Clarifying the responsibilities of forest protection units

(Baonghean.vn) - In 2017, the provincial police force alone discovered 170 cases of deforestation with 170 participants. Of these, 17 cases were serious and had to be handled criminally. In the coming time, the police agency will clarify the responsibilities of forest protection units.

Scene of the question and answer session at the fifth session - Provincial People's Council term XVII. Photo: Dao Tuan

That is some information that Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau provided when he was assigned by Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Xuan Son to speak after answering questions from the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An on forest management, protection and development. This is also one of the three contents questioned at the fifth session of the 17th term Nghe An Provincial People's Council.

Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau spoke at the meeting:

According to the provincial police director, in 2017, the police force collected nearly 500m³and 15 tons of various forest products. The violations related to forest management and protection were concentrated in the districts of Ky Son, Tan Ky, Que Phong, Tuong Duong, and Hoang Mai town. Currently, the police investigation agency has prosecuted 14 cases and 39 subjects...

Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau - Director of Nghe An Police said that in 2017, the police force alone discovered 170 cases of deforestation. Photo: Nhat Lan

With the viewpoint that “If we do not strictly handle these cases, we will not be able to protect the forest…”, Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau affirmed that the current legal regulations on forest protection are very strict. He analyzed that there are currently 4 entities protecting the forest, including: forest owners who are the protective forest management boards, local forest rangers, chairmen of the People’s Committees of communes with forests and border guards in the border areas with forests where these forces are stationed.

The forces participating in forest protection are currently thin - but this is only an objective factor. In reality, if the functional units fulfill their responsibilities as prescribed by law, the forest can still be protected normally. Therefore, the Director of Nghe An Police affirmed that in the coming time, in addition to investigating and clarifying the responsibilities of forest owners and local forest rangers, the responsibilities of commune People's Committee Chairmen, border guards and related forces will be clarified for legal handling.

Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau spoke at the meeting:

Previously, at the question and answer session of the Provincial People's Council meeting, delegates paid special attention and requested clarification of shortcomings in land and forest allocation; allowing deforestation, illegal transfer and conversion of forestry land use purposes.

Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu - Director of Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development answered questions at the meeting. Photo: Dao Tuan

During the 2 hours, from 13:30 to 15:30, 10 People's Council delegates raised more than 20 questions and debated with Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The delegates' questions were in line with the focus of the issues that the Provincial People's Council Standing Committee was aiming for. These were the shortcomings in land allocation, forest allocation, and granting of Forestry Land Use Rights Certificates to households; the application of State policies in forest protection and development; the current situation and causes of serious deforestation incidents that occurred in 2017; the responsibilities of the Agriculture and Rural Development sector and its leaders...

Quy Chau District People's Council delegate Lang Van Chien said that there are currently many conflicts related to forest management and protection policies. Photo: Nhat Lan

Quy Chau District People's Council delegate Lang Van Chien questioned, Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu answered:

According to the People's Council Delegate of Quy Chau District, Lang Van Chien, there has been a huge contradiction between the provisions of the law for a long time. Delegate Chien cited: The Land Law allows households to be granted land use right certificates to transfer; however, the Law on Forest Protection and Development strictly prohibits the transfer of forested land. Meanwhile, the benefits brought to people from the forest are non-existent. Therefore, it leads to a situation where people find every way to make the forest become impoverished to change the purpose of land use; or have made illegal transfers... Since then, the state management work of local authorities at all levels has encountered many difficulties.

Delegate Hoang Nghia Hung emphasized the recent deforestation that has led to the loss of forests and staff. It is necessary to clarify the responsibility of the head of the Agriculture and Rural Development sector...

Delegate Hoang Nghia Hung (Nam Dan) questioned, Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu answered:

Delegate Luc Thi Lien (Quy Chau) asked the Director of Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to clarify the matter of reforestation with raw acacia trees. Photo: Dao Tuan

Delegate Luc Thi Lien (Quy Chau) said that the current policy of reforestation is not effective and asked the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An to clarify the current reforestation. That is why reforestation has been done with acacia trees for a long time. According to Ms. Lien, this is a short-term crop for profit, but in the long term it will make the land and forest infertile.

Ms. Luc Thi Lien - Delegate of Quy Chau District People's Council:

Responding to questions from the People's Council delegates, Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development admitted that the current benefit policy for land and forest recipients is not clear, and people have not really benefited from the land and forest allocation policy. The reality is that Nghe An is currently the province with the largest forest area, large reserves of wood and secondary forest products, but commercial products taken from the forest are still low, and people living near and along the forest have not yet secured a living from forestry. This is one of the causes of forest exploitation and deforestation, negatively affecting the forest.

Forest rangers of Tuong Duong district determine the size of an illegally felled tree in the border area. Photo: Dao Tuan

The issuance of Forestry Land Use Right Certificates to households and individuals is still low (50.87%); illegal transfer and conversion of forestry land occurs in many localities. The encroachment and overlap of forestry land among forest owners is relatively complicated and has not been resolved completely, causing prolonged complaints and affecting the process of land allocation and issuance of Land Use Right Certificates.

Scene of the questioning session. Photo: Nhat Lan

Regarding illegal logging cases, Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu informed that in 2017, 730 cases of violations of forestry laws and forest products were discovered and arrested, 1,235.83 m3 of round and sawn timber of all kinds were confiscated, 90 wild animals were confiscated, total revenue to the budget was 11,207.665 million VND. In particular, serious illegal logging cases occurred in some forest areas in the Vietnam - Laos border area such as Na Ngoi and Nam Can communes, Ky Son district; Tam Hop and Luu Kien communes, Tuong Duong district, etc.

Ancient po mu trees on the border area of ​​Luu Kien commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Nhat Lan

According to Mr. Hieu, the Agriculture and Rural Development sector faces many difficulties in forest management and protection. These include large forest areas, difficult and complex terrain; while the human resources of forest rangers and forest protection units are too thin compared to regulations... However, for most of the incidents that have occurred, units under the Agriculture and Rural Development sector have proactively detected and handled them; for serious incidents, they have requested law enforcement agencies to investigate and clarify in the spirit of strict handling in accordance with the provisions of the law, not lenient with violations, and there are no forbidden areas for any organization or individual...

Nhat Lan - Dao Tuan

Clip: Lam Tung