The Discourse of Forest Cover in Vietnam and Its Policy Implications
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This paper would benefit from a short section explaining the institutional arrangements in Vietnam for the wider audience, and possibly also the politics and power of the different actors. The latter part of the discussion, after the four themes could be reviewed to ensure maximum clarity.
On page 8, the emphasis in Article 8 could be clarified.
On page 10 , the last quote (60) seems to have some words missing.
Author Response
- This paper would benefit from a short section explaining the institutional arrangements in Vietnam for the wider audience, and possibly also the politics and power of the different actors. The latter part of the discussion, after the four themes could be reviewed to ensure maximum clarity.
Response:
Thank you for your comments. I have added two paragraphs on the changing institutional arrangements of Vietnam’s forestry before and after Doi Moi (pages 3 & 4). The latter part of the discussion has been revised.
- On page 8, the emphasis in Article 8 could be clarified.
On page 10, the last quote (60) seems to have some words missing.
Response:
- Article 18 of The Law of Forestry 2017 is highlighted on page 8 (of the previous version) since it relates to the theme Replacing afforestation. To make the statement relating to Article 8 more relevant, I have moved it to the first paragraph of Section 3.3.
- The last quote (60) on page 10 (the previous version) is revised.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The paper was very engaging because all the political discourse in Vietnam regarding forests that the author presents is similar to other developing countries, including those with famed conservation policies. I encourage the author to emphasize how the international policies influence the political discourse presented; the case of Vietnam is not isolated, it is occurring around the World, mainly in tropical developing countries.
A paragraph in the discussion about as the same political rhetoric is occurring around the World. Maybe also it could add how it affects the current global biodiversity crisis.
Figure 1 is unnecessary because the same framework is described in the text. The Figure is simple and poor described in the title. I think it could be better if, instead of the actual figure 1, the information in Table 1 is plotted and presented as a figure. I also recommend that a figure with the actual forest in Vietnam could be presented.
L 330 Change priod by period?
I consider this kind of paper necessary in academic journals.
Author Response
Responses to Reviewer 2's comments
- The paper was very engaging because all the political discourse in Vietnam regarding forests that the author presents is similar to other developing countries, including those with famed conservation policies. I encourage the author to emphasize how the international policies influence the political discourse presented; the case of Vietnam is not isolated, it is occurring around the World, mainly in tropical developing countries.
Response:
I greatly appreciate your feedback. Regarding the impact of global forestry discourses on the shifting institutional arrangements of Vietnam's forestry before and after Doi Moi, I have added two paragraphs (pages 3 & 4).
- A paragraph in the discussion about as the same political rhetoric is occurring around the World. Maybe also it could add how it affects the current global biodiversity crisis.
Response:
I have added a paragraph regarding this topic (pages 16-17).
- Figure 1 is unnecessary because the same framework is described in the text. The Figure is simple and poor described in the title. I think it could be better if, instead of the actual figure 1, the information in Table 1 is plotted and presented as a figure. I also recommend that a figure with the actual forest in Vietnam could be presented.
Response:
Figure 1 has been removed and replaced with two charts depicting changes in forest cover in Vietnam (pages 6 &7). I also add two figures depicting natural regenerated forest (page 9) and plantations with intercropped supporting trees (page 11).
- L 330 Change priod by period?
Response:
I have corrected the misspelling.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
General remarks of the reviewer
Title: The title of the article is accurate and directly relates to the purpose of the research.
Abstract: The abstract should be redrafted. In order, please provide information about the research object, empirical material, purpose of the work and briefly comment on the research results.
Keywords: The keywords are specific to the topic under study.
Introduction
There is no reference to the forest discourse in the introduction. Please complete on the basis of sample articles:
Takala, T., Hujala, T., Tanskanen, M., Tikkanen, J. Competing discourses of the forest shape forest owners ’ideas about nature and biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation, 2019, 28:3445–3464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01831-7
de Jong, W., Galloway, G., Katila, P., Pacheco, P. Forestry discourses and forest based development – an introduction to the Special Issue. International Forestry Review, 2017, 19 (Supplement 1) : 1-9.
Arts, B., Buizer, M. Forests, discourses, institutions: A discursive-institutional analysis of global forest governance. Forest Policy and Economics, 2009, 11(5/6): 340–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2008.10.004
Jinlong, L. Contextualizing forestry discourses and normative frameworks towards sustainable forest management in comptemporary China. The International Forestry Review, 2007, 9(2),653–660. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43740313
You can also use them in the Discussion chapter.
Materials and Methods
If possible, try to make the figures more legible (image resolution).
Results
3.1. Forest cover changes in Vietnam
Correct table 1.
Discussion
Add a confrontation with the articles suggested in the Introduction.
Conclusions: The conclusions are constructive.
Technical Notes
Please correct any minor inaccuracies in the text of the article.
Details in the attached manuscript.
Summary of the review:
I recommend the Sustainability Editorial Board publish article after minor corrections.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Responses to Reviewer 3's comments
- The abstract should be redrafted. In order, please provide information about the research object, empirical material, purpose of the work and briefly comment on the research results
Response:
Thank you very much for your comment. I have revised the abstract to make it more structured with the major aspects of the article.
- There is no reference to the forest discourse in the introduction. Please complete on the basis of sample articles…
You can also use them in the Discussion chapter.
Response:
I have added two paragraphs to the introduction that review global forestry discourses since the 1980s (page 2) and discussed them in the discussion (page 17).
- Materials and Methods
If possible, try to make the figures more legible (image resolution).
Response:
Figure 1 has been removed from the Materials and Methods section in response to Reviewer 2's comment that it is unnecessary.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
