Area of coastal forest cleared

Origin of exploited forests

On July 2, 2025, the local Forest Rangers discovered that some forest areas were exploited in An Loc village, Quang Cong commune, in lots 152, 161, compartment 1, sub-area 89 with a total exploited area of 3.1416 hectares (of which, protective forest 2.5843 hectares; production forest 0.5573 hectares). The total number of exploited trees was 1,461 trees (protective forest 1,331 trees; production forest 130 trees); the tree species was Acacia auriculiformis.

After discovering the incident, the City Forest Protection Department organized an inspection of the scene, suspended exploitation and deployed protection of the scene, continued to investigate and verify, and worked with relevant agencies.

The illegally exploited forest area belongs to the Sand Protection Forest Planting Project (referred to as Project 661) which was planted since 2008. From 2008 to 2012, the above forest area was managed by the Sand Protection Forest Planting Project Management Board (the Sand Protection Forest Planting Project Management Board assigned the group of households led by Mr. Le Nguyen Si to plant, care for and protect the forest according to the Contract dated September 24, 2008).

In 2012, the above forest area was assigned by the People's Committee of the old Quang Dien district to the group of households of Mr. Le Nguyen Si residing in village 4, Quang Cong commune (now Phong Quang ward) to manage, protect, use and benefit according to Decision No. 4176/QD-UBND dated December 28, 2012 of the People's Committee of the old Quang Dien district.

Mr. Le Nguyen Si's household group protected the above forest area until September 2020. After that, the above forest area was self-managed by the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune (now the People's Committee of Phong Quang ward). In March 2025, the People's Committee of Quang Dien district held a conference to summarize the work of forest management, forest fire prevention and control, forest development and deploy directions and tasks in 2025. They assigned forest rangers to work in the area to advise the local authorities and leaders of the Forest Protection Department to organize and implement forest management tasks.

Many forest trees were cut down to the roots.

On April 23, 2025, Quang Dien Forest Protection Department coordinated with the People's Committee of Quang Cong Commune (now Phong Quang Ward), the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Dien District (formerly) to inspect the scene on the protective forest area managed by the People's Committee of the Commune at Lot 152; in which, it was confirmed that Lot 152 is a protective forest that needs to be inspected more closely to promptly detect encroachment (illegally exploited area), at that time Lot 152 had not been cut down.

On December 31, 2024, the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune inspected the forest site to determine the extent of damage caused by the storm in 2024 and reported to the People's Committee of Quang Dien district (Report No. 215/BC-UBND dated December 31, 2024).

On February 18, 2025, the Party Executive Committee of the commune expanded the meeting, chaired by Mr. Le Duan, Secretary of the Party Committee (with attached meeting minutes showing the content: "Agree with the proposed viewpoint of the Commune People's Committee on the liquidation of forests broken by storms").

On February 19, 2025, the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune held a meeting, chaired by Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune (old), agreed to liquidate the above forest to Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc, residing in Phong Dien town (old) with an area of 8 hectares of production forest.

On July 2, 2025, the Forest Protection Department discovered the incident and suspended the exploitation when Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc organized the exploitation of 3.1416 hectares (of which, there were 2.5843 hectares of protective forest and 0.5573 hectares of production forest).

During the initial working and handling process, the Forest Protection Department worked with individuals including: Mr. Le Nguyen Si (the person assigned to QLBVR) to verify information about the forest protection management organization; Mr. Nguyen Bieu (living next to the exploited forest area) to determine the time the forest was exploited and was informed by him: The exploitation took place between the end of April and the beginning of May 2025.

Mr. Le Nguyen Oai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Cong Commune (formerly) was assigned by the People's Committee of the commune to monitor and direct the exploitation of the above forest and then assigned Mr. Le Nguyen An, a cadastral officer of the commune, to supervise the exploitation of the above forest.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Cong Commune (formerly), currently Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phong Quang Ward, admitted: The exploitation of production forests under Project 661 in Quang Cong Commune (now Phong Quang Ward) was agreed upon by the Executive Committee of the expanded Party Committee of the commune.

The People's Committee of Quang Cong commune (now Phong Quang ward) agreed to sell an area of 8 hectares of production forest for VND 85 million (according to the liquidation record dated February 19, 2025), but in fact, it exploited the area of planted forest with protective forest function, lot 152: 2.5843 hectares, and the forest with production forest function, lot 161: 0.5573 hectares, at plot 1, sub-area 89, Quang Cong commune.

On July 11, 2025, the Forest Protection Department worked with Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc (the buyer and exploiter). At the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc admitted: On February 19, 2025, the People's Committee of Quang Cong Commune (now the People's Committee of Phong Quang Ward) had a record of liquidation of planted forest for Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc with an area of 8 hectares in An Loc village (Tan An) with the amount of 85 million VND.

Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc hired 6 people in Quang Tri province (name unknown) to exploit the entire area of 3.1416 hectares for about 12 days from the end of April 2025 to the beginning of May 2025 (exact date unknown).

Before exploitation, Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc was instructed by Mr. Le Nguyen An, a cadastral officer of Quang Cong commune (now Phong Quang ward People's Committee) that the exploitation location was the entire area in An Loc village to the electric poles bordering Hai Duong commune; of which, the exploited area was 3.1416 ha (Protection forest: 2.5843 ha; production forest: 0.5573 ha) mentioned above.

During the exploitation process, Mr. Le Nguyen An regularly visited the site to supervise. The entire amount of exploited wood was transported in about 10 trucks and sold at Hue Bioenergy Joint Stock Company (address: Phu Bai Industrial Park, Phu Bai Ward, Hue City, at a price of 900,000 VND/ton - excluding exploitation and transportation costs).

People living along the coast regret seeing forests being cut down.

Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc transferred the money to buy the forest of 85 million VND to Ms. Cao Thi Thuy, treasurer of the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune on April 19, 2025. Later, because the entire area of 8 hectares had not been exploited as agreed, on May 14, 2025, the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune requested Ms. Cao Thi Thuy to transfer back the amount of 85 million VND.

On May 15, 2025, Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc transferred 30 million VND to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune and gave 35 million VND in cash to Mr. Le Nguyen Oai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Cong commune at Mr. Le Nguyen Oai's office.

Strictly handle violations

Thus, the total area of illegally exploited forest is: 3.1416 ha (of which, protective forest: 2.5843 ha; production forest: 0.5573 ha). From the above violations, Hue City People's Committee directed the City Police to investigate and handle violations according to the law.

The City People's Committee has directed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to preside over and coordinate with relevant units to continue collecting and consolidating records to strictly handle violations according to legal regulations. Consider the responsibilities of relevant organizations and individuals, especially in the process of performing forest management and protection tasks, before July 22, 2025.

Direct local forest rangers to closely monitor the area to promptly detect and prevent illegal forest exploitation, trading and transportation of forest products in the city. Assign responsibility to the Forestry Sub-Department to compile documents to guide the implementation of tasks and powers in forest management and protection of the People's Committees of communes and wards when operating the 2-level local government model. Urgently hand over forest and forestry land data, digital maps of 36/40 communes and wards with forests for localities to strictly manage according to regulations; coordinate with the People's Committees of communes and wards to develop and sign coordination regulations in the fields of forestry and forest protection.

PHONG ANH - NGUYEN KHANH

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-tri-xa-hoi/theo-dong-thoi-su/ubnd-tp-hue-chi-dao-cong-an-dieu-tra-xu-ly-nghiem-cac-sai-pham-155670.html