Evaluation of land suitability for cunninghamia konishii hayata (Cupressaceae) planting in Vietnam

The suitability of land for C. konishii was evaluated using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, which included multiple criteria, such as elevation, soil, climate, and vegetation characteristics. 120 different sites of C. konishii were studied and the model approximations were verified by a confusion matrix. The subsistence of C. konishii was mainly affected by topographic features (elevation, slope) and soil (soil texture) conditions. 15 variables were selected for the ecological analysis and construction of the land suitability map. They were combined into four main groups for weights approximation. The weights obtained by AHP were calculated as follows: topographic features (65%), soil (21.3%), climate conditions (7.4%), and vegetation type (6.3%). The total area with the highest suitability was estimated at 4, 6, 2 and 8% of the province area in Son La, Ha Giang, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, respectively. The suitable areas for planting were located in Mai Son, Muong La, Moc Chau, Sop Cop districts of Son La province; Hoang Su Phi, Xin Man districts of Ha Giang province; Muong Lat district of Thanh Hoa province; Que Phong, Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong districts of Nghe An province. Nghe An province has the largest suitable area for planting. The estimated AHP accuracy was 91.6%, which indicates that the approach is reliable for forestry management. The current study will provide a ground to the local population for the selection of suitable lands, ensuring the sustainability of natural resources, sustainable use and quality forest production. © 2021, Russian Geographical Society. All rights reserved.