Dien Bien (VNA) - More than 8,000sq.m of special-use forests weredestroyed in just three months between July and September in Dong Metvillage, Pa Khoang commune, Dien Bien district, in the northernmountainous province of Dien Bien.

Special-use forests areestablished for primary purposes of preserving the natural environment,specimens of the national forest ecosystem, gene sources of forest organisms,scientific research and protection of historical relics and landscapes.

According to the provincialDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development, from July 15 to August 4 thisyear, more than 6,520sq.m of forests in two areas of zone 717b were foundchopped down and burned. In September 27, another area of1,790sq.m was found destroyed.

Tran Le, director of HoaAnh Dao (Cherry Blossom) Joint StockCompany,  confirmed issuing direct orders for deforestationto plant cherry blossom trees. However, authorised agencies did not allowLe to switch the land use purpose from special use to another purpose.

In July this year, theprovincial People’s Committee allowed Hoa Anh Dao company to work with localagencies to review the land stock andexpand the  cherry blossom planting area in Muong Phang commune, inpreparation for an upcoming cherry blossom festival to beheld in November and December.

However, Hoa Anh Daocompany took advantage of this policy to destroy forests for specialpurposes, claiming they took land to plant the cherryblossom trees.

According to the provincialDepartment of Agriculture and Rural Development, serious deforestation in theprovince is the result of Tran Le’s low awareness about legaldocuments on forest protection and the cherry blossom eventorganisation.

The areas where trees werecut down were located far from the residential areas anddifficult to access due to complicated terrain. Forest patrols are notconducted regularly here, while measures against violations areineffective.

The provincial agriculturedepartment has proposed criminal penalty for the violators.-VNA