Viet Nam News Lê Hân BÀ RỊA-VŨNG TÀU — Forest rangers on Côn Đảo Island, in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, are familiar with a busy schedule because they not only patrol the forests, they also have to protect aquatic resources. The sky above Côn Đảo Island District has witnessed a number of whirlwinds, signalling the return of rough seas. Still, the work of rangers continues as normal. Côn Đảo National Park has a total natural area of nearly 20,000ha, including 5,990ha of forest and 14,000ha of water. The 60 forest rangers here are responsible for forest protection, marine conservation and protection of sovereignty. There were no forest violations and only nine sea violations reported in 2018, according to the Côn Đảo National Park’s management board. One day in early January, a flight from HCM City took a group of reporters from the … [Read more...] about Rangers on Côn Đảo Island protect sea and forest
Trees being cut down
A central Vietnam house that axed the option to axe trees
The house is built on a 500 square meter piece of land in Do Luong District, Nghe An Province, 137 miles south of Hanoi. It was previously a garden that had five old trees. To retain the trees, the house went around them. It was designed by architect Nguyen Khac Phuoc and his colleagues at Nguyen Khac Phuoc Architects. Completed in August 2017, the design is a pointer to ways in which houses can be environmentally-friendly and not destroy nature. The owners are a couple with two young children. The house has wooden floors, three bedrooms, two toilets, a living room, a kitchen, a dining room and a laundry drying area. One of the old trees that was not cut down. The owners requested the architects to keep all trees on the plot intact. So the flora on the plot decided the design of the house. The house's space is interwoven among large trees, and their foliage was treated as the second roof of the building. Functional spaces are connected by the central lobby space of the house … [Read more...] about A central Vietnam house that axed the option to axe trees
Rare trees cut down in nature reserve
Viet Nam News QUẢNG NAM — Rare tree species have been found chopped down in a Vietnamese nature reserve, but authorities are denying any deforestation occurred. On December 5, tens of rare timber trees such as chò (White Meranti), sến (Lauan, Meranti) and lim(ironwood) were found to be chopped down in the forest area in Village 5 in Trà Đốc Commune in Trà Đốc Nature Reserve in central Quảng Nam Province. Many tree roots left behind at the scene had diameter of between 50 centimetres and a metre. A villager said illegal logging has occurred in the area for long time, and has become more common since Trường Sơn Đông Road opened to the public in March 2015. “They (illegal loggers) cut down trees in the daytime,” he said, adding that no villagers dared to go near as they were afraid of being attacked. Along the Suối Nú forest in Trà Đốc Commune, Bắc … [Read more...] about Rare trees cut down in nature reserve
First solo exhibition inspires Hà Nội’s streets
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội’s streets new and old have inspired artist Nguyễn Anh Minh to find his own painting style, after years of searching. Entitled Nguyễn Minh & Street, his exhibition displays 29 paintings and six sculptures at Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum, providing a look at the streets of Hà Nội. The paintings are made with acrylic and oil on canvas, while the sculptures are made with iron and composite. The idea about the streets came to Minh in 2013 when he was about to earn his master’s in fine arts at the Việt Nam University of Fine Arts. "One morning on the way to sketch for my thesis, I sat drinking water on Khuất Duy Tiến crossroads and looked over the underpass of the highway I noticed the houses which were being destroyed and replaced by the new bridge and the new road," said Minh. Feelings of loneliness and regret came to him when he thought the same … [Read more...] about First solo exhibition inspires Hà Nội’s streets
Ô Môi blossoms bitterly opened
Viet Nam News by Nguyên Chương Sunset light slanted down on the Ô Môi Creek in a dark, rosy colour, together with the loud sounds of wild birds and the nursery rhymes of the kids at play under the ô môi foliage at the entrance to the little canal stung the heart deeply. They all sang in chorus: In March ô môi trees are in bloom, fresh and rosy, Whom is Miss Miên still waiting for so long That her shoulder-length hair turns hoary? Whenever she heard that ditty, she slowly walked toward their place, eyes in tears. The youth in the rhyme was Quyết, a young soldier dispatched to the southern battlefield. * * * She knew that right then he was, from the other side of the creek, watching her with a heavy heart. Day after day, reaching home after work he hoped against hope to see her standing under the old tree, where the … [Read more...] about Ô Môi blossoms bitterly opened
Illegal wood cutting rampant in Kon Tum
Trees are cut into slides to be transported easily. – VNA/VNS Photo Viet Nam News KON TUM — A forest belonging to Đăk Tô Forestry Company in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum’s Đăk Tô District, has been exploited severely, according to local people. The company, however, refuted the report. At least five big trees in the forest area near Ngọc Ló Mountain is reported to have been cut down. Only some slides of wood, with diametre around 60cm and height of up to 4m, remain in the area as loggers have removed the trees out. Moreover, a 3m-wide road has been opened by the lumberjacks to access the area. Considering the evidence, Nguyễn Thành Chung, company director, told the Vietnam News Agency that they tried their utmost to protect the forest. “We put an end to massive wood exploitation. Regarding small cases when loggers cut and transport trees at night using motorbikes, we are unable to stop … [Read more...] about Illegal wood cutting rampant in Kon Tum
Hanoi plans to axe more trees to make way for new metro line
A sua tree on Tran Hung Dao Street in Hanoi is among 12 which will be moved to Thong Nhat Park to make way for a metro line. Photo by Vnexpress/Ngoc Thanh 41 trees will be cut down and another 116 moved to make way for a station. Hanoi has announced plans to axe avenues of trees to make way for a new metro line. As part of the plan, 157 trees along Tran Hung Dao and Cat Linh will be cleared to facilitate the construction of the last underground station on the long-delayed Line 3. Most of the trees will be relocated elsewhere. Among them are 12 rare sua trees (dalbergia tonkinensis) whose trunks measure up to two meters. They will be replanted in Thong Nhat Park, according to the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board. The metro line, running 12.5 kilometers from Nhon to Ha Noi Station, is one of several planned for the capital city. Together they will form a rail network aimed at easing traffic congestion and reducing emissions. Work on the line began in 2010, with the … [Read more...] about Hanoi plans to axe more trees to make way for new metro line
Green trees
Hanoians have their own kinds of trees, from rows of sau (dracontomelum) along Phan Dinh Phung Street, com nguoi (hackberry) and bang lang (crape myrtles) to hoa sua (milk flowers) and hoang lan (ylang ylang) trees on Dien Bien street. Living a hectic life in dusty streets, rows of green trees make people feel comfortable and restful. Hanoians have many memories intertwined with trees. The capital has many nacre trees as hundreds of years ago French people brought this kind of tree from Africa to Hanoi. The areas around Hoan Kiem lake as well as Hoang Dieu, Le Hong Phong, Kim Ma and Nguyen Trai streets, are naturally decorated with xa cu (nacre trees). However, they are prone to falling down during the stormy season, causing heavy damages. Many people, including scientists, have said that it is necessary to fell and remove the nacre trees on the streets. However, when the rows of nacres on Kim Ma, Nguyen Trai and Pham Van Dong Streets were cut to serve the expansion of roads and the … [Read more...] about Green trees
Investigation launched into forest destruction in Dak Lak
Dak Lak authorities have conducted an investigation into a serious forest destruction case at Yok Don National Park. According to Pham Tuan Linh, director of Yok Don National Park, on January 26, forest rangers have discovered 23 felled trees, including many belonging to rare species, with an estimated loss of roughly 45 cubic metres of wood. 23 trees cut down at Yok Don National Park The trees were cut into pieces with many of them transported away. The park management board forecasted that the trees might be cut down early January. The area where the illegal logging occurred is banned to the public and under the management of Border Post 741 of Dak Lak Province’s Border Guard Command. The trees were cut into pieces with many of them transported away. … [Read more...] about Investigation launched into forest destruction in Dak Lak
Seeing red over a green tree folly in Hà Nội
Khánh Dương Imagination is a good thing till it runs riot in the wrong places. Authorities in Hà Nội want us to imagine walking or riding bikes or driving a car on streets lined with maple trees with red leaves, evoking popular images we have of places like Europe. Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Nguyễn Đức Chung, has promised to “bring the colour of European maples to the tropical land.” I have nothing against red maples (acer rebrum) per se, but I am baffled by this addition of colour to a city official who has embarked on a praiseworthy plan to plant a million trees in the capital city to improve air quality and the urban landscape. Why do we need to bring a tree that is not a natural fit? What sense does it make to expend extra effort, not to mention money, on such a venture? As of now, thankfully, it is only a pilot project. A 100 red maple trees have been planted two to three metres from each … [Read more...] about Seeing red over a green tree folly in Hà Nội