The following discussions are focused on the new project areas in Nghe an and Thanh Hoa provinces and the new communes in Quang Nam and Binh Dinh provinces. As already mentioned in Section 1.5, separate environmental and social assessments/ screenings were conducted in these areas. 7_. Summary of selected plantation areas in 6 provinces to be included under the additional financing and extension operation. Provinces Communes Selected Forest Plantation Areas (ha) No. Bare lands, 1a 1b Poor quality plantations Harvestable plantations Total area 2011-2012 2013-2014 Total 6 provinces 203 6,319 9,336 18,950 21,621 56,227 With Red Book 3,240 4,836 10,850 9.671 28,598 W/O Red Book 3,080 4,500 8,100 11,749 27,429 Thanh Hoa 35 2,134 2,667 2,425 1,987 9,213 With Red Book 2,134 2,667 2,425 1,766 8,992 W/O Red Book 221 221 Nghe An 43 764 2,578 5,540 2,153 11,035 With Red Book 734 717 4,413 1,974 7,838 W/O Red Book 30 1,861 1,128 178 3,197 TT Hue 28 2,337 4,811 7,148 With Red Book 330 768 1,098 W/O Red Book 2,007 4,043 6,050 Quang Nam 34 2,778 1,117 2,407 4,695 10,997 With Red Book 372 301 749 1,676 3,098 W/O Red Book 2,406 816 1,658 3,019 7,899 Quang Ngai 32 3,860 6,464 10,324
6.1.2 Loss of Soil Fertility Loss of soil fertility results from a number of factors: soil erosion as described above, burning of vegetation in site preparation, and removal of biomass in harvesting. Burning usually decrease the total site nutrient pool through the combination of oxidation, volatilization, ash transport, leaching and erosion. 6,1.3 Risk of Pest and Disease Infestation associated with monoculture plantations especially, of exotic species As discussed a number of economic pests and diseases are affecting tree plantations in the two provinces and elsewhere in the country. The acacias (hybrid), A. auriculiformis and A. mangium had been observed to be least affected by pests and diseases, so far. However, the risk of pest and disease infestation becomes greater as larger areas are planted to a few species. The use of pesticides to control important pests and diseases, as was observed in Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai, and in tree nurseries could have several potentially adverse environmental impacts, including the health of laborers who are applying the pesticides. Pesticide residues and wastes including containers, when not properly dispose of could contaminate water bodies reducing water quality. 6.1.4 Loss of Biodiversity Impact of smallholder plantation forests on biodiversity is expected to be negligible, if at all, because proposed project are either bare lands or existing plantations and have low biodiversity. On the other hand, the Project has the potential to enhance biodiversity, if buffer zones of native species are established, or if the native species will be planted along with the fast growing species, or 3 or more clones of acacias (hybrid) are planted per plantation. 6.1.5 Fire Risk Risk to plantation damage cause by fire is expected to be minimal, if plantation species to be planted would be mainly Acacia and eucalyptus species, which are less susceptible to fire than Pinus merkusii. This is further ensured by the continuing implementation of an effective fire prevention and control system. 6.1.6 Carbon Sequestration Plantation forests could contribute significantly to carbon sequestration, and thus to reduction of impact of global warming. The amount of carbon that can be sequestered in a 5 – 7 years old Acacia mangium, for instance, was estimated to be about 77.8 tons per hectare. This sequestered carbon would remain stored for a long time, if the wood will be used for construction, furniture and the like.