Why It Matters: The government has urged people to save on electricity because of global warming. Yet leaders in Quảng Trị Province remain determined to clear hundreds of hectares of natural forest to build a resort.
Driving the News: On May 26, the Quảng Trị Provincial People’s Council passed a resolution approving the conversion of forest land for the U Bò Mountain–Thác Chuối Lake ecotourism, resort, and entertainment complex project, located in the former Quảng Bình Province, now part of Quảng Trị.
- Under the resolution, more than 158.6 hectares of forest are proposed for conversion, including more than 148 hectares of natural forest and more than 10 hectares of planted forest.
- According to the planning concept, the project is expected to include a cable car system and sightseeing routes connecting several branches to an ecological area within Phong Nha–Kẻ Bàng National Park.
The area is also planned as a multifunctional complex, including ecotourism, high-end resorts, sports facilities, entertainment venues, and a residential service zone.
What Remains Unclear: There is currently no official information about the project’s contractor.
Flashback: On April 8, the Quảng Trị Provincial People’s Committee said that it had launched a replacement forest planting plan covering up to 1,106 hectares, with a budget of 37.6 billion đồng—the largest such program ever recorded in the province—to strengthen forest management, protection, and development in the area.
What People are Saying: On May 24, journalist Đặng Quỳnh Giang posted on his personal Facebook page about the U Bò Mountain–Thác Chuối Lake ecotourism, resort, and entertainment complex project in Quảng Trị.
- In the post, Giang wrote that the former Quảng Bình Province “has become a world-class destination for adventure tourism and cave exploration.” Compared with mass tourism, he said, this model has the advantage of attracting fewer visitors, “placing less pressure on the environment, while generating much higher average spending.”
- He also raised concerns about the current development direction, writing, “The first photo is U Bò, the highest peak, at 1,009 meters, in the vast primeval forest area of Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng. It will be turned into a second Bà Nà Hills.” He also asked, “During these days of record heat, the question is again being asked: Which is more valuable, forests or concrete buildings? I guess many people still think concrete is more valuable because it is ‘development.’”
- As of 1 p.m. on May 25, the post had drawn more than 3,300 likes and over 300 shares on Facebook.
- Many users expressed opposition to the province’s resolution approving the project in the comments section. One account named Jien Ayun wrote: “It is happening again, just like the Central Highlands forests. When I was little, this time of year was usually very cool and comfortable. Since the forests gradually disappeared, that kind of air has gone too. But people still prefer ‘concrete.’”
- By contrast, another account named Dương Minh Chiến expressed support for the project, writing, “Developing tourism like this will also create more jobs for local people. Local residents do not benefit much from those adventure tourism activities. To attract visitors, you need to build more services for them. There has to be a trade-off. There is no place that can keep its forests completely intact while also developing the local economy well.”
Context: In 2025, Việt Nam’s total forest area reached about 14.97 million hectares, including areas that had not yet met the criteria to be counted toward forest coverage. Of this, natural forests accounted for more than 10.07 million hectares, while planted forests totaled nearly 4.9 million hectares.
- Despite this, Việt Nam’s natural forest area has continued to decline. Compared with 2024, this type of forest fell by 54,586 hectares, from more than 10.13 million hectares to about 10.08 million hectares in 2025.
Lăng Nguyên wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on May 28, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
