VietNamNet Bridge - A number of casuarina forests belonging in Thanh Hoa province have been cut down to make room for tourism projects.

Many tourism projects have been licensed by the provincial People’s Committee, including ones registered 10 years ago.

In 2004, the local authorities allocated land to the investor to develop Hung Son villa project in Quang Ninh commune of Sam Son City. However, the only thing the investor has done is clear the casuarina forest for the project. 

In 2008, the Tien Trang beach resort project registered by SoTo Co Ltd got an investment license. Like Hung Son Villa, only several items of the project have been built, but large protective forests in the communes of Quang Thai, Quang Loi and Quang Thach of Quang Xuong district have been cleared.

“They (the investors) said many years ago that they needed land to develop tourism projects. Locals hoped the projects would bring jobs. But nothing has been done since then. Only the precious forests which help break the wind and protect the soil have been devastated,” said Phan Viet Canh from Quang Vinh Ward of Sam Son City.

For local people, casuarina forests are as precious as gold, because they act as a shield to protect villages and residents. As the forests have been cleared, locals live in fear.

“We are afraid that storms and wind will sweep our houses away. The sea has encroached on residential quarters,” Canh complained.

Nguyen Duc Van, chair of Quang Hung commune in Sam Son City, said the casuarina forests were planted under Plans 661 and 327 about 20-30 years ago in an effort to expand the coastal protective area, and prevent soil erosion.

However, many of the casuarina forests have been chopped down to clear sites for tourism projects. Tens of hectares of forests have been cleared to make room for Hung Son villa project, leading to big changes to the coastal landscape. Fishermen have no more places for boat anchorage.

“If a typhoon at 11th level comes, the lives, houses and assets of tens of households in coastal areas will be in danger,” Van said.

Dien Dan Doanh Nghiep’s reporters found that in August 2017, the Thanh Hoa provincial authorities released a decision on classifying forests into three groups. Under the decision, more than 2,000 hectares of coastal protective areas were excluded from the forest development plan.

The decision shocked local residents because it nearly eliminated all the projective forest area. Of 1,564 hectares of forestland projected in 2007-2015, only 20 hectares have been retained.

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