Forests and forestry
Forest products
Illegal wildlife trade remains serious threat as demand for rare-animal pets increases
Illegal trade in wildlife was the most serious threat that rare animals in Thailand faced this year and the issue is expected to remain a major concern in the upcoming year, the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department and experts have said. News about ...
PM's order has positive results for Lao forests
Prime Minister’s Order No. 15 has successfully curbed harmful practices in the forestry sector and timber industry, while restoring public trust in the Party and government. This message was delivered at an annual meeting in Vientiane this week to review past achievements and discuss the ...
Stricter environment rules and fiercer competition threaten small paper firms
Small paper producers with an annual capacity of 10,000-20,000 tons will face more difficulties in 2018 due to stricter regulations on wastewater treatment and harsher competition from big companies, heard a meeting in HCMC last week. Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association general secretary Vu Ngoc ...
Study maps 187 land conflicts as palm oil expands in Kalimantan
Palm oil production in Indonesia often comes at the expense of traditionally managed lands as well as the livelihoods of indigenous communities, causing widespread conflict in the archipelago country. With oil palm cultivation set to double in Indonesia over the next 10 years, methods for understanding ...
Forest coverage to rise to 47.25 percent in 2017
The forestry sector will protect, develop and sustainably use existing forest areas and land fund for forest development with a view to raising the country’s forest coverage to 47.25 percent in 2017. This is one of the focal tasks of the sector during 2017 put ...
Laos prepares for face-to-face EU FLEGT, VPA negotiations
The Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade technical working group on December 15 met in Vientiane to discuss finalised key parts of the draft timber definitions to be submitted to the European Union by the end of this month. The submission is crucial preparation for ...
When selling is more lucrative than protecting: Myanma timber enterprise and the deforestation crisis
For years, Myanmar’s state-owned timber giant has been subject to accusations of corruption and shadowy closed-door dealings. Environmental advocacy groups have long blamed Myanmar Timber Enterprise for operating its industry monopoly without transparency. On November 15, their allegations appeared to gain newfound teeth, substantiated by ...
President pledges to encourage investment to Myanmar
President Trần Đại Quang pledged that Việt Nam will encourage its business community to invest in Myanmar, especially in agriculture, fish farming, mining and tourism. At a meeting with visiting Myanmar Minister of Home Affairs Kyaw Swe in Hà Nội yesterday, the President said that Việt ...
Wood exports to Europe to rise
Once the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade comes into force, there will be opportunities for Việt Nam to export more wooden products to Europe and other new markets as well as get higher prices, according to the EU Delegation to ...
New timber ban questioned
As of January, another of Cambodia’s highly traded varieties of rosewood will be protected by an international convention as an endangered species, but given past “dodgy trade”, observers are sceptical of how meaningful that protection will be. Demand from the Chinese market for Myanmarese rosewood ...
