Garbage and waste soil 'attack' the landscape of the sandalwood forest in Tuong Duong.

Large amounts of waste are dumped right in the center of the Tuong Duong sandalwood forest. Photo: Ho Phuong

Upon arriving at the Tuong Duong sandalwood forest on November 4th, we discovered a large amount of waste, ranging from household waste such as plastic pipes and bags to solid waste such as concrete and asphalt. This amount of waste totaled tens of cubic meters.

In particular, the bases of the tall sandalwood trees, some tens of meters high, are completely covered with solid waste. The waste is located right in the middle of the sandalwood forest near kilometer 130 + 600 on National Highway 7.

All kinds of waste have been dumped in the Săng Lẻ forest recently. Photo: Hồ Phương

Our investigation reveals that, despite the incident having occurred several days ago, the authorities have yet to detect and address it.

Through contact with reporters, Mr. Vi Van Thang - Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Dinh commune - said: "I will send forestry and land management officials down to inspect."

Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien, Head of the Forest Protection Department of Tuong Duong district, said that a delegation from the Department of Tourism is currently surveying the Tuong Duong sandalwood forest for tourism development. Regarding the aforementioned incident, the department is not yet fully aware of the details. However, the department will conduct a thorough investigation and determine appropriate action.

Solid waste is "killing" the dozens of meters tall sandalwood trees in this particularly important forest. Photo: Ho Phuong

The Tuong Duong Săng Lẻ Forest is a special protected forest area in the mountainous district of Tuong Duong, and Nghe An province in general. Covering an area of ​​over 70 hectares, the forest is managed by 11 households in Quang Thinh village. The forest is not only significant in terms of natural resources but also a distinctive landscape, a symbol of the mountainous Tuong Duong district. Visitors from near and far cannot miss this magnificent scenery when coming to Tuong Duong. For this reason, many have likened it to the most beautiful Săng Lẻ forest in Indochina, a giant air conditioner for western Nghe An.

Besides solid waste, a large amount of household waste is also dumped in this area, causing many problems. Photo: Ho Phuong

Currently, the Tuong Duong sandalwood forest is being "surrounded" by waste, posing a threat to its landscape. Furthermore, the dumping of waste into the forest is causing environmental pollution and affecting the vitality of these valuable sandalwood trees.