By 2021, total area of concentrated forests in Ca Mau province has 94,319 hectares; the forest coverage rate is 25.81%, mainly flooded forest.

Ca Mau Cape National Park. Photo: Van Doi.
 

Ca Mau province has three main forest types:

- Submerged forest (mangrove forest), gathers in the districts of Ngoc Hien, Nam Can, Dam Doi, Phu Tan.

- Brackish flooded forest (U Minh cajuput forest) gathers in the districts of U Minh, Tran Van Thoi, Thoi Binh.

- In addition, on the islands of Hon Khoai, Hon Chuoi, Hon Da Bac have many kinds of precious timbers and animals living under the forest canopy.
 

Ca Mau forest is mainly flooded forest. Photo: Van Doi.
 

Ca Mau Cape National Park, U Minh Ha National Park and West Coast protection forest has been recognized as UNESCO biosphere reserves of the world. In which, Ca Mau Cape National Park has been recognized as the 2,088th world Ramsar site in 2013. At present, this area is being actively preserve and conserve forest ecosystems.

In 2021, the area of forest exploitation is 3,126.5 ha, producing 276,813 m3 of wood. Summary of economic income from non-wood forest products from combined agricultural and forestry production models reached more than VND 1,146 billion (of which, forest products reached more than VND 268 billion). The province already has a forest products processing plant with a total design capacity of up to 200,000 m3 of raw materials/per year. In which, finished wood processing includes products such as plywood, and MDF, which is mainly exported to European countries, the United States, and coal pellets production. The main sources of wood processing materials are acacia hybrid and acassia aneura. The whole province has over 181 wood trading and processing facilities scattered throughout the districts, some factory companies of the adjacent area such as Kien Giang VRG MDF Wood Factory, Vina Ecoboad Factory of Sumitomo Group - Japan, Thuy Son Company, etc.

Harvesting melaleuca in U Minh. Photo: Van Doi.
 

The model of intensive afforestation in the province is growing. U Minh Ha area has a total area of 22,400 ha of intensive cultivation (9,900 ha acacia hybrid forest; 12,500 ha indigenous Melaleuca), with positive results. The area of new afforestation in 2021 will reach 300 ha/target assigned 300 ha, reaching 100% of the target. Planting scattered trees with 2,800,000 trees, reaching 100% of the plan. Currently, some enterprises in the province invest in afforestation (mainly acacia hybrid trees). 

Many production models combine under the forest canopy to bring high efficiency to the people. Photo: Van Doi.

 
In 2021, afforestation after exploitation will reach 3,874 ha/3,913 ha, 99% of the plan. Afforestation replaces 6 hectares, reaching 100% of the plan. Contracted to protect special-use forests, protection forests are very weak around 29,200.9 ha, reaching 100%. Contracted to protect the weak protection forest around 18,356 ha, reaching 100%, Ca Mau province is rated as a province with great potential in the development of large timber afforestation in the Mekong Delta, and a province of sustainable forest development.
 
In addition to the effective exploitation of forest resources, the province attaches importance to the protection of world biosphere reserves, national parks, Ramsar forests, protected areas, and protection forests. The province has implemented a new mechanism for forest and forest land management in the direction of land allocation and forest allocation to households. For capercaillies, mangroves are shifted from exploitation to care, pruning, protection, and new planting. 

In recent years, tourism experienced model under the forest canopy has developed quite strongly. Photo: Bich Ngoc.

 
In addition to the function of protection and nature conservation, the forestry sector of Ca Mau province also contributes a certain contribution to economic growth and more income for people producing forest products. In recent years, the forestry sector has had many innovations, many models of intensive afforestation have brought high efficiency, such as planting hybrid acacia trees, shrubbery trees, etc. by intensive form, listing; The price of forest products tends to be higher than in previous years, the profit from the exploitation of forest products of households allocated forest land, receiving forest land has increased significantly, encouraging people to plant forests and protect forests better. Forestry products exploited mainly in Ca Mau forest are firewood and wood.