The implementation of Protection Forest zoning without community consultation has led to negative impacts on the livelihood of local forest‐planters. In the light of Viet Nam preparing to join a Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (VPA), the impacts could be intensified and exerted upon forest‐ planters.
To protect the livelihood of forest‐planters in re‐zoned plantaons, the implementation of forest zoning should include the participation and consent of local stakeholders. With regards to plantaons which have been re‐zoned to Protection Forest, logging application procedure should be simplified to allow appropriate logging by local forest‐planters.