Nearly 10 hectares of pine trees have been destroyed in Lam Dong Province

Over the past 10 days, thousands of pine trees grown on an area of over 10 hectares in Tan Thanh Commune in Lam Ha District have died.

According to a report from Tan Mai Group which manages the pipe forest, over 3,000 the trees of nearly 20 years have been poisoned by a kind of herbicide.

At the scene, the dead trees all have a small hole of some 20 centimetres deep into their trunk. The company said that the killers drilled the holes and pumped herbicide into the trees. Many boxes containing the herbicide were seen around the trees.

The pipe forest was close to lush coffee farms and near National Road 28.

Tan Mai Company said that this area used to be natural forest but has been largely stolen by local people to grow coffee because of its fertile land and convenient location.

"We have been able to keep 60 hectares to grow pine trees," the company said. "But since last year our trees have been destroyed by people who want to steal our land to grow coffee. Local authorities have not been able to curb the situation."

TTXVN/Dtinews