People in the central highlands province of Dak Lak are scavenging for the stumps of rare trees to be sold to luxury furniture makers.
Scavengers can earn up to VND20 million (USD950) per stump of santalum
However this trend may foster the illegal destruction of forests, affecting the local eco-system, resulting in more natural disasters.
Groups of up to a dozen people use tools like hoes, crowbars and chainsaws to dig up the stumps of rare trees like the santalum and kingwood in forests of Ea Sup, Buon Don, Ea H’Leo and Krong Bong.
They can earn up to VND20 million (USD950) per stump of santalum while prices of a stump of kingwood could be much higher.
Y Minh, a man who earned money by looking for the stumps in Ea Sum District, said increasing numbers of people have taken to the job due to the high profits.
According to a fine art establishment in Buon Ma Thuot City, a large santalum stump could provide enough material for the production of a full set of furniture. Those most meticulously carved can cost up to VND50 million (USD2,376), or even VND100 million (USD4,753) and more for those that are made from stumps of kingwood and other rare trees.
