Positive changes in forest management and protection in Gia Lai after the merger

(GLO)- After the merger, the forest and forest land area is quite large, creating pressure on the already thin forest management and protection force of Gia Lai. However, thanks to the close coordination between functional agencies, local authorities and forest owners, forest management and protection work is having clear changes.

Strengthen patrol and control

According to information from the Gia Lai Provincial Forest Protection Department (Department of Agriculture and Environment), after the merger, the total forested land area in the province is more than 987,828 hectares. Of which, the natural forest area is more than 692,722 hectares; planted forest is more than 295,105 hectares. The non-forested land area is more than 1,170,336 hectares. The forest cover rate of the province is 46.1%.

Households contracted to manage and protect forests of Kon Ka Kinh National Park coordinate to patrol and control the contracted forest area. Photo: ND

To protect the large forest area after the merger, the Provincial Forest Protection Department has proactively advised the Department of Agriculture and Environment to urgently stabilize the organization of forces to manage and protect forests in areas in the province.

Along with that, focus on implementing many drastic solutions to manage, protect and develop forests in "hot spots" of deforestation, illegal logging, buying, selling, transporting, storing forest products... to minimize violations of the Forestry Law.

Accordingly, since the beginning of the year, through patrolling and controlling, the province's functional forces have discovered 241 violations of the Forestry Law, a decrease of 67 cases, equivalent to 21.75% compared to the same period in 2024.

Vehicles transporting illegal forest products were temporarily detained by Gia Lai Forest Rangers. Photo: ND

Mr. Vu Quang Sang - Head of the Kbang Regional Forest Protection Department - said: Currently, the Kbang region has more than 128,000 hectares of forest. Of which, the natural forest area is 121,091 hectares and planted forest is 5,219 hectares, with many forest owners managing and protecting it.

In recent times, forest management, protection and development have been paid attention to and strongly implemented by forest owners and commune People's Committees. In addition to coordinating with functional agencies and forest owners to sign coordination regulations, the Department also organized patrols and controls in key communes. Thereby, 19 cases of Forestry Law violations were detected, a decrease of 2 cases compared to the same period.

"This is an optimistic signal for the unit to continue to coordinate with functional forces to patrol and strictly control forest management and protection from now until the end of the year with the determination to protect the forest from the root," Mr. Sang affirmed.

There are still many difficulties.

Although there have been clear changes, according to the views of professional agencies and forest owners, forest management, protection and development still face many difficulties and shortcomings.

Specifically, the province's forest area is fragmented, the terrain is rugged; people secretly destroy forests, illegally exploit forests, while the force to manage and protect forests is quite thin.

In addition, the situation of buying, selling, transporting, storing and keeping forest products still occurs and is complicated. Coordination between functional agencies in exchanging information is still limited.

The functional forces of some localities and forest owners have not yet detected and coordinated to promptly handle cases of forest encroachment. In particular, forest owners and commune People's Committees have carried out forest protection sweeps but not regularly and continuously...

Specialized forest management and protection forces of Ia Muer Protective Forest Management Board patrol and control the forest. Photo: ND

According to Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh - Vice Chairman of Ia Mo Commune People's Committee, the forest area managed and protected by the Commune People's Committee is more than 13,583 hectares. Since the beginning of the year, the local government has coordinated with functional forces to regularly patrol and strictly control to promptly detect subjects with signs of encroachment and illegal exploitation of forests. Thanks to that, the number of violations of the Forestry Law in the commune has decreased compared to the same period last year.

However, the current difficulty in local forest management and protection is that the forest area is large, with many trails and openings bordering many communes in the province and Dak Lak province. In particular, the people's swidden production areas are interspersed in the forest, making it very difficult to control and manage.

In addition, some subjects take advantage of the night to cut trees with electric saws, making it very difficult to detect. The forest management and protection force of the commune is not a specialized force, mainly seasonal workers; while the violators are quite reckless, ready to resist when discovered.

Recently, the Forest Protection Departments in Tay Gia Lai region have signed a coordination regulation with communes in managing, protecting and developing sustainable forests. This is considered a solution to limit violations of the Forestry Law in the area.

Mobile Forest Ranger and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Team No. 2 signed a coordination regulation with 5 Forest Ranger Districts in Kbang, Mang Yang, Dak Doa, Chu Pah, Ia Grai in managing, protecting, preventing and fighting forest fires. Photo: ND

Talking to reporters, Mr. Truong Thanh Ha - Acting Head of the Gia Lai Provincial Forest Protection Department - said: In recent years, the work of forest management and protection has always received strong attention and direction from all levels and sectors of the province. Thanks to that, the number of violations of the Forestry Law has gradually decreased year by year, contributing to minimizing hot spots of deforestation and illegal forest exploitation.

In the coming time, the Sub-Department will continue to direct the forest rangers and forest owners to resolutely implement forest protection measures, limit deforestation and illegal logging. Regularly patrol and sweep inside and outside the forest to promptly detect and prevent acts of deforestation and illegal logging.

"In particular, focus on strictly handling complicated and prolonged cases due to changes in the two-level government. Advise competent authorities to review forestry planning and planning for three types of forests. Organize forest inventories at 16 companies and enterprises growing rubber in the province..." - Mr. Ha added.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/chuyen-bien-tich-cuc-trong-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-o-gia-lai-sau-sap-nhap-post569730.html