Viet Nam Ministry of Education and training
Thai Nguyen University
NGUYEN ANH HUNG Studying on human affects on the sustainability of
forest systems in the atk - safety zone
in dinh hoa district, Thai Nguyen province ABSTRACT OF Ph.D. dissertation IN biology
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The thesis is fulfilled at UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY FOREWORDS

1. Background of the study

Forest is an extremely valuable natural resource to the countries. In fact, the
value of forests is not only a basis for socioeconomic development, but also has many
important ecological functions. It involves in the processes of climate regulation and
limits the damaging effects of floods, drought, soil protection, etc. In addition, value of
forests also creates landscapes of tourism, and scientific research.
Currently, the demand of natural resources of the human is increasing more and
more leading to many conflicts in the relationship between natural conservation and
development. To resolve this conflict and to meet human needs in a sustainable way,
the natural resources and especially forest resources should be used efficiently.
The government has issued a series of policies encouraging the resident
communities to receive land, forest for cultivation, protection, raising zoning and
enactment of forest protection and development, decrees and directives on the
management of forest fires, establishment, strengthening forest rangers, building a
forecasting network of forest fire in provinces. However, the capital investment in
many localities is limited and the deforestation still occurs frequently. Immensed wind
The ATK-Safety Zone located Dinh Hoa district, an abundant wind capital in
resistance against the French, includes 23 communes and towns. The reasons that Dinh
Hoa was chosen as the revolutionary base, are due to rugged terrain, dense forest with
canopy levels to ensure confidentiality. Today the war has gone, under the impact of
market mechanisms and the various reasons, the forest ecosystems have been
destroyed. Therefore, in order to demonstrate the ethical issue “when drinking water,
remember its source” and to express the concern of the Party and Government for
residents in the ATK-Safety Zone, the State has also invested to socio-economic

cultural relic in the studied area.
- Researching on effects and role the human in the management and sustainable
exploitation of the forest ecosystem serving socioeconomic development.
- Providing quantitative evidences in systematic to prove the relationship between the
human activities of livelihood and the sustainability of forest ecosystem in the ATK-
Safety Zone.
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Chapter 1
LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1 Some concepts
1.2. The history of human impact on the ecological environment
1.3. Issues on sustainable management and use of ecosystems
1.4. The main research trends on forest ecosystems
1.5. Trends in research on human impact on the forest ecosystems

Chapter 2
SUBJECTS, CONTENTS AND METHODS OF STUDY
2.1. Subjects of the study
- Forest ecosystems in the Safety Zone in Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province
- The impacts of human’s activities to the sustainability of forest ecosystems in the
ATK-Safety Zone in Dinh Hoa district, Thai Nguyen province
2.2. Research Contents
- Researching on natural and socio-economic conditions in the studied area; studying
the diversity of the flora and plant cover in the studied area; surveying study on

and distributed evenly on the standard plots. There is statistics of
names of species. If species are unknown, specimens collected for identification. A rod
with quality assessment of regenerative trees measures height of regenerative tree.
Potential tree group is the trees available a height of 1.5 m, a good vitality, the
competitive ability with the tier of shrubs and fresh vegetation, straight stem with
evenly canopy; trees harmed by animals eating or trampling. It is expressive bruised
trees, broken branches and loss of the young shoots.
- Identifying the canopy cover percent (CCP) with a spherical mirror.
+ For the soil samples: Soil samples taken according to point method, on a sunny day
in the patterns of vegetation covers: Land of the secondary forest, land of shrub
vegetation land, grass hilly land, land under planted forest canopy at a depth of 0 -
10cm to analyze of soil microorganisms and at a depth of 0-15cm to analyze the
physical and chemical indicators of soil.
2.3.2.3. Method of Interview Survey
- Survey method of resident communities: in each commune, it surveys 10 residents as
representatives for householders working with forestry production activities.
- Expert method: workshops are organized with the participation of the forestrial
officials, scientists, local managers in order to evaluate the survey results and survey
results and comments to complete the suggested solutions.
2.3.3. Methods of analysis and data processing
+ For plants
- Identifying the scientific names of plants according to the document of the author
Pham Hoang Ho (1993), a Plant List of Vietnam (2003, 2005).
- Determining life forms and the use value of the plant species-based the document
"Names of Vietnam forest trees" and "1900 useful plant species of Vietnam".
- Identifying rare plant species based on documents the Vietnam Red Book 2007 - The
Flora part and the Decree 32/2006/ND-CP of the Government; the Red List of
Medicinal Plants in Vietnam in Handbook of medicinal herbs required protection.
- Vegetation Classification: It is based on UNESCO's classification (1973) for the
classification of vegetations.

- Determining the number of microorganisms under the limiting dilution method on
orientation-selected medium; active of cellulose resolution under the agar diffusion
method and measurement of resolution circles on agar plates; Determining microbial
diversity by means of morphology, physiology and biochemistry; Identifying bacteria
components according to Bergey's classification 1974, Yarrow’s classification of the
yeasts 1998, the classification of fungi and Hunter 1995 Bernett, Babieva’s
classification of Lipomyces yeast 1987.
- Identifying pH
KCl
measured by pH meter; Determining humus (%) by Tiurin method;
Determining total protein content (N%) according to Kjeldahl method; Determining total
phosphorus (P
2
O
5
%) by the method of Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS);
Determining total potassium content (K
2
O%) by the method of emission spectra;
Identifying proportion by Picnomet method; Identifying density by the density tube
method, Determination of porosity by the formula: P (%) = (1 - D/d) x 100 (P - porosity
of the soil (%), D - load-bearing capacity of soil; d - bearing capacity of soil);
Determining moisture by the method of absolute drying in drying cabinet.
- Determining thickness of topsoil eroded by pilling; Determining the soil-loss amount
(tons per hectare per year) according to the equation of Wischmeier W.H. and Smith
D.D.:
A = R*K*L*S*C*P, of which,
R is the rain factor. Calculated method of Nguyen Trong Ha is used by the formula:
R = 0.548257 P - 59.9 (P is mean annual rainfall); K is the coefficient of soil erosion,
use of a K – input lookup tables corresponding to each soil type according to studied

the rich and plentiful water source. The territory of Dinh Hoa district is the headwaters
of streams and tributaries of streams and forms 3 systems.
3.2. Socio-economic conditions
The ATK-Safety Zone of Dinh Hoa district includes 24 administrative units
including 23 communes and 1 town with a total area of 52272.23 hectares. Ethnic
communities living in Dinh Hoa district consists of 8 ethnic groups, of which, it is
mainly ethnic groups of Kinh, Tay and Nung and the remaining ethnic groups account
for low proportion (San Chi, Dao, Cao Lan, H 'mong and Thai groups). Dinh Hoa
district's population is 87,722 people with the average population density of 171
7
people per km
2
. In rural areas, there are 80,144 inhabitants accounting for 92.97% of
the district demographics. This shows that the population is mainly concentrated in
rural areas and depends mainly on agriculture and forestry production. Currently, the
rate of natural increase of population tends to increase that causes pressure on forest
resources.
Chapter 4
RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1. The current status of forest resources in the studied area
4.1.1. The current status of use of forestrial land
The area of forest land of Dinh Hoa district is 35787ha and accounts for about 70%
of the total natural land area. In particular, there are 24.792ha of forest land, accounting
for 69.3% of the total forest land area and 47.4% of the total natural land area; the land
area without forests accounts for the lower proportion and is 30.7% of total area of
forest land, including current forest states is IA, IB, scattered bare hills, etc.
4.1.2. Vegetation characteristics

4.3.1.2. Deforestation for planting tea: To expand tea planted area, residents have to
destroyed the palm tree forests and Neohouzeaua forests inherited from their previous
generations or even from natural forests. Through investigation, it showed that 72.37% of
the currently tea planted land is derived from forests inherited from their parents. It
includes forest kinds such as the mixed forest available palm trees + woody plants +
Neohouzeaua, the forests of palm trees or forest of Neohouzeaua and small bamboos.
4.3.1.3. Activity grazing livestock: current cattle are grazed mainly in the forest. It is
very limited to graze in the grass fields around the fields and gardens. Therefore, affect
to forest vegetation is also significant.
4.3.1.4. Activity of timber exploitation: timber operations used in 2 purpose is to sell
and use in the family, in which, a number of participants getting wood for domestic
use is lower than that for sale. Activity of timber exploitation for sale occurred the
most powerful activity in the period of 1990-1995, the illegal timber exploitation is
mainly and the wood reserve decreases the most sharpness
4.3.1.5. Exploitation of non-timber forest products: use value of non-timber forest products
that gives people a lot. Therefore, residents of Dinh Hoa district always consider that forest
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is a warehouse in which, there is everything to serve people's lives and activities of
exploitation of non-timber forest products are still taking place in the studied area.
4.3.2. The positive activities
Compared with the activities that negatively affect forest resources, these positive
activities are not much. Some positive activities are afforestation activity, zoning
promotion of regeneration, restoration of relics to create a new landscape and
management and protection of forest resources.
4.4. Influence of impacts on the sustainability of forest ecosystems
4.4.1. The decline in biodiversity and qualities of regenerated plants
* Affect regenerated plants qualities: Wherever, the higher the density of the grazing

are recovering at an early stage. Therefore, the floor structure is relatively simple.
Therefore, groups becoming species in two vegetation patterns are mostly short-lived
species and light favorite trees and appropriate for poor soil conditions.
4.4.3. Degradation of environmental land
* The impact of the coverage of vegetation on some soil physical properties
It is based on the data table 4.28, we found that indicators on density,
volumetric weight, moisture content and soil porosity under patterns of vegetation
covers are different. In particular, density (from 2.43 to 2.63 g/cm
3
) and volumemetric
weight (from 0.79 to 1.20 g/cm
3
) of land reduce gradually from greensward  the
scrub vegetation  the planted forest  the secondary forest or in other words, the
higher the coverage of vegetation is, the lower the soil density and volumetric weight
are .
For the soil available high density and volumetric weight, root systems of plants
growing in the soil usually have poorly developed and are less likely to deep into the
soil. So that, on the soil of greensward and scrub vegetation, species are mainly
limited reproductive. Thus, the density and volumetric weight are closely related with
the coverage of vegetation covers. In addition, it also directly related to soil structure,
soil eroded capabilities, soil fertility, etc.
Table 4:28. Some physical properties under vegetation covers
Kinds of land
under vegetation
covers
Moisture (%)
Density g/cm
3
Volumetric
vegetation  greensward or in other words, the higher the coverage of vegetation is, the
higher porosity and moisture of soil are. Humidity and porosity of the soil under
vegetation covers of the secondary forests and natural forests is high due to the large
coverage (see Section 4.2.2). Besides porosity and humidity are closely related to the
volumetric weight and density in the same land sample. The lower the density and
volumetric weight are, the higher the porosity increases. Thus, increase of water
infiltration into the soil leads to increase soil moisture, while soil erosion is also limited.
* Affect of the coverage of vegetation on soil erosion
Coating of vegetation types plays a very important role, is effective in soil erosion
control. To determine the extent of soil erosion in different forest states, we conducted
a survey, analysis, statistical results showed in Table 4.29.
Table 4.29. Soil erosion in vegetation covers
Kinds of land under
vegetation covers
Thickness of eroded
soil (mm per year)
The amount of soil eroded
(tons per ha per year)
The secondary forest
1.1
10.8
Manglietia glauca planted forest
2.1
20.7
Shrub vegetation
4.2
45.5
Greensward

P
2
O
5
(%)
K
2
O (%)
The secondary forest
3,36
6,13
0,327
0,191
1,325
Manglietia glauca
Planted forest
2,87
5,84
0,258
0,183
1,012
Shrub vegetation
2,65
4,44
0,179
0,166
0,756
Greensward
2,19
4,04

Quantity of Microorganisms (CFU/g)
Total
microorganisms

Fungi
Actinomycetes
Microorganism
of cellulose
resolution
Microorganisms
in mucous
membrane
The secondary
forest
(2.4±0.6) x 10
8

(1.2±0.5) x 10
5

(8.8±0.4) x 10
5

(7.2±0.6) x 10
7

(6.4±0,6) x 10
5

Manglietia


(1.4±0.2) x 10
4

Greensward
(1.8±0.2) x 10
5

(2.8±1.2) x 10
4

(0.4±0.6) x 10
4

(7.4±0.6) x 10
4

(2.4±0.2) x 10
3

In 2 soil samples of the secondary forest and planted forests, quantity of filamentous
fungi, actinomycetes and microorganism of cellulose resolution is at 10
5
CFU/g and
13
10
7

No. of
strains
tested
bioactivity
Resolution activity (%) / total number of isolated strains
Cellulose
Insoluble
phosphate
Starch
Mucus
Exc.
Good
Exc.
Good
Exc.
Good
Exc.
Good
The
secondary
forest
Bac.
25
42
25
35
20
22
20
25

15
15
3
Fun.
22
24
25
35
30
9
12
0
0
Acti.
14
15
25
20
35
0
0
0
0
Greensward
Bac.
18
5
18
12
5

Kinds of land under
vegetation covers
No. of strains
tested
bioactivity
% rate of bacterial strains of cellulose
resolution (D circle of resolution in mm)
Exc.
Good
Fair
Weak
The secondary forest
25
20
25
45
10
Manglietia glauca
Planted forest
20
10
40
25
15
Shrub vegetation
15
10

bacteria and 1 variety of actinomycetes and fungi in mucus membrane. However, in the soil
of greensward, components of microorganisms have the poorest varieties. There are 11
varieties that reduced by half when compared with that of the forest land.
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Table 4.34. The diversity of soil microorganisms under vegetation covers
Kinds of land under
vegetation covers
Total

Bacteria
filamentous
fungi
fungi in
mucus
membrane
Actinomycetes
Quantity
%
Quantity
%
Quantity
%
Quantity
%
The secondary forest
22
12

Aspergillus spp, Penicillium spp, Rhizopus spp, Alternaria spp. Meanwhile, the most
common species capable of cellulose resolution are Aspergillus, Penicillium,
Trichoderma, Fusarium. In addition, in the secondary forest land, there are also 2
species of fungi capable of insecticides, namely Beauveria and Mertahzium.
Actinomycetes is mainly Streptomyces in the soil of secondary forest and shrub land.
Conclusion: The results of surveys have showed that the coverage of vegetation cover
is closely related to physical and chemical properties, erosion level and soil
microorganisms. It can say that the greater the coverage is, the more the fertile and
porous soil is, etc ability of soil erosion declining and vice versa. As above said
statement, four patterns of vegetation covers studied and derived from primary forests
are formed by human impacts. Thus, under the impact of humans, the vegetation
structure is altered and the soil has been degraded.
4.4.4. Depletion of water resources
When investigating on the actual state of water resources in some streams in the
district we obtained the following results (Table 4.36):
- Springs, where headwater forest are vegetations in patterns of IIIA2, IIIA1, have still
water all year round. However, residents said these streams also greatly reduced water
in the dry season than that in the past (Khuon Tat springs, Khuoi Tat springs). The
patterns of watershed forest have been exploited for firewood by man in moderation,
but forest structure is also changed.
- Springs, where headwater forest are vegetations in patterns of IIA, IIB, IC, etc, dries up in
the dry season (Tam Hop springs, Dong Quang springs and Dong Hau springs), there are
some months available water from May to September. This is due to less water-holding
capacity of vegetation, although it still had been water all year round previously, because the
watershed vegetation covers at that time have not been destroyed.
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Table 4.36. The status of water flow in some streams in the studied area

12 months
9 months
Khuoi Tat
Khuoi Tat village,
Quy Ky commune
12 months
12 months
12 months

Summary: The role of vegetation in regulating surface runoff and feeding groundwater
is very large (see Section 4.2.2 and 4.4.1.3). However, many watershed vegetation
covers were destroyed the canopy story structure for logging, non-timber forest
products, grazing, etc. Therefore, after each heavy rain, surface runoff pouring springs
is huge, but only after a few days amount of the water in springs returns to daily normal
water amount. Currently, water quality has diminished greatly. It should have
reasonable solutions and the most effective measures.
4.4.5. Promotion of coverage of forest ecosystems
Facing the risk of deterioration of forest resources in general and in particular
that in the studied area, local government also has to take measures to protect and
develop forest resources. However, due to many different reasons, the effects of them
are not sufficient. In recent years, in the studied area it only focused on plantation for
pure species forest to aim at socio-economic development and greening of barren hills.
So, the coverage of forest in 2000, 2005 and 2011 has increased was 0.40, 0.45 and
0.47 respectively. Although forest area increased, forest quality does not increase and
effectiveness of protection is not high. Forest ecosystems are in the recovery phase. If
they continue to be managed, taken care and protect well, the forest development
process will advance the state of maximum peak.
Currently, the merger of three different units founds the forest management unit of the
ATK-Safety Zone of Dinh Hoa district. They are the Ranger Station of Dinh Hoa
district, the Protective Forest Management Board of Dinh Hoa district and the

- Ensuring sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.
- Making sure the use extent of forest resources not exceeding their regeneration capacity.
- Being consistent with intellectual level, cultivation and local socio-economic
conditions to look forward to success in sustainable development.
4.5.2. The groups of solutions should be prioritized for implementation
4.5.2.1. Repelling activities of negatively affects on forest ecosystems
* In term of activities of tea production and processing
- There should be planned and closely managed the conversion of agricultural and
forestry land use.
- The plant should have effective measures in order to increase the purchase price of raw tea.
- State supports to develop plans to mount benefits between plant and farmers.
* In term of activities of livestock grazing
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- Adopting policies prohibiting and sanctioning cases cattle grazing in the forests
zoning for, protection and landscape relics.
- The locality needs to plan grazing zone, to proceed advantage an alternating grazing
with appropriate density.
- Studying ecological zoning as a basis for planning the grass planting. Identifying
types of grass growing with suitable climatic conditions.
- Guiding transfer of techniques for growing grass, tending, harvesting, processing forage
and reserving for livestock foods, towards to reach animal husbandry for commodities.
- Take advantage of feces of cattle and human to use as organic waste for biogas
digesters providing and replacing gas for cooking daily activities. In this way, the
environmental pollution and exploitation of firewood are limited.
* The activities logging and non-timber forest products
- Adopting policies prohibiting and sanctioning in logging and non-timber forest
products in the forests zoning for and protecting landscape relics. Building regulations

- Determination right subjects for zoning for or afforesation.
- Increase of support for zoning for forest restoration for the first year and the 2
nd
year is
VND 500.000 per hectare per year and VND 200.000 per hectare per year, respectively.
* Activity of embellishment of revolutionary historical relics and landscapes
- Planning and expanding connections with ecological tours of Tan Trao ATK (Son Duong
district, Tuyen Quang province) and Cho Don ATK (Bac Kan province), Nui Coc Lake.
- Developing tourist routes in scientific research.
- Development of tourism services.
- There are mechanisms to encourage, invites businesses and individuals to invest in
development and to fully exploit the tourism potentials
- Continuing to invest in research, collect documents and artifacts to complement for
the gallery creating more lively and attracting more tourists.
- Developing a team of tour guides available adequate knowledge and skills for serving
tourists.
- It should be noted the pressure of number of tourists come the ecological
environment in the future when building the master plan.
4.5.3. The group of integrated solutions
4.5.3.1. The group of solutions related to organization of management
- Setting closely system of legal prescribed documents on exploitation, transport and
processing of forest products.
- Strengthening professional training for the force of forest rangers.
- Developing mechanisms for long-term coordination among the institutions of
research, education, training and forestrial extension for forest owners, businesses and
communities.
- Strengthening coordination at levels, sectors and localities in bordering areas to
perform effectively tasks of protection and develop forests.
- Diversifying forms of management of forest land use (assignment, allotment and lease).
- Developing a mechanism for payments for forest environmental services.

development of forests.
- Population policy: propaganda and advocacy people implementing population
policies and family planning in order to slow down population growth and reduce
population pressure on forest resources.
4.5.3.4. Group of solutions related to science and technology
- Applying biotechnology (gene technology, tissue technology, etc.) in the production
of high quality seedlings to increase crop productivity.
- The patterns can be applied in the studied area: patterns of Bat Do plantation of
bamboo shoots, mushrooms cultivation from the wood waste products, honey bee
keeping and development of medicinal plant garden.
- In term of the rare plant species: Conducting thorough investigation to determine the
exact reserves, distribution, habitat of rare plant species, planting techniques as well as
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use etc to be as the basis for developing a long-term program for the conservation and
development of this species.
- Developing patterns planting new varieties of forest trees, indigenous trees, planting
mixed forest with multistage and growing multi-effects tree species (Litsea glutinosa,
Cinnamomum loureirii Nees, etc.), planting trees under the canopy of forest and
transfer techniques for forest owners.
- Developing the pattern zoning for reforestation, promotion of natural reproduction.
- Applying information technology, remote sensing in the management and monitoring
forest resources for each forest plot.
4.5.3.5. The solutions for using and exploiting forests
* For special-use forests
- In term of the shrub vegetation on rocky mountains, it should be strictly protected all
acts of destruction.
- In term of natural forests: under the supervision of forest management unit, cutting

August 2006 of Department of Forestry on the protection forest exploitation under the
Program 327 and the Project 661.
- When the canopy closure forest is permitted exploitation of support trees, but it is
ensure that the remaining key plants at least is 600 trees per ha an canopy coverage
after exploitation is 0.6.
- When the forest qualified on protection, it can exploit the with an intensity not
exceeding 20% and forest coverage after harvesting is over 0.6
- It is possible cut out all trees in accordance with bands and yards with an area of 1.0
ha of important protection forests, less than 0.5 ha of very importance protection (if the
state invests), area of 2 ha for critical protection forests and less than 1 ha of very
importance protective forests (if self-investment). The total exploitation area does not
exceed one-tenth the forest planted area and it has to invest for reforestation within 1
year after the exploitation.
- The forest owners can organize activities of tourism and scientific research. The
medicinal trees are planted under the canopy of protection forest and household can
use 30% of bare areas with no forest to cultivate agriculture. It is priority for perennial
trees available broad leave canopy and year round green.
* In terms of production forests
- Exploitation of kinds of forest products is permitted. If exploitation of rare plants , it
complies with the provisions of Decree No. 32/2006/ND-CP dated the 30
th
March
2006 of the Government in terms of management of forest plant and rare endangered
wildlife animals.
- Households, individuals and communities of village have needs of timber
exploitation of natural forests to serve household needs. They should notify the
commune-level People's Committee to confirm and manage.
- The forest owners are organizers able to produce agriculture combined with fishery
production on forests and forest soils. Forest owners are households and individuals,
resident communities of villages can use less than 30% of non-forest land as