Improve the effectiveness of forest management and protection in border areas

On the afternoon of June 20, in Pleiku city, the People's Committee of Gia Lai province coordinated with the People's Committees of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Dak Lak provinces to organize a conference to review the coordination regulations in forest management and protection in border areas between the provinces.

Attending the conference were leaders of the People's Committees of provinces, local departments, and forest owners in border areas.

Conference scene.

According to the report of Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee, the border area between Gia Lai province and Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Dak Lak provinces is 418 km long. The forest area bordering the provinces is home to a rich flora and fauna system, with high biodiversity, rich and diverse flora and fauna, many endangered and rare species of flora and fauna. In particular, there is the Kon Ha Nung Plateau World Biosphere Reserve located in Kbang and Mang Yang districts, Gia Lai province and the following Nature Reserves: Kon Chu Rang (Kbang district, Gia Lai province); An Toan (An Lao district, Binh Dinh province); Ea So (Ea Kar district, Dak Lak province).

Vice Chairman of Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee Duong Mah Tiep spoke at the conference.

However, the management and protection of forests in the border area between Gia Lai province and Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Dak Lak provinces is facing many difficulties due to the large area, stretching across many localities; complex and rugged terrain; limited conditions in terms of infrastructure and communication for forest management and protection; difficult life, heavily dependent on forests; bad elements take advantage of the complex and remote terrain, difficult travel, lack of knowledge of the law and difficult economic life of the people to carry out acts of deforestation, illegal exploitation, transportation, purchase, sale and storage of forest products.

Director of Ea So Nature Reserve Management Board Le Minh Tien spoke at the conference.

According to the assessment of the delegates attending the conference, in the past time, the functional forces of the provinces have performed their roles and responsibilities well according to the signed regulations and coordination plans; the work of communication and information provision has been maintained; the work of coordination, inspection, suppression, and handling of incidents occurring in the border areas has been organized regularly and promptly, contributing to significantly reducing acts of deforestation, exploitation, purchase, sale, transportation of forest products and illegal deforestation in the border areas... Specifically, from 2016 to present, in the border forest areas, the functional forces of the provinces have coordinated to patrol and detect 565 cases of forest law violations, including: 37 criminal cases, 528 administrative cases, the destroyed forest area is 45,470 m2; 613.41 m3 of various types of wood have been confiscated; 202 vehicles and tools of various types have been confiscated.

Vice Chairman of Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thien Van spoke at the conference.

However, the coordination in managing and protecting forests in border areas of the provinces currently still has many limitations such as: the verification and classification of organizations and individuals with tricks to destroy forests, exploit, hunt, trade, and transport forest products illegally to provide two-way information for each other to coordinate in the fight, prevention, and handling is still ineffective; the coordination in organizing inspections, raids, and protecting forests in border areas of some Forest Protection Departments, forest owners, and local authorities is not high; the coordination in propagating, disseminating, and educating the law on forest management and protection in border areas is not regular and extensive...

Signing of the Regulations on coordination in forest management, protection, and handling of violations of forestry laws in border areas.

In order to further improve the effectiveness of coordination in the management and protection of border forests in the coming time, at the conference, the leaders of the People's Committees of Gia Lai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Dak Lak provinces agreed to sign the Regulations on coordination in the management, protection of forests, and handling of violations of forestry laws in border areas, focusing on the main contents such as: regularly organizing forces to patrol, inspect, and sweep to promptly prevent violations of forestry laws; promoting propaganda and dissemination of laws on forest protection and forest fire prevention and fighting to the people; regularly exchanging information, grasping the situation, supporting professional expertise in forest management and protection, handling violations of forestry laws; supporting forces, strengthening means for forest management, protection, forest fire prevention and fighting when there is a request for coordination...

Source: https://daklak.gov.vn/-/nang-cao-hieu-qua-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-vung-giap-ranh