Hanoi (VNA) – Amid the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, a dedicated force of forest rangers quietly preserves nearly 27,100 hectares of forest and forestry land across the capital city, an essential “green belt” that, while modest in size, plays a vital role in climate regulation, ecological protection, and links to eco‑tourism, cultural heritage, and spiritual practices.
Under the two-tier administration model, 25 communes in Hanoi retain forest and forestry land, including Soc Son, My Duc, Ba Vi, Son Tay, Quoc Oai, Thach That, and others.
Although the capital’s forest footprint is relatively small, the Forest Protection Sub‑department within the municipal Agriculture and Environment Department has adopted a suite of measures to strengthen forest management, protection, and development
In particular, authorities have invested in wildfire prevention and suppression, wildlife control, and remote monitoring via the Forest Resource Monitoring System (FRMS) 4.0 system. Such efforts underscore the critical role forest rangers play in safeguarding Hanoi’s natural assets.
Deputy dead of Hanoi’s Forest Protection Sub‑department Nguyen Tien Lam has emphasised that despite a limited area, the city’s trees are indispensable to urban landscape, environmental health, and ecological security. He affirmed the rangers’ unwavering commitment to their duties, particularly under the twin pressures of climate change and urban expansion.
Over the first half of the year, forest rangers processed over 308 administrative cases on time and issued roughly 100 documents related to forest and wildlife management. They registered 24 wildlife‑breeding establishments, facilitated the voluntary handover of three moon bears (Ursus thibetanus) to a rescue centre at Bach Ma National Park, and closely monitor 274 facilities holding over 105,000 listed specimens, including 106 bears, under the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild fauna and Flora) framework. The rangers also inspected nearly 400 timber and forest‑product businesses, and seven facilities engaged in artificial cultivation of wild plants.
During the dry season, crews responded swiftly to 10 forest fires and one fire on non‑forested land. Though the number of incidents rose compared to last year, timely intervention limited damage to about 6.8 hectares, with no large‑scale losses.
Ranger teams, working with local authorities, executed 132 enforcement actions addressing illegal logging, land clearing, and construction on forestry lands, particularly in communes such as Yen Bai, Trung Gia, and Kim Anh, where land encroachment remains a persistent challenge.
Lam emphasised that success relies heavily on collaboration with local governments and community members, noting that the professional ranger force alone remains thinly staffed and under‑equipped.
Despite progress, Hanoi’s forestry protection efforts face several constraints. Ranger units remain understaffed relative to the vast, fragmented terrain, which includes tourist and residential zones.
Monitoring tools, computers, and GPS trackers are outdated or malfunctioning, hindering accurate data updates on the FRMS 4.0 system. The restructuring of administrative boundaries has impeded the smooth handover of forest‑management documents across localities.
Public awareness remains low in parts of outlying communes, and land violations in some cases facilitated by administrative reshuffling persist, with forested areas being cleared for development or farming.
Lam emphasises that effective protection must extend beyond dedicated teams to concerted action from authorities and residents at the grassroots.
He confirms that the sub‑department has formally requested Hanoi’s municipal People’s Committee to direct local authorities in forested areas to step up enforcement, invest in modern equipment, and enhance policies to support rangers’ work.
In the second half of 2025, the forest rangers will focus on several priority tasks. These include reviewing the current forest status for alignment with national priorities, including Vietnam’s forestry strategy to 2050, and amplifying public education on forestry laws among residents living near forests.
Hanoi’s forest protection and development fund is also stabilising, now managing approximately 89 billion VND (3.5 million USD). This fund will support reforestation efforts and payments for forest and ecosystem services provided to local households.
Director Tran Quang Vinh describes the ongoing administrative reorganisation at the commune level as both an opportunity and a test. He urges local leadership to work closely with rangers to pre‑empt recurring violations, cautioning against the reactive model of “building a pen only after the buffalo has wandered away".
While Hanoi’s expanses of forest appear silent and tucked away within the urban environment, the work behind them remains active and vital.
The city’s modest tree cover may go unnoticed amid concrete and asphalt, but for officials and guardians of these green patches, every hectare matters.
Their efforts, strengthened by stronger support, policy clarity, and community ties, are humbly maintaining the capital’s green lifeline amid mounting ecological and social challenges./.
