On 17/9, along provincial road 639, passing through Vinh Loi village, many casuarina trees, tens of meters tall with trunks as wide as a person's embrace, stood bare or had fallen. Some recently deceased trees still had dry or yellowing leaves. The entire forest along both sides of the road had turned a silvery gray.

A large area of casuarina trees is dying. Photo: Tran Hoa

Van Ba Quy, 31, a resident of Vinh Loi village, said a portion of the forest burned last year, but recently, many other trees have begun to die mysteriously. "The casuarina forest used to be close to the sea, acting as a windbreak and sand barrier for the villagers. Now, with the trees dying, people are very worried," Quy said.

According to residents, decades ago, many casuarina trees were cut down for firewood, allowing sea winds to rush into the village, often tearing roofs off houses during storms. Blowing sand also buried crops. Later, residents became more conscious of forest preservation and stopped cutting down the trees.

Casuarina trees are dying en masse along both sides of provincial road 639. Photo: Tran Hoa

Years ago, some mining companies operating in the coastal area reduced the casuarina forest area. After completing their operations, they replanted trees to restore the landscape and create a windbreak, but now, large areas are declining again.

Vo Thanh Hoang, chairman of the An Luong People's Committee (UBND), said approximately 1.5 hectares of casuarina forest burned in 2024. "The recently dead trees may be due to the prolonged heat. This area has been removed from the three types of forest planning and handed over to the commune for management," Hoang said.

Many trees, over ten meters tall, lie dead along the road. Photo: Tran Hoa

According to the commune authorities, the total forestry area in the area is about 1,000 hectares, including more than 600 hectares of protection forest and nearly 500 hectares of production forest. Households and individuals manage nearly 400 hectares, while the commune authorities manage over 90 hectares.

"In the future, the commune will consult with residents and study plans to replant the dead casuarina trees to ensure their role as a wave barrier, sand retainer, and protector of the community," Hoang said.

Tran Hoa