On 11/7, the Inspectorate and Legal Department of the Hue City Forest Protection Sub-department, along with the Northern Region Forest Protection Department, met with the People's Committee of Phong Quang ward (formerly Quang Cong commune) regarding the felling of over 2.5 hectares of protection forest in An Loc village.

Coastal protection forest in An Loc village has been cut down. Photo: Vo Thanh

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thong, Vice Chairman of the Phong Quang Ward People's Committee and former Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune, former Quang Dien district, admitted that the casuarina forest on the coastal sand dunes in An Loc village was liquidated by the Standing Committee of the former Quang Cong commune. This took place in late April and early May, before the merger, for 20 million VND.

According to Mr. Thong, the area that forest rangers identified as protection forest had previously been assigned to households for management and later handed over to the commune. After the 2024 rainy and typhoon season, the commune assessed the area, found many fallen trees, and requested permission from the former Quang Dien district to liquidate and restore the forest. The proceeds from the sale were intended to compensate households for forest care and purchase new seedlings.

"The production forest and protection forest planning should have been marked with boundary markers or signs so the commune would be aware. For a long time, commune staff thought this area was production forest and were unaware it was protected. The Forest Protection Department should have notified us or provided a handover record," Mr. Thong explained.

Coastal protection forest in An Loc village stands bare. Photo: Vo Thanh

Meanwhile, the Northern Region Forest Protection Department of Hue City stated that in late 4/2025, they, along with the former Quang Cong Commune People's Committee and representatives from the Agriculture and Environment Department of the former Quang Dien district, conducted a field inspection of several protection forest plots, including plot 152. The inspection report clearly stated the requirement for the commune to strengthen forest surveillance and protection, and at that time, no exploitation was detected.

In early July, during a field visit, the Northern Region Forest Protection Department discovered the felled protection forest in An Loc village. In plots 152 and 161, compartment 1, sub-area 89, numerous casuarina trees with diameters ranging from 6 to 30 cm were cut down at the base. Most of the timber had been removed, leaving only some diseased trunks and dry branches. The cleared area is adjacent to the resettlement area for An Loc villagers, a location previously affected by coastal erosion.

A total of 3.1 hectares of casuarina forest was felled, including 2.5 hectares of coastal protection forest and nearly 0.6 hectares of production forest. Through counting, authorities confirmed 1,461 trees were cut down, and their locations have been marked for the investigation.

Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan, Head of the Hue City Forest Protection Sub-department, stated that the unit will continue the investigation. Typically, if a locality wants to liquidate impoverished forest, they must submit an application and conduct an auction.

The coastal protection forest area liquidated by the former Quang Cong commune. Video: Vo Thanh

An Loc village has a history of coastal erosion. Dozens of households were relocated to a resettlement area over 300 meters from the eroded area. However, after the relocation, the former Quang Cong commune authorities allowed some households to construct restaurants and homestays on the eroded land. Although Quang Dien district ordered a halt to construction and business activities, several establishments continued to operate and expand.

Vo Thanh