In brief
In a move approved by Hanoi's 17th People's Council, the city will transfer more than 4,000 hectares and 1,057 residents from Phu Tho province, incorporating parts of Ba Vi National Park. The expansion aims to align park management with municipal governance and strengthen environmental protection, with 94.97% of consulted households supporting the plan. The change will take effect after approval by the National Assembly.
On Wednesday, the 17th People’s Council of Hanoi approved a boundary adjustment that will transfer more than 4,000 hectares of land and 1,057 residents from Phu Tho province into the capital city, incorporating portions of Ba Vi National Park and its buffer zone.
The plan designates the areas to become part of Ba Vi and Yen Xuan communes, and it will bring the total transferred area to about 2,500 hectares inside the park itself and another 1,477 hectares of surrounding buffer land.
Officials say the adjustment was made to better align territorial administration with the management of Ba Vi National Park, a move intended to improve forest protection, biodiversity conservation and forest-fire prevention, while also safeguarding water resources and ecological functions in the region.
The primary objective, according to the municipal people’s committee, is to tighten the city’s oversight over the park’s lands, enabling more consistent enforcement of environmental regulations and potentially enhancing the park’s infrastructure and visitor services.
Community-wide consultation revealed overwhelming support for the plan: 2,436,000 households – or 94.97 % of the 2,557,000 households examined across 126 communes and wards – voted in favor in the municipal consultation campaign, according to the committee’s report.
Hanoi’s transport and urban development departments highlighted that the adjustment will also allow the city to plan and manage public utilities, transportation, and basic services in the newly incorporated districts more coherently than under provincial jurisdiction.
In a statement issued by the city government, the proposal will only take effect after the National Assembly’s final approval, the committee said, adding that the Assembly’s review will cover both administrative and environmental legal frameworks.
The plan may also bring changes to tax collection, municipal budgeting and representation for the affected residents, as the city will assume responsibility for local governance.
Environmental NGOs note that consolidating park lands under a single municipal authority could improve long-term conservation outcomes, while also potentially exposing the park to increased urban pressure if not managed with adequate safeguards.
Ultimately, Hanoi’s expansion reflects the city’s broader strategy to reshape its control over the northern midland’s ecological assets, while engaging local communities in the decision-making process and aligning governance structures with national environmental priorities.
