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The Discourse of Forest Cover in Vietnam and Its Policy Implications

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  • Thi Kim Phung Dang

    (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 72900, Vietnam)

Abstract

As the world’s largest ecosystem, forests affect the location, layout, and functionality of human populations worldwide. Despite environmental efforts, forests are being taken down. As socioeconomic issues promote deforestation, sustainable development is a worldwide answer. However, there is still a shortage of information about the manifestation and interconnection of sustainability aspects in a country’s forestry and their impact on policy making in developing nations. To address this knowledge gap, this study analyzes the preeminent discourse of forest cover in Vietnam forestry and determines how well it incorporates the three pillars of sustainable development. The various pieces of pertinent material (forestry regulations, reports, articles, statements by government officials and National Assembly representatives in the media, etc.) were analyzed using discourse analysis and thematic analysis. Overall, the findings show that the discourse has evolved through four themes: intercropped supporting trees, multi-purposed trees, replacing afforestation and change from forest cover to tree cover. These themes all exclude ecosystems that must exist beneath forest cover, which is frequently disrupted by the clear cut of fast-growing trees and industrial crops. The institutionalization of the discourse is facilitating legal deforestation by converting natural forest into other land uses, in particular infrastructure with replacing afforestation. The economic coalition, which strategically includes livelihood and social development in their storylines to legitimize forest conversion to other land uses, is winning the discursive struggle for hegemony. The paper concludes with some recommendations to improve Vietnam’s forestry policy, making for long-term sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Thi Kim Phung Dang, 2022. "The Discourse of Forest Cover in Vietnam and Its Policy Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:17:p:10976-:d:905097
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thi Kim Phung Dang & Mariëlle Zouwen & Bas Arts, 2019. "Challenges of Forest Governance: the Case of Forest Rehabilitation in Vietnam," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 425-452, December.
    2. Thi Kim Phung Dang & Ingrid J. Visseren-Hamakers & Bas Arts, 2017. "The Institutional Capacity for Forest Devolution: The Case of Forest Land Allocation in Vietnam," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 35(6), pages 723-744, November.
    3. Siry, Jacek P. & Cubbage, Frederick W. & Ahmed, Miyan Rukunuddin, 2005. "Sustainable forest management: global trends and opportunities," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(4), pages 551-561, May.
    4. Nguyen Nghia Bien, 2001. "Forest Management Systems in The Uplands Of Vietnam: Social, Economic and Environmental Perspectives," EEPSEA Research Report rr2001011, Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), revised Jan 2001.
    5. Dang, Thi Kim Phung & Turnhout, Esther & Arts, Bas, 2012. "Changing forestry discourses in Vietnam in the past 20years," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 31-41.
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