Vietnam’s new forest areas rose by 4.5% year-on-year to 90,700 hectares in the first six months of 2017 thanks to favourable weather conditions, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Of the total areas, 88,800 hectares accounted for production forests, up 5.7% from the same period last year.

However, only 312,600 hectares of forest were looked after, declining 10.2% year-on-year.

Afforestation in the northern region is entering its main crop. Rapid tree planting has been carried out in Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho and Nghe An provinces. Meanwhile, southern localities are behind in planting more forests.

Localities nationwide are preparing nearly 396.13 million seedlings for forest planting this year, up 45.7% from the same period last year.

About 102 forest fires occurred in the country from the outset of this year, down 64% year-on-year. The fires damaged 159 hectares of forest, down 94% from the same period last year. Most of the forest fires were a direct result of slash-and-burn agriculture.

Some 590 hectares of forest were illegally cut down in the first half of the year. Hot spots of deforestation include Dien Bien, Dak Nong, Dak Lak and Bac Kan provinces.

Nhan Dan