Huong Hoa District Forest Protection Department coordinates to patrol and protect forests in border areas - Photo: TN
In order to strengthen control, the Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection Force has implemented many synchronous solutions such as placing collaborators to promptly provide information and grasp the situation; closely coordinating with forces such as the police, border guards, customs and local authorities of border communes to strengthen inspection and control of forest products on border routes and inland routes to limit violations of the law in the forestry sector and ensure security and order in border areas.
Accordingly, the mobile forest rangers have strengthened reconnaissance and information gathering in the border areas, proactively advising local authorities to focus on implementing drastic and synchronous solutions to prevent in a timely manner. In particular, they have coordinated with 9 border posts from Cu Bai Border Post, Huong Lap Commune, Huong Hoa District to La Lay Border Post, A Ngo Commune, Dakrong District and the commune police force and forest owners to patrol the border forest areas.
From 2022 to 2024 alone, in the area of 3 communes: A Vao, A Ngo and A Bung, Dakrong district, the forces organized 23 patrols, forest inspections and forest product control with 256 participants, thereby detecting and promptly preventing a number of violations or signs of violations of forestry laws.
In Huong Hoa district, in 7 communes including Huong Lap, Huong Viet, Huong Phung, Thuan, Thanh, Ba Tang and Lao Bao town, 69 patrols and sweeps were organized with 754 participants, discovering and dismantling 5 illegal camps and dismantling 275 animal traps in the forest.
The provincial forest rangers have proactively developed plans to combat illegal exploitation, trading and transportation of forest products according to the specific situation of each locality. They have identified key areas and areas where violations often occur... to proactively arrange forces and coordinate with local authorities and functional agencies in the district as well as units performing tasks at border gates of Vietnam and Laos.
Therefore, in the period from 2018 to 2023, the forest rangers and related forces discovered and arrested 110 cases of illegal forest product trafficking from Laos to Vietnam, temporarily detained and confiscated 288.53 m3 of round timber. Of which, 197.49 m3 of wood belonged to the rare group and 91.04 m3 of common wood; confiscated and released into the natural environment 279 wild animals. Of which, 116 individuals were rare and some other forest products such as wild orchids, wild boars, etc.
Currently, in Quang Tri province, there are 202 enterprises importing wood from Laos, of which 118/202 companies and enterprises have registered warehouses, yards, and businesses to buy and sell imported wood from Laos and request confirmation from the Forest Protection Department before selling.
In Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts, there are 16 farms raising endangered and rare wild animals in group IIB, and endangered wild animals in appendix II and III of Cites. Therefore, there is a potential risk that subjects and farm owners will mix animals of illegal origin from Laos into the farms to legalize the origin of wild animals.
In that situation, the forest rangers regularly inspected and supervised the import and export of forest products and implemented the traceability of forest products in accordance with regulations. The provincial Forest Protection Department organized the implementation and answered questions from units about the circular regulating the management of traceability of forest products, promptly issued guiding documents, urged affiliated units to implement the provisions of the law on forest product processing trade and disseminated the circular and documents related to forest product processing trade and wild animal farming.
Forestry businesses and processing establishments keep import-export records, make lists, and report on the import-export of forest products in accordance with state regulations. Wildlife farms are also regularly inspected and monitored by local forest rangers.
Although patrolling and controlling activities in the border areas between Vietnam and Laos have effectively prevented illegal exploitation, trading and transportation of forest products and wildlife, cooperation, information exchange, propaganda andeducation activities to raise public awareness of forest resource protection, biodiversity conservation, forest fire prevention and fighting among relevant functional sectors of localities bordering Vietnam and Laos have not been organized regularly.
The law enforcement agencies are still independent, not really closely connected, and have not created a complete and closed battle in the fight against violations of forestry laws, leading to subjects taking advantage of loopholes to violate. In addition, the lives of people living in border areas are still difficult, the level of education is low, and their lives are heavily dependent on forest resources.
On the other hand, due to the high demand for wood, illegal trading and transportation of forest products bring high profits, so some traders have used many sophisticated tricks to deceive the authorities to transport illegal forest products. Therefore, the work of forest management and protection, fighting against forest encroachment, checking and controlling illegal trading and transportation of forest products in border areas has encountered many difficulties.
Therefore, it is necessary to continue to strengthen coordination between the forest rangers and the police and border guards in exchanging information, patrolling to protect forests, inspecting and controlling forest products on the border between Quang Tri province and the border provinces of Laos.
Proactively grasp methods of buying, selling, transporting, and hiding forest products; identify the main lines and subjects in illegal buying, selling, and transporting of forest products to have timely and effective combat plans...
On September 10, 2024, the Quang Tri Provincial Forest Protection Department and the Savannakhet Provincial Forest Inspection Department (Laos) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in forest protection and wildlife protection for the period 2024 - 2029.
Thereby establishing a focal point for exchanging information, knowledge and experience in controlling, preventing and handling illegal hunting, exploitation, trading and transportation of timber, forest products and wildlife in border areas as well as carrying out urgent and extraordinary tasks.
Through this, the supervision and promotion of forest product trade activities will be strengthened, barriers will be removed, and conditions will be created for businesses on both sides to expand investment in forest product production and processing in accordance with current laws. Annually, funds will be allocated for training, learning, and experience exchange between forces of Vietnam and Laos, creating favorable conditions for the effective implementation of cooperation programs between Vietnam and Laos.
Coordinate to propose bilateral programs and projects and mobilize from international organizations to cooperate in monitoring the conservation and recovery of endangered and rare species; strengthen management, share experiences in the conservation of endangered and rare species, cooperate in monitoring the conservation and recovery of endangered species. In particular, coordinate in implementing propaganda and education activities, raising public awareness on forest resource protection, biodiversity conservation, forest fire prevention and fighting, combating illegal exploitation, trade, and transportation of timber, forest products, and wildlife for people on both sides of the border area.
Tan Nguyen
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/hop-tac-ve-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-khu-vuc-bien-gioi-194087.htm
Comment (0)