, more quietly, and more profoundly,” said Director Do Thi Thanh Huyen of the Gaia Nature Conservation Center. “Every tree canopy, every stream, and every birdsong at dawn is all ‘teachers’ reminding me of our connection to, gratitude for, and responsibility toward nature. That’s why my dream, and Gaia’s dream, is not just to replant the forests we’ve lost, but to re-sow an emotional connection to nature in the heart of every person.”
Beyond just young people, Gaia’s programs now attract entire families, from young children to their grandparents. It transforms a simple environmental activity into a special occasion for family bonding. When a child places a seedling in the earth and looks over to see their parents carefully doing the same, a beautiful, lasting memory of nature is forged.
“When adults lead by example and experience nature directly with their children, the message of loving our forests and taking responsibility for our environment becomes more vivid and contagious than ever,” the director reflected. “Seeing a three-generation family planting trees together gives me faith that the future of our forests, and our own future, is being sown by these very loving hands today.”
Thanks to robust community support, Gaia Nature Conservation Center has successfully planted over 1,188,466 trees, reforesting an area of more than 513.26 hectares in 10 specialized watershed forests across Vietnam.