Ha Tinh fails to save newly-planted mangrove forest from dying

A large area of newly-planted mangrove forest in Ha Tinh Province is dying because of pests and bad weather and there appears to be no solution to deal with the problem.

A large area of newly-planted mangrove forest in Ha Tinh Province is dying because of pests and bad weather and there appears to be no solution to deal with the problem.

 

Newly-planted mangrove forest dying.

The project to plant mangrove forest to deal with climate change carried out by the Ha Tinh Project Management Unit of Civil and Industrial Works Construction Investment. The mangrove apple trees were planted on 77 ha of land with a total investment of VND30 bn (USD1.3m). It was hoped to become a new green belt in this area.

13 ha of it was planted in Tien Tien Village, Thach Ha District, for VND5bn (USD215,000) by the Mangrove Forest Development Company and the JP38 Construction Company. However, 60% of the planted trees have already died and the rest of the trees are wilting.

According to the locals, the trees started dying since last August, just two to three months after being planted. Nguyen Tuan Anh, chairman of Dong Mon Commune, Thach Ha District said the trees died because of barnacles and they still haven't had any solution to deal with it.

"When the forest was transferred to the communal authorities, 50% of the trees had already died," he said.

 

Mangrove forest dying because of bad weather.

The mangrove forest in Ky Trinh Ward, Ky Anh Town, is also dying because of bad weather. Since early May, over 30ha of mangrove apple trees have been planted, however, 9,000 trees on 4ha of land have died.

Dao Xuan Hien, director of the project to restore and protect coastal mangrove forests in Ha Tinh, said they had unfavourable weather this year. The weather was dry and hot without any rain for three months.

"The contractors should replant the trees as committed since we have bought insurance. The value of the damage will be announced for the compensation payout," he said.