On the afternoon of June 20, in Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province, the People's Committee of Gia Lai Province collaborated with the People's Committees of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Dak Lak provinces to organize a conference to summarize the coordination regulations in forest management and protection in bordering areas among provinces.

The conference was attended by provincial leaders, local departments and agencies, and forest owners in bordering areas.

According to the report by the People's Committee of Gia Lai Province, the bordering areas between Gia Lai Province and Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Dak Lak provinces stretch over 418 km. The bordering forest areas between provinces are rich in diverse flora and fauna with high biodiversity. The vegetation and wildlife are abundant and diverse, comprising many endangered and rare species. Particularly noteworthy is the Kon Ha Nung Biosphere Reserve located in Kbang and Mang Yang districts, Gia Lai Province, and the nature reserves such as Kon Chu Rang (Kbang District, Gia Lai Province), An Toan (An Lao District, Binh Dinh Province), and Ea So (Ea Kar District, Dak Lak Province).

Vice Chairman of Gia Lai Province People's Committee Duong Mah Tiep

However, forest management and protection in the bordering areas between Gia Lai Province and Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Dak Lak provinces face numerous difficulties due to extensive territories spanning multiple localities, complex and rugged terrains, inadequate material conditions, and communication limitations which hinder management and protection efforts. Furthermore, the local livelihoods heavily depend on forests, and perpetrators exploit the complex and remote terrain, limited accessibility, and lack of legal knowledge and economic hardships of local residents to engage in illegal logging, exploitation, transportation, purchase, sale, and storage of forest products against the law.

Director of Ea So Nature Reserve Management Board Le Minh Tien

According to assessments by conference delegates, functional forces of the provinces have effectively fulfilled their responsibilities under the signed coordination regulations and plans. Communication and information provision have been maintained, and cooperation in inspection, raiding, and handling incidents in bordering areas has been regularly organized and timely, significantly reducing illegal logging, exploitation, trade, transportation of forest products, and illegal deforestation in bordering areas. Specifically, from 2016 to present, in bordering forest areas, provincial law enforcement agencies have coordinated patrols and detected 565 forest law violations, including 37 criminal cases and 528 administrative cases, resulting in 45,470 m² of deforested area, seizure of 613.41 m³ of various wood types, and confiscation of 202 vehicles and tools.

Vice Chairman of Dak Lak Province People's Committee Nguyen Thien Van

However, the coordination in forest management and protection in bordering areas among provinces still faces many limitations. Verification and classification of organizations and individuals involved in forest destruction, exploitation, hunting, trading, transportation of illegally harvested forest products to facilitate mutual information exchange and effective cooperation, as well as coordination in inspection, raiding, and forest protection by some Forest Ranger Units and local authorities, need further improvement. Moreover, coordination in law dissemination, popularization, and legal education on forest management, protection, and fire prevention and control for the community has not been consistently and extensively implemented.

Signing of Coordination Regulations in Forest Management, Protection, and Handling of Forest Law Violations in Bordering Areas

To further enhance the effectiveness of coordination in forest management, protection in bordering areas in the upcoming period, at the conference, leaders of Gia Lai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Dak Lak provinces agreed to sign the Coordination Regulations in forest management, protection, and handling of forest law violations in bordering areas. The key focuses include: regular organization of patrols, inspections, and raids to promptly prevent forest law violations; intensification of law dissemination and public awareness on forest protection and fire prevention and control; regular exchange of information, monitoring of situations, and technical support in forest management, protection, and handling of forest law violations; support for forces and enhancement of resources for forest management, protection, and fire prevention and control as per cooperative requests.