ENV

News Brief (E156, 9th - 16th March, 2006)

Illegal horns seized
DacLacProvince – On March 6th, provincial police confiscated more than 100 kilograms of wildlife horns from two houses. The wildlife included seven pairs of horns from wild water buffalo (some pairs cost more than 2,000 US dollars on the market), 20 buffalo horns and a number of samba deer horns and pangolin scales.
(People’s Police issue 344 dated March 11th 2006)

Illegal timber trade

Quang Tri Province – On March 8th, the Quang Tri Forest Protection Department (FPD) mobile team discovered a truck transporting more than 14 m³ of protected timber from Vinh Linh district to Dong Ha town. The previous week, the rangers confiscated 7.5 m³ of illegal timber on the same route. According to the FPD, a large amount of timber has been confiscated along this road since the beginning of the year.
(Pioneer issue 50 dated March 10th 2006)

Illegal mining
LamDongProvince – On March 12th, Da Lat city police impounded a truck transporting 1,370 kilograms of tin ore. According to an initial investigation, the truck driver was hired to transport the tin which had been purchased from Love Valley in Da Lat city. On the same day, the police also discovered tin ore with more than one ton of earth at another house.
(Sai Gon Liberated issue 10316 dated March 15th 2006)

PhuYenProvince – On March 14th, officers from the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment discovered and confiscated approximately 30 tons of iron ore which had been mined illegally. Recently, there have been an increasing number of reports of illegal mining at Phong Hanh iron mine in Tuy An district. It is estimated 1.5 – 2 tons of iron ore is taken from the mine each day.
(Labor issue 73 dated March 15th 2006)

Serious deforestation
DacNongProvince – According to the provincial FPD, from November 2005 to March 2006, there have been 73 cases of deforestation resulting in the damage of 100ha of forest. This is 1.37 times greater than the previous year. The situation is continuing to get worse. The Provincial People’s Committee reported that five forest plantations and a number of district FPDs must review their responsibilities in regards to deforestation before March 15th 2006.
(Labor issue 72 dated March 15th 2006; Sai Gon Liberated issue 10314 dated March 13th 2006)

New Law Document

Decree No 23/2006/ND-CP to guide the implementation of the Forest Protection and Development Law
On March 4th 2006, the Prime Minister issued Decree No 23/2006/ND-CP to guide the implementation of the Forest Protection and Development Law.  The decree allows Vietnamese people living abroad, foreign individuals and organizations to lease forest areas to produce forestry products and provide services. However, a lease agreement with any party should conform to the National Plan for Forest Protection and Development and be approved by the local People’s Committees.

The decree stipulates that a foreign individual and organization can be allotted a maximum of 30ha for a period of not more than 50 years in the case of primary forest.

(People’s Police issue 344 dated March 11th 2006; Vietnam News issue 5229 dated March 14th 2006; Decree No 23/2006/ND-CP)

Directive No 08/2006/CT-TTg to intensify action against illegal logging, slash-and-burn farming, and other illegal exploitation of forests
On March 8th 2006, the Prime Minister issued Directive No 08/2006/CT-TTg to intensify action against illegal logging, slash-and-burn farming, and other illegal exploitation of forests. The Prime Minister instructed People’s Committee chairpeople in provinces and cities to coordinate with local agricultural departments, law enforcement agencies and other authorities to step up the fight against loggers. In addition, the authorities plan to move anyone residing in the primary forest, special use forest, and protected forest to other areas.
(Economic Times issue 51 dated March 13th 2006; Law issue 64 dated March 15th 2006; Vietnam News issue 5227 dated March 11th 2006)

Links to environmental articles (Vietnamese)

Ha Tay Province: Serious environmental pollution in handicraft villages http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=12272

Implementing marine conservation projects in Viet Nam
http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=12258

Numerous tricks of logging
http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=12121

A Vietnamese student gains an international award on environment
http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=12113

Vinh Phuc Province: Protected birds and animals returned to Trung My forest
http://www.monre.gov.vn/monreNet/default.aspx?tabid=209&ItemID=12078

A 2,916 billion VND survey of marine resources and environment
http://vietnamnet.vn/khoahoc/moitruong/2006/03/550285/

Updates from ENV’s Wildlife Trade Hotline 18001522

On March 10th 2006, Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV) cooperated with the Turtle Conservation Center (TCC) in Cuc Phuong to rescue 30 kilograms of turtles. These animals including four elongated tortoises (Indotestudo elongata), six indochinese box turtles (Cuora galbinifrons), 10 keeled box turtles (Pyxidea mouhotii), and 14 Asian stripe-necked turtles (Cyclemys pulchristriata) were confiscated from a bus travelling in Da Nang city.

Besides the turtles, the seizure also included 20 kilograms of snakes, over half of which died. The remainder were released in South Hai Van forest. The driver was fined 11 million VND for violating the Forest Protection and Development Law.

(Education for Nature – Vietnam; Sai Gon Liberated issue 10310 dated March 9th 2006; Labor issue 67 dated March 9th 2006; Lien Chieu District FPD; Turtle Conservation Center)

In March, a local resident in Hanoi contacted the ENV Hotline to report the Pho Nui restaurant which was supposedly advertising wildlife and had civets and porcupines on display. On March 13th, rangers inspected the restaurant, however, found no evidence of wildlife. The rangers asked the restaurant to sign a commitment not to serve or display wildlife and removed the sign.
(Education for Nature – Vietnam)

For more information, please contact:

Nguyen Phuong Dung
Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV)
No.2/C5 tap the Dai hoc Ngoai Thuong, pho Chua Lang, Ha Noi.
Tel/Fax: 04-775 3685
env@fpt.vn or communication.env@fpt.vn