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Debate rages over plans to rehabilitate ravaged forest

HCM CITY — Vietnamese and international environmental specialists have ignited a vigorous debate over the question of whether the recently gutted U Minh Thuong Forest should be replanted.

During a two-day seminar that wrapped up on Friday in HCM City, the scientists sought to thrash out a future for the forest, which was razed to the ground by the March-April bush fires that followed a long drought.

Participants at the seminar, jointly organised by Kien Giang Province authorities and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, heard a report on the current conditions in U Minh Thuong forest, and the effect the fire had had on the diversity of its fauna and flora.

Some scientists said the forest should regrow naturally, rather than guided by human hands.

Dr. Tran Tiet from the HCM City Natural Sciences University said that cajeput had a strong ability to regenerate naturally after being burnt, unlike many other trees.

Some also argued that despite the decimation of many animal species in U Minh Thuong, people should not seek to fill the loss by releasing into the forest animals from other areas.

They were also divided when mapping out future fire control measures for U Minh Thuong Forest.

Some proposed to dredge canals and build more water reservoirs around the forest in preparation for the dry season, while others said this would only increase the risk of forest fires.

Organisers said they would consider all the ideas contributed by scientists and local managers as they developed a feasibility plan on fight and preventing fires in U Minh Thuong National Park.

This would then be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval.

The latest figures from Forest Research and Planning Institute show that 2,703ha of the 4,216ha U Minh Thuong cajeput forest were lost in fires earlier this year. — VNS