The trees that have earned Da Lat City the name 'city of a thousand pines' have been fast disappearing under the strains of urbanisation.
Houses are replacing pine trees
According to Da Lat People's Committee, the city had 431 hectares of green area in 1997, with pine trees accounted for 90%; by 2010 this area had shrunk to only 284 hectares.
The rate of disappearance of green area is also increasing. In 2006, 1.9 hectares of pine trees were destroyed, while in 2010 the figure jumped to 18.6 hectares.
Although woodlands still exist in several suburban areas many of them have become sparce. Da Lat Urban Environment Services Company reported that Da Lat now only has around 8,000 pine trees compared to the tens of thousands that used to exist there.
To protect the pine trees, Lam Dong Province and Da Lat City authorities have issued regulations that state individuals or organisations must replant five young pine trees for each tree they cut down in addition to paying VND750,000 (USD36) into the green fund.
This regulation has not been fully enforced in recent years, as individuals and organisations simply pay their fees and do not bother replanting new trees. Many people say that they are reluctant to plant trees near their homes for fear that they could cause damage to the structure as they grow large and fall.
A young pine tree has just been planted at the Dalat Palace Hotel
Da Lat Urban Environment Services Company reported that they planted 1,500 pine trees in 2012 and expect to plant 5,000 more in 2013. However, due to the city's fast pace of urbanisation, Da Lat may soon run out of land for green areas.
The issue was brought to public attention recently, when photographer, Nguyen Van Phuoc and his colleagues voiced their worries after they tried to capture the 'Da Lat's pine forest in mist' but only managed to photograph disorganised urban housing.