In 1998, the Vietnamese National Assembly approved a Five Million Hectare Reforestation Program, (5MHRP) 1998-2010. It would increase forest cover by some 45%, use barren hills, produce wood, and generate socioeconomic development. It would, however, also put demands on Vietnamese planning. Experiences from a former development project and two case studies from a commune and village are used as a basis for analyzing the planning system. The study describes the objectives and strategies of government and farmers in one commune and one village and analyzes how planning data influence scenarios on future development. Official planning data do not reflect reality but are derived through negotiations. In the commune and village studied, it would be difficult for the 5MHRP to materialize, as most of the forest land, officially not yet used, is actually used for food production. The approach and method used by the study offers alternatives to current planning practices.