Blog

Flood rises due to loss of 1.7mln ha protection forest

Head of Policy Department of the Center for People and Nature (PanNature) Nguyen Thi Hai Van pointed out a loss of protection forest is the culprit of much flash flood and erosion lately.

At a meeting jointly-organized yesterday by PanNature, a Vietnamese not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting and conserving diversity of life and improving human well-being in Vietnam, and the Department of Special Use Forest and Protection Forest Management under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development discussed measures how to protect and restore protection forest in the country in a bid to prevent catastrophic flood.

Forests can retain excess rainwater, prevent extreme run-offs and reduce the damage from flooding. They can also help mitigate the effects of droughts.

Accordingly, Vietnam plans to raise the amount of protection forest to 5.68 million ha by 2020 with 93 percent of protection forest, citing the country’s forestry development strategy.

However, in reality, people are destroying drastically protection forest in localities in northwest, central highlands and south-central Vietnam; the size of the country’s protection forest is in fact decreasing at an alarm level. Loss of forest is the culprit for devastating flood for recent years.

Vietnam lost 1.7 million hectare of protection forest from 2004 to 2014 of which 1.43 million hectare of natural forest disappearing in the country. Worse, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development also submitted project of agriculture re-structuring by transferring 1.2 million hectare of forest and protected forest land for producing combined with growing forests.

As per PanNature’s announcement at the meeting, 1.288 million hectare of protection forest are managed by commune people’s committees which neglected management resulting in huge losses of protection forests.

Source: Vietnamnet

Related Posts

Enhancing legislation and ensuring law enforcement for zoonotic disease in Vietnam

In Vietnam, management of wildlife diseases has garnered attention from both the State and the public. This is evident through a comprehensive system of regulations addressing diseases that can be transmitted from wildlife to humans spanning a range of documents, from laws to decrees and circulars. However, despite these efforts, the practical implementation of wildlife disease management still encounters numerous challenges and shortcomings.

Tien Hai reserve saved from development in win for nature in Vietnam

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed a decision this month to fully retain Tien Hai Nature Reserve, in a rare example of environmental protection winning over development in the Southeast Asian country. Located in the northern coastal province of Thai Binh, the reserve gained attention in 2023 after the provincial government announced a plan to remove protection from almost 90% of the area. This would have reduced the reserve area from 12,500 to 1,230 hectares (nearly 31,000 to just over 3,000 acres) to open up space for a proposed residential, resort and golf course complex called the Con Vanh Ecological Urban Area.

Vietnam Airlines took part in SkyTeam’s The Aviation Challenge

On the special flight, Vietnam Airlines conducted various activities to raise awareness and promote environmental protection among passengers. The passengers were also presented with a special gift: a plush toy representing the critically endangered white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) - one of the world’s rarest primate species. This gesture aligns with the "Contribute Leaves to the Forests - For a Green and Sustainable Vietnam" campaign.

Back To Top