Protecting forests after storm number 3

In recent years, Quang Ninh province has paid special attention to afforestation and sustainable forestry development, thereby ensuring a stable forest cover rate of 55%. However, the Yagi storm that swept through last September caused more than 117,000 hectares of forest to collapse, causing both great economic losses and direct impacts on the living environment. Therefore, the province is paying special attention to forest protection and development after the storm.

Quang Ninh has over 434,000 hectares of forest and forestry land, accounting for 70% of the province's total natural land area. Storm No. 3, with its great destructive power and very strong intensity, made landfall in the province, damaging 117,311.8 hectares of forest in the province. The total estimated damage due to fallen trees was over 5,000 billion VND, mainly in production forests with tree species such as pine, acacia, and eucalyptus. Most of the trees were broken in the middle of their trunks, fell down or uprooted, unable to grow further. The most damaged areas were: Ba Che 14,650 hectares; Van Don 15,276 hectares; Cam Pha 9,846 hectares; Ha Long 22,800 hectares; Tien Yen 16,724 hectares; Hai Ha 2,235 hectares; Binh Lieu 2,017 hectares...

Storm No. 3 caused thousands of hectares of forest in Quang Ninh to collapse.

Immediately after storm No. 3, localities, enterprises, units and forest planting households quickly counted the damage, immediately implemented the work of clearing the ground cover, and started to restore production. The province also directed localities and units to immediately implement the province's existing support policies to support households, enterprises and investment units in the forestry sector, and at the same time urgently develop a forestry reconstruction project to report to the Provincial People's Committee.

These days, the dry weather has been prolonged, the process of collecting and processing damaged forest trees is still being carried out by people and businesses; the situation of fallen leaves and many dry trees can easily lead to the risk of forest fires. For example, on September 28, a fire broke out in the eucalyptus, pine, and acacia forests in Zone 2, Cua Ong Ward, Cam Pha City. Recently, on the evening of October 1, in Tien Hai village, Minh Chau commune, Van Don, people discovered a fire in the acacia, eucalyptus, and pine forests of some households. Both fires were extinguished by the maximum force mobilized by the locality. These are all planted forests of people that have been severely affected by storm No. 3. The cause of the fire was due to the hot, dry weather, combined with many broken branches due to storm No. 3, which created a thick, dry layer of bark, which is very easy to catch fire and spread.

Foresters in Ba Che district check and repair the area of green lim trees that were knocked down by storm No. 3. Photo: Binh Minh (CTV)

To protect planted forests, on September 26, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued an official dispatch on strengthening solutions for forest management, protection, and forest fire prevention and fighting (PCCC) after storm Yagi . Accordingly, the province directed to be proactive, strengthen the organization of forest fire prevention and fighting forces, strengthen inspection of forest fire prevention and fighting work in the province, especially in key areas such as Ha Long, Cam Pha, Van Don, Ba Che, Tien Yen, Binh Lieu, Uong Bi, Dong Trieu. The Provincial Forest Protection Department must closely monitor weather developments, maintain forecasts, and warn of high risks of forest fires to promptly inform localities. At the same time, strengthen the coordination force with forest owners to guard against fires in key forests, forests that are undergoing vegetation treatment and forest harvesting and cleaning after storms, and have a high risk of fires to have effective prevention measures.

In addition, the Provincial People's Committee also launched a peak period to support forest clearing, sanitation, collection and utilization of forest products in the forest area damaged by storm No. 3. With the motto "4 on-site", localities proactively mobilized forces and means in the area to organize and launch a peak campaign of 30 days and nights to support forest owners in clearing, sanitation, and collection of forest products in the damaged forest area, determined to complete before October 31, 2024. Enterprises purchasing, processing, and exporting forest products are also given favorable conditions in terms of warehouses, electricity, etc. to operate at maximum capacity in the spirit of sharing and providing maximum support to overcome damage for forest owners. The price of forest product purchasing is also unified, ensuring the best support for forest growers...

People of Tan Dan commune (Ha Long city) clean up forest broken down by the storm. Photo: Viet Hoa

Storm No. 3 caused great damage to the forests of Quang Ninh. The Provincial People's Committee has held many meetings to discuss solutions to support people and forest planting businesses; solve immediate difficulties and find long-term solutions to restore green forests. With the joint efforts and timely measures to protect and develop forests, we believe that people and forest planting businesses in the province will have more confidence and motivation to restore production, quickly recovering and developing the forest economy of Quang Ninh.

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