Strengthening forest protection and development

(Baonghean)On the morning of October 16, the Provincial People's Committee worked with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to listen to the report on the implementation of Notice No. 416 dated August 8, 2012 on the Conclusion of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in rectifying the work of forest protection and development, especially in inspecting and handling the situation of deforestation, illegal timber trading and storage. Comrade Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the meeting.

After the conclusion of the Provincial People's Committee Chairman, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued an official dispatch to the Forest Protection Department, Forestry Department, protective forest management boards, Pu Huong Nature Reserve, Pu Mat National Park, and forestry companies on the contents of rectifying deforestation, illegal timber trading and storage. The Department has established 19 interdisciplinary teams in 19 districts and 3 mobile forest ranger teams to inspect forest areas where there are illegal activities in buying, selling, and transporting forest products. The forest ranger units have handled 59 violating wood processing establishments, imposing fines of nearly 230 million VND.

In the past 3 months, the whole province has discovered and arrested 271 cases of forestry law violations, confiscated nearly 600m3 of various types of wood, and paid over 1.5 billion VND to the state budget. In the hot spot of Na Luom - Que Phong forest area alone, 150m3 of wood was confiscated. By the end of August, the provincial Forest Protection Department had also transferred 26 leaders and forest rangers between districts and localities. Disciplined 2 forest rangers in the form of reprimand, suspended the work of the Head of Quy Chau Forest Protection Department, and established a Disciplinary Council to handle the Deputy Head of Do Luong Forest Protection Department.

Concluding the working session, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee highly appreciated the active participation of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Forest Protection Department, and local authorities in strictly implementing the conclusion of the Provincial People's Committee Chairman, creating changes in forest protection and development. However, there are still some shortcomings that need to be overcome such as the situation of burning forests for farming, taking advantage of resettlement to destroy forests, and the lack of determination in some localities. The task in the coming time is to continue implementing Notice No. 416, doing a good job of propaganda, raising the responsibility of forest owners, advising the Provincial People's Committee on effective forest management mechanisms. Strengthening patrol work, promptly grasping information to handle violations, especially promoting the role and responsibility of local forest rangers.

Mr. Tuan