Forest Management and Land Use Dynamics in Vietnam

Vietnam’s landscape has undergone a pronounced forest transition over the past three decades, shifting from large-scale deforestation to a phase of reforestation and expanding tree cover. This transformation reflects a blend of state-led directives, market reforms and local livelihood adaptations. Following the doi moi economic reforms, decentralised land tenure and payment-for-ecosystem-services schemes have encouraged households to establish both natural and plantation forests. Plantation forestry now coexists with remnant natural habitats, influencing carbon sequestration, biodiversity and rural incomes. Simultaneously, shifting cultivation persists in upland regions, creating a mosaic of land-use types that challenge coherent management. Remote sensing and spatial modelling have elucidated patterns of forest degradation around agricultural frontiers, while integrated pest management and breeding resistant tree varieties have become vital to mitigate rising biotic threats. National REDD+ plans, agroforestry innovations and livelihood-oriented tree-planting interventions play an increasingly prominent role in balancing economic development, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation.

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Forest Management and Land Use Dynamics in Vietnam publication trend

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Technical terms

Plantation forest: A stand of trees established by planting or seeding, often of a single species, managed for timber, fibre or other products.

Natural forest: Forest ecosystems that have developed through natural succession processes, containing native species and high structural complexity.

Shifting cultivation: A form of subsistence agriculture where plots are cleared, cultivated for a few years, then abandoned to regenerate while farmers move to new sites.

Reforestation: The process of planting trees or conducting natural regeneration on lands that have previously supported forest cover.

REDD+: A mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, including conservation, sustainable management and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

References

1. Impact of tree planting on household well-being: evidence from the central highlands of Vietnam. Environmental Systems Research (2024).
2. Forest Cover Change, Households’ Livelihoods, Trade-Offs, and Constraints Associated with Plantation Forests in Poor Upland-Rural Landscapes: Evidence from North Central Vietnam. Forests (2020).
3. Assessment of Forest Degradation in Vietnam Using Landsat Time Series Data. Forests (2017).
4. New and Emerging Insect Pest and Disease Threats to Forest Plantations in Vietnam. Forests (2021).
5. Policies Drive Sub-National Forest Transitions in Vietnam. Forests (2020).
6. The potential for REDD to reduce forest degradation in Vietnam. Environmental Research Letters (2020).
7. An Ecologically Based System for Sustainable Agroforestry in Sub-Tropical and Tropical Forests. Forests (2017).