Lam Dong Balances Forest Protection with Infrastructure and Tourism Development
Lam Dong is implementing a flexible yet tightly regulated approach to forest land-use conversion to support key infrastructure and tourism projects.
Forest Land Converted to Restore Highway 28
Work is progressing at a rapid pace along the Gia Bac Pass section of Highway 28 in Son Dien Commune. As the rainy season begins, contractors are racing against time, using favorable weather conditions to carry out slope excavation, landslide mitigation and road-widening works at multiple locations.
The project is being implemented under an emergency construction order issued by the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee in late January 2026. With a total investment of approximately VND 70 billion, it aims to address landslides along the Km43+500 - Km60 section of Highway 28.
Highway 28 is a key east-west transport corridor in Lam Dong Province. In late 2025, prolonged heavy rainfall triggered severe landslides at multiple locations along the route, with soil and rocks spilling onto the roadway, disrupting traffic and posing significant safety risks.
According to the Lam Dong Department of Construction, several sections experienced deep erosion along the downhill slopes, creating steep escarpments that made conventional stabilization measures impractical. As a result, authorities opted to widen the road toward the uphill slope, realign sections of the route and construct reinforced concrete retaining walls and gabion structures to ensure long-term stability.
To carry out the project, authorities determined that the conversion of nearly 5.5 hectares of forest land was essential for site clearance and the treatment of landslide-prone sections.
Following a review of site conditions, the Department of Construction worked with the Department of Agriculture and Environment to advise the provincial authorities on a proposal to convert forest land for the project. In mid-May 2026, the Lam Dong Provincial People's Council approved the proposal.
According to the Economic and Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the project was launched as an urgent measure to address disaster-related damage and ensure traffic safety ahead of the 2026 rainy season. Its timely implementation is expected to reduce landslide risks while maintaining traffic flow along this key transport corridor.
Officials from the Department of Construction said that most of the forest-land-related clearance work has been completed. Contractors are now accelerating construction in a bid to complete the project by the end of November 2026.
Opening New Space for Coastal Tourism Development
Beyond supporting urgent transport infrastructure projects, Lam Dong is also converting forest land to create new opportunities for coastal tourism development.
At its third session (an extraordinary meeting) in late May 2026, the 11th Lam Dong Provincial People's Council approved the conversion of more than 65 hectares of forest land for the Bung Thi Hot Spring Tourism Area project in Tan Thanh Commune.
Under the approved resolution, approximately 65.56 hectares of forest land will be converted, the majority of which is classified as production forest.
The approval follows an earlier decision by the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee to endorse the project, which is designed as an eco-tourism, resort and entertainment complex centered on the area's natural hot mineral springs and high-end wellness services.
According to Phan Nguyen Hoang Tan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the conversion of forest land is necessary to secure land for the project and aligns with the province's strategy to expand tourism development along its southern coastline following the administrative merger.
Provincial authorities believe the Bung Thi Hot Spring area holds significant potential thanks to its natural hot mineral resources, coastal landscape and proximity to major attractions such as Ke Ga Beach and the Ta Kou Pagoda spiritual tourism complex
Once completed, the project is expected to become a large-scale eco-tourism, wellness and spiritual tourism destination, helping attract investment, expand the service sector, create jobs and diversify Lam Dong's tourism offerings.
According to the Economic and Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council, all forest land proposed for conversion lies outside the three-category forest planning framework under the National Forestry Plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050.
The project is also consistent with land-use planning for the former eastern part of Lam Dong Province. Forest status assessments, a preliminary environmental impact evaluation and a compensatory afforestation plan have all been reviewed and approved by relevant authorities in accordance with regulations.
According to the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, following the approval of the resolutions, authorities will continue completing the necessary legal procedures to move the projects forward. The province remains committed to balancing economic development with responsible forest management and ensuring forest cover targets are maintained in line with provincial resolutions.
Lam Dong currently has more than 1.16 million hectares of land designated for forestry purposes, accounting for about 48% of its total natural area. Of this, more than 1.1 million hectares are forested, including approximately 930,000 hectares of natural forest and nearly 183,000 hectares of planted forest.