VietNamNet Bridge - Intense deforestation has been occurring across the Central Highlands over the last 10 years. Tens of hectares of forestland have been cleared every year.

 

 

A Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) report shows there are 2.5 million hectares of forests in the Central Highlands, including 2.2 million hectares of natural forest. The figure shows that 350,000 hectares have been lost from 2008 to 2014.

There are many reasons behind the disappearance of the forests in the Central Highlands. At least 120,000 hectares of forestland have been cleared to make room for rubber farms and hydropower plants. Meanwhile, deforestation has swept away 88,000 hectares. 

From 2008-2013, the local authorities granted licenses to 700 projects which use 215,000 hectares of forestland.

Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Lung from the Institute for Forest Sustainable Management and Forest Certificate, noted that the process of clearing forestland for rubber farms and hydropower plants ran ‘too fast’, and that a large area of forestland was cleared, while there was no report about the efficiency of the projects.

Lung noted that in many cases local authorities and investors operate for short-term benefits, while they do not enforce measures to ensure sustainable development. As a result, people suffer from problems caused by the loss of forests.

While large areas of forests have been cleared, the areas of newly planted forests remain modest. Only 7.8 hectares of forests had been planted in the Central Highlands by 2014 out of the total needed -  67,000 hectares.

Lung noted that while sustainable development has become a commonly used term mentioned at all conferences and meetings, the lost forest areas have been increasing.

He said sustainable development was unattainable due to rapid population increase and free migration.

The forests in Kon Tum and Gia Lai provinces have been depleted every day. Local people have been clearing forestland to make room for cassava and coffee plants, even though the forests are under forestry farms’ protection.

According to Nguyen Van Nam, deputy head of the Kon Tum provincial Forest Rangers’ Unit, deforestation has increased. 

There are 600 hectares of forests in the province, and only 266 workers. Each forest ranger has to take care of tens of thousands of hectares of forest. 

Crops fields can be found even in forests which are just 100 meters from inter-provincial roads. Green trees can be seen from outside, but there is only bare land or rubber fields in the interior.

Tien Phong