Bustling forest exploitation for charcoal burning in Quy Chau (Nghe An)

(Baonghean.vn) - In Quy Chau district, people are exploiting forests to burn charcoal. Public opinion is concerned about whether, in addition to planted forests, protective forests are being encroached upon?

Trucks carrying wood out of the forest in Chau Hoan commune (Quy Chau).

Recently, we have received information that many forest areas in Chau Hoi and Chau Nga communes (Quy Chau) have been cut down for wood to burn as charcoal, which has negatively impacted the upstream forest ecosystem. These forests were allocated land and forests by the State to the people according to Decree 163 of the Government.

Large milkwood trees in Khe Quyen forest in Ke Tan 2, Chau Hoi commune. This forest was assigned to local people to protect and preserve, and were also cut down.

Cutting down wood to sell for money has long been a livelihood for some households in Quy Chau. When buying wood from the loggers, timber brokers send trucks to transport it from villages in Chau Hoi, Chau Nga communes... to sell.

There are dozens of coal "boiling" kilns operating continuously in Quy Chau district.

A charcoal kiln in operation at Khe Quyen (Quy Chau).

It is suspicious that the timber transportation takes place late at night. Public opinion is concerned whether, besides planted forests, the upstream special-use forests are being encroached upon?

Quy Chau district has nearly 79,000 hectares of forest land. While clearing forests to burn charcoal, sell wood and prepare for the new forest planting cycle, some people in Chau Hoi and Chau Nga have encroached on other forest areas.

The dump truck with license plate 37C - 036.24 carrying wood was inspected by the Quy Chau Forest Rangers on the night of March 14 and early morning of March 15, 2016.

Talking to Nghe An Newspaper reporter, Mr. Nguyen Viet Khanh - Deputy Head of the Forest Protection Department of Quy Chau district also expressed sympathy for the lives of people in areas where forests are being encroached. In areas such as Chau Hoi and Chau Nga, people's lives mainly depend on forests and mountains, and there is a lack of jobs on productive land, so some people consider burning charcoal as a way of making a living.

Video Comments of Mr. Nguyen Viet Khanh - Deputy Head of Quy Chau District Forest Protection Department

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Mobile Forest Protection Team No. 3 currently has only 15 officers but is responsible for a large area including Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Nghia Dan and Quynh Luu districts. Meanwhile, the forest rangers of Quy Chau district have 17 people working directly in the villages. Forest protection work is facing many difficulties when forest exploitation activities are taking place vigorously in many remote villages.

PV Group