The deforestation has not been stopped as promised by local authorities and forest ranger units. Vietnam’s forest coverage has dropped to less than 40 percent.
Vietnam has 13,118,773 hectares of forests, including 10,348,591 hectares of natural forests and 2,770,182 hectares of planted forests. In September 2010 alone, 1,553.68 hectares of forests were devastated and 5,364 hectares were burnt to the ground.
Lam Dong province alone witnesses 1,000 deforestation cases every year. In Loc Tan commune of the province alone, 16 hectares of forests were reportedly devastated within just two days in February 2011.
Doan Tat Chuan, Director of the Song Tranh 2 preventive forest’s management board, said that 3,500 people had to leave their homeland to give place to the hydropower plant project. In the resettlement area, they tried to set a forest on fire to get the land for cultivation.
“What should we do to earn our living if we don’t deforest?” the people questioned when they were asked why they tried to chop down trees.
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