With regard to displacing trees for road construction, the Hanoi People’s Committee Chairman said that taking down or relocating trees is inevitable during the development process of any nation and city. During the past few years, the City had conducted many projects to displace trees and at the same time, Hanoi has planted hundreds of thousands of trees in replacement.
The Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung addressed the meeting
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The Hanoi Chairman voiced the viewpoint of the Municipal Party Committee which is seriously considering the fate of trees in any infrastructure project because it is a matter of public interest.
“In the process of implementation, we always request feedbacks from scientists, concerned ministries and related agencies. Each project and each tree is assessed in detail. Trees that can still grow will be relocate while too old trees will be cut down,” the Chairman said.
The process of cutting down trees needs to be conducted in transparency. Wood auctions have been conducted openly and the proceed gone to the public budget. On the other hand, the displaced trees are replanted in suitable positions.
On the issue of displacing the African mahogany trees to prepare ground for the construction of Belt Road 3, the Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee said that there area currently has 1,289 African mahogany trees with diameters from 25 to 40cm per tree. The biggest tree has a diameter of between 85 and 90cm. African mahogany trees have been planted for years in many streets of Hanoi.
However, the trees in the Ring Road 3 were mainly planted from 1992 to 1996 with their ages of over 20 years. According to scientists, there are straight and twisted trees. If all of the trees are replanted, the area needed for replanting will be up to 7 hectares as each tree occupies an area of 50 to 60m2. As a result, the clearance costs will be up to a hundred billion VND, and an estimated displacement cost will be about 60 to 70 billion.
Scientists consulted by the City’s administration concluded that the already grown up African mahogany trees can hardly be replanted at any sidewalk. The fund intended for tree displacement will be used more effectively to buy up a total of 20,000 young trees. According to scientific, there are many other trees suitable for urban landscapes while ensuring the economic benefits, noise and pollution reduction.
