In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City’s large transportation infrastructure projects have drawn public attention as they require many trees to be relocated or cut down.

At a press conference in mid-May, Le Van Tan, head of the greenery and public park department at the Technical Infrastructure Management Center of Ho Chi Minh City under the municipal Department of Construction, gave detailed explanations on the topic.

Tan emphasized that trees play a crucial role in the urban landscape, significantly enhancing the living environment for residents and serving as a necessary and important factor for life.

The role of trees is even more important in urban areas, which are greatly affected by crowded populations and extreme weather conditions such as scorching heat.

Trees are a critical component of urban technical infrastructure, so urban development must always be associated with the conservation and development of green spaces.

However, the city also needs to develop infrastructure such as transportation works including bridges, roads, and railways, as well as electricity and drainage systems for economic and social development.

For that reason, the city had to cut down or relocate many trees for key projects such as metro lines 1 and 2, An Phu Intersection, and the Hoang Hoa Tham Street expansion, to name a few.

However, investors and functional agencies have calculated and considered the best way to do the projects, including minimizing the felling and relocation of trees.

According to Tan, construction project investors are theoretically required to compensate for the demolition by relocating trees or planting new ones.

The city also plans to review other locations, lands, and routes to develop more public parks, thereby replacing and offsetting the loss of trees that have been cut down.

This initiative aims to increase the ratio of green parks in comparison to the amount of developed transport infrastructure.

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