Illegal logging a perennial problem in Vietnam despite premier’s order
Natural forests in Vietnam continue to fall victim to illegal logging, despite orders from the prime minister to shut down access to at-risk areas last year. Following a directive from PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc in late June 2016, local authorities are no longer permitted to approve or legalize the exploitation of wood in these forests, yet loggers are still finding ways to chop these protected trees. According to the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, some 279 hectares of forest across the country was damaged in the first five months this year, a 118-hectare decrease compared to 2016.
