Imprisonment logger for illegally logged rosewood in Cat Tien National park
Illicit exploitation of forest resources is a challenge for forest protection and biodiversity conservation efforts in Vietnam. Illegal logging, specifically of precious timbers, has been being a huge pressure on protected areas where is the last home for endangered fauna and flora. Rosewood (Dalbergia) is one of the most threatened group of tree species because of the illegal logging and trade. Consequently, their number of mature individuals has been significantly declined or even wiped out in most of their known ranges. Currently, in Vietnam rosewoods could only be found in small populations in some protected areas and protection forests in the Central and Southern provinces.
As an efforts to protect these threatened timber and ensure the rule of law, on January 27, 2021, The People’s Court of Tan Phu district, Dong Nai province convicted 3 persons for violating national regulation on wild fauna and flora protection and protected area management that committed on June 06, 2020. At the Court, the defendant was sentenced 1 year and 6 months non-custodial according to the Article 232 of the Penal Code (2015 amended in 2017). The sentence was consequence of an illegal logging activity for 0,121 cubic meter of Dalbergia oliveri in Cat Tien National Park. The verdict is an alarming news of the fact that protected fauna and flora are continuing be poached and illegally logged even in a national park. In addition, the verdict is also a strong message for those who intentionally violate national law and regulations on forest protection and protected areas management in Vietnam.
Rosewoods are among the most threatened plant in Vietnam that being illegally logged to supply the high-end timber market. The Dalbergia oliveri and D. cochinchinensis is the most logged and traded despite the fact that they are both protected by national law and strictly protected in protected areas. Therefore, more vigorous and active efforts are needed to protect the species, especially their tiny population remain in the wild. In support protection and recovery effort for these threatened species, Center for Nature Conservation and Development are coordinate with protected areas and protection forests to do research and map the remained wild population of the D. cochinchinensis and D. oliveri; develop identification guidelines to support better enforcement and strengthen in-situ conservation to facilitate regeneration and replanting in their known ranges.
