Landuse analysis and local knowledge can explain the intensity and drivers of landuse changes in a rural landscape. In the Huong Khe watershed north-central Viet Nam, during recent decades (1990-2014), this analysis identified a massive transformation of natural forests into farm-based plantations of rubber and acacia. Population growth also forced large areas of forest land to be allocated to local people for their livelihoods, and induced an increase in cultivated lands, such as shifting cultivation in uplands, and settlements. The Ho Ho sub-watershed is part of the Huong Khe watershed and a similar trend was observed there with the remarkable expansion of acacia forest plantations to supply the pulp industry. The conversion from logged over forest into acacia plantation occurred both in the upstream and downstream communes of the sub-watershed. Claims by local people for land to feed the growing population, over logging and the forest plantation expansion program were responsible for forest degradation and conversion. The local people foresaw that expansion of the acacia forest plantations would continue in the future driven by high economic as well as presumably environmental benefits such as landslide prevention and micro-climate regulation, along with a steady increase in the total population.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5716/WP15730.PDFAltmetric score:
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Publication year
2015
Authors
Phuong N M; Bac D V; Mulia, R.
Language
English
Keywords
rubber, forest degradation, vulnerability, environmental service, landuse
Geographic
Viet Nam
