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
Trees being cut down
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
Forests still cut down despite huge amount of money spent on protection
VietNamNet Bridge - Large forests in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces continue to be cut down despite serious protection measures applied by local authorities. Large forests continue to be cut down The Dak Uy special-use forest in Dak Ha district in Kon Tum province covers an area of 540 hectares, with many trac trees (Dalbergia cochinchinensis), a kind of precious wood.According to the Dak Uy special-use forest officials, the tree was felled when it was raining and forest rangers were busy with personal work. … [Read more...] about Forests still cut down despite huge amount of money spent on protection
Hanoi party secretary attempts to stem mass tree felling outcry
Hanoi Party Secretary Hoang Trung Hai was interviewed about the controversial plan to fell 1,300 trees for a road project. Hanoi Party Secretary Hoang Trung Hai The public has expressed concerns over the plan to cut down or relocate 1,300 trees on Pham Van Dong Street for a road expansion project. What do you think?The Ring Road 3 expansion project also includes an elevated road that connects with Thang Long Bridge. Everybody wants to keep the trees but it's impossible when we have an elevated road. We'll discuss this matter with the Ministry of Transport.Actually, all projects must gather public opinions when doing ground clearance work. If the project requires the trees to be relocated, we have to. The city planning always avoids areas like parks and lakes. Some people even proposed to fill a lake. A proposal is only a proposal, no one has to agree with it.Relocating the trees is costly. Moreover, in order to ensure the highest living rate, the trees must be taken care of with … [Read more...] about Hanoi party secretary attempts to stem mass tree felling outcry
Central Highlands struggle to settle immigrants
VietNamNet Bridge – Sung Dao Can and his wife have cut down trees in a forest and on a hill to plant cassava and build a bare shack as they struggle to eke out a living.“I know it (deforestation) is wrong, but it is not just me. Many others have also done this to grow corn and cassava just to survive,” Can told the Nhan dan (People) newspaper.Can and his wife moved half-way across the country from their home in northern border province of Cao Bang two years ago. His family is just one of many who reside in Zone 265, a makeshift residential area at the edge of the Cu M’lan Commune in Dak Lak Province.The zone is about 30km away from the commune centre, but it takes more than two hours on bike on trails to reach it. Roughly 100 makeshift shacks with straw and wooden poles stand next to a vast area, once a thick forest, now dotted with dry tree stumps.Most of the residents here belong to ethnic minority communities, like Can and his wife, who are of Dao … [Read more...] about Central Highlands struggle to settle immigrants
Farmer builds 300 free houses for poor people
VietNamNet Bridge – It was early 2003. Truong Van Kiem was returning home after visiting his son’s in-laws when he saw a young man chase a woman with a knife.Appalled, he stopped his motorbike and intervened. He found that the woman was the man’s mother.Talking with them, Kiem learnt that the root of the problem was that their house had been damaged for a long time but they did not have any money to repair it. The young man, a drunkard, wanted his father to cut down some trees in their garden to build a new house, but his father refused to do so. Infuriated, the inebriated son threatened to assault his parents.Feeling sorry for the old couple, Kiem decided to build a new house for them, starting off the charity work that has continued to this day.Over the last 14 years, Kiem has helped hundreds of poor households get safe, durable homes.As a farmer, Kiem, 64, a native of Tan Loc Island in Can Tho City’s Tan Loc Ward, had no knowledge of carpentry, a key task in … [Read more...] about Farmer builds 300 free houses for poor people