From January 1 next year, those who illegally fell trees of endangered, precious or rare species in production forests (of group IIA) for 7 - 12.5 m3 of lumber will be fined up to VND 200 million. Also subject to this level of fine are those who illegally log 5 - 10 m3 of these trees in protection forests or 2.5 - 5 m3 of these trees in special-use forests.
As prescribed in Government Decree No. 99/2009/ND-CP of November 2, on sanctioning of administrative violations in forest and forest product management, those who are allocated by the State natural forests or forests planted with budget capital or non-refundable aid for protection and use for forestry purposes but leave their lots untended and illegally deforested will also be penalized.
The regulation, which replaces the one issued together with Decree No. 159/2007/ND-CP of October 30, 2007, levies a fine of VND 0.1-1 million for poaching forest animals, especially in their mating season, a fine of VND 3-5 million for causing a forest fire on less than 1,000 m2 of special-use forest, 1,500 m2 of protection forest or 2,000 m2 of production forest. Those who cause larger fires will face a fine of up to VND 50 million or penal liability examination.
Entities that illegally encroach upon forest land or destroy forests will pay a fine of up to 50 million.
Graziers encroaching upon restricted forest areas will be fined VND 0.1-3 million depending on categories of forest and may be forced to reforest or pay reforestation costs.
Particularly, illegally storing, transporting processing or trading in large quantities of foreign animals and precious forest products may be fined up to VND 500 million.-