VietNamNet Bridge - Hanoi has grossed over VND1 billion (nearly $50,000) from the auction of timber from trees that were cut down on the roads of Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Giang Vo and Nguyen Chi Thanh.

The auction was held on July 23, selling three batches of timber totaling nearly 300 m3. The auction winner is a private company.

The remaining timber from felled trees in Hanoi will be auctioned later this month.

Hanoi’s $3.4 million plan to fell 6,700 trees on 190 streets to replace new ones was approved in August 2013. The project was implemented on some streets of Hue, Hang Bai, Kim Ma, Giang Vo ...

When 381 old trees along Nguyen Chi Thanh Street were chopped down, the public reacted strongly.

Members of the public questioned the environmental impact of the removals and called for a public survey on the quality of the 6,700 trees.

Many Hanoians had begun to protest the move by marking trees with the words "Do not chop me down."

A website named "6,700 people for 6,700 green trees" was set up and able to garner 35,000 "likes" in just a few days.

Prominent citizens like journalist Tran Dang Tuan, general director of An Vien Television, and prize-winning mathematician Ngo Bao Chau had sent open letters to the administration asking for the reason behind the tree felling campaign, citing the good care of the city's trees by the Ha Noi Green Trees – Park Company without having to fell them en masse.

On March 20, the protests forced authorities to stop cutting down the trees after widespread media and public concern.

Hanoi Chair Nguyen The Thao set up an inspection team to report on the chopping down of thousands of street trees.

On July 21 Hanoi authorities announced that it would punish many agencies and officials who were involved in this plan.

Le Ha