In recent months, sidewalk renovation and urban beautification projects across Ho Chi Minh City have been carried out without proper adherence to tree protection regulations, sparking frustration and concern among residents. Numerous trees along streets in wards such as Ben Thanh, An Dong, Minh Phung, and Tan Binh have had their roots cut, bark stripped, or trunks exposed directly threatening both the trees’ health and public safety.
Damage to urban trees during construction
On Suong Nguyet Anh Street in Ben Thanh Ward, a series of golden oak trees were damaged when construction crews operated heavy machinery too close to their bases, scraping bark and severing roots. Excavators digging curbstones directly adjacent to the trees disturbed the soil, leaving several leaning and showing bark loss. Residents, including Nguyen Hoan Tuan, have voiced frustration, noting that repeated complaints have not altered the contractor’s methods and warning that even moderate weather conditions could cause the weakened trees to collapse.
Similar incidents have been documented in An Dong Ward, where Thai Son Transport Construction Joint Stock Company’s sidewalk renovation damaged multiple golden oak trees. Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Park Company Limited recorded the violations and reported both the project owner and contractor for harming public greenery. In Minh Phung Ward, Duc Trong Construction Consulting and Investment Company excavated soil around hog-plum trees on Ly Thuong Kiet Street to depths exceeding 20 centimeters within a one-meter radius, removing curbs and exposing roots in violation of safety regulations.
In Tan Binh Ward, Public Transport Works Joint Stock Company damaged trunks and exposed roots while installing underground utilities on Nguyen Hong Dao and Truong Chinh Streets. The Greenery Park Company assessed a high risk of tree tilting or falling and ordered immediate cessation of harmful activities. On Bau Cat 4 and Bau Cat 6 Streets, Le Gia Phu Trading and Construction Company used heavy machinery to remove curbs and dig within root zones, causing several trees to tilt and lose roots. These actions contravene Ministry of Construction regulations and violate Article 54 of Decree No. 16/2022/ND-CP on administrative penalties in construction.
Oversight and enforcement of tree protection regulations need to be enhanced
Regulatory frameworks, including Circular No. 20/2005/TT-BXD, explicitly prohibit practices such as cutting roots, scraping bark, digging around trunks, or dumping construction materials at tree bases. The safety root radius of a tree must be preserved within ten times the trunk diameter measured at 1.3 meters above ground level. Any alteration of the ground level exceeding 20 centimeters within 25 to 50 percent of that area is considered to significantly or seriously affect the tree as outlined in the Department of Construction's official dispatch No. 16902/SXD-HTKT.
The construction activities in question have directly violated these safety zones, resulting in major root damage and trunk injuries punishable under Article 54 of Decree No. 16/2022/ND-CP.
Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Park Company Limited has repeatedly issued directives to project management boards and contractors, demanding revisions to construction methods and strict avoidance of excavation near root zones.
Reports have been filed with the involvement of local people’s committees, and ward authorities have been urged to strengthen supervision, raise awareness, and impose strict penalties for repeat violations. The company has warned that trees suffering from cut roots or stripped bark face a heightened risk of tilting, uprooting, or dying, thereby endangering public safety and undermining the city’s urban landscape.
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