Key factors influencing forest tree planting decisions of households: A case study in Hoa Binh province, Vietnam

Abstract

ABSTRACT In coping with significant deforestation, forest degradation, and a lack of raw materials for the wood processing industry, currently in Hoa Binh province, massive reforestation projects have been implemented. However, when remarkable attempts and investments have been made in reforestation, interaction of household characteristics, socio-economic and institutional factors with small-scale forest tree planting decision are still little understood in Vietnam in general and in the study area in particular. In this study, 250 households of 2 districts, namely Cao Phong and Kim Boi, in Hoa Binh province were surveyed on factors influencing forest tree planting decision by households. We found that five main factors – including attitude to forest tree planting, knowledge of household head on silviculture, investment capital, participation in forest programs, and age of household head – significantly influenced forest tree planting decision by households in the study area.