The forests are located between Ha Long and Cam Pha cities. A total area of around 4.8 hectares of the forest has been affected with many trees being dry.
The two mangrove forests in Quang Ninh show evidence of being destroyed
The situation has happened in the forests situated in Ha Long City’s Ha Phong Ward and Cam Pha City’s Quang Hanh Ward since late 2021. This has been reported to local authorities, but the official conclusion into the causes of the problem has not yet been announced.
According to the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s initial conclusion, the newly-built Ha Long-Cam Pha route has changed the flow and salinity of the water, affecting the respiration process of the trees.
Ha Phong Ward People’s Committee said that the area had recently faced heavy rain, providing large amounts of fresh water which was a cause of major damage to them.
However, the forest management board of Ha Long City suggested a further investigation into the case, including a three-metre-wide path in one of the forests. The path is potential evidence of the possibility that the forests may be being deliberately destroyed. There are many real estate projects being carried out nearby.
Earlier, authorities of Quang Ninh requested to protect nearby mangrove forests and lime mountains during the implementation of the 18-kilometre Ha Long-Cam Pha road project.
Two tunnels have been built to serve the project.
The Quang Ninh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has invited experts from the Vietnam Academy of Forest Science to support the investigation.