The Forest Protection Unit of Region XI is responsible for the communes of Sop Cop, Muong Leo, and Muong Lan. This is a mountainous, border area with a total natural area of nearly 110,761 hectares, of which over 75,265 hectares are designated for forestry, and over 53,376 hectares are forested, with a forest cover rate of 46.95%. This area plays a crucial role in protecting the ecological environment and border security. However, the pressure of economic development, especially from coffee cultivation, is posing many challenges in forest management and protection.
In the three communes, there are nearly 3,297 hectares of coffee plantations, mostly bordering forest land, making them vulnerable to encroachment for coffee cultivation. Mr. Tran Ngoc Doan, Head of the Forest Protection Unit Area XI, shared: The pressure to protect the forest in Sop Cop stems not only from natural factors but also from the local people's farming practices. The practice of slash-and-burn agriculture still occurs, while the mountainous terrain and rugged landscape make patrolling and monitoring difficult. When forest fires occur, accessing the scene takes a long time, and motorized vehicles are almost unable to reach the area.
Notably, the expansion of coffee plantations into forest land occurs in small, piecemeal fashion, gradually encroaching on the forest canopy. People cut down bushes, thin out trees, and then plant coffee interspersed under the forest canopy. When coffee prices tend to rise, the encroachment becomes even more complex. In the first quarter of 2026, forest rangers, in coordination with relevant agencies, inspected, detected, and handled 16 cases of illegal deforestation, with a total damaged area of over 4,500 m², including 740 m² of protection forest and over 3,800 m² of production forest, collecting 55 million VND for the state budget. These figures clearly reflect the determination of the authorities and also show that the violations remain complex.
In the context of integration, demands from the international market are setting new standards. The European Union's Regulation on Deforestation (EUDR) clearly stipulates that products such as coffee can only be imported if they are not linked to deforestation after December 31, 2020. This makes forest protection a vital factor for the coffee industry. The EUDR regulation sets very specific requirements regarding the origin of the growing region. Each coffee lot must have GPS coordinates and be certified as not linked to deforestation. Without proper control, the product will be unexportable, directly affecting the people.
In response to this demand, the forest protection force has implemented a comprehensive set of solutions. Across the three communes, the forest protection team system has been strengthened with 68 teams in 70 villages, attracting 952 participants. This is the core force at the grassroots level, directly patrolling, detecting, and reporting signs of violations. Simultaneously, public awareness campaigns have been intensified. In the first quarter, five meetings were held in the villages with 360 participants.
Mr. Tong Van Thien, Party Secretary and Head of No Sai village, Sop Cop commune, shared: "Previously, some households thought they could expand coffee cultivation into forest land to increase their income. But after being informed, the villagers understood that if they destroyed the forest, their products would be difficult to sell. The village has established a forest protection team, organized patrols, and coordinated with forest rangers to review the boundaries, determined to prevent people from encroaching on forest land to plant coffee."
To effectively protect the remaining forest area, the Regional Forestry Department XI has intensified the application of technology in forest management. The forest monitoring system is regularly updated, using specialized software to monitor changes. When suspicious areas are detected, local forest rangers will conduct direct inspections and take timely action. The application of technology helps shorten the time to detect violations and improve management efficiency. Coordination between forest rangers, the government, and the people is organized closely according to the "four on-site" principle...
One of the solutions considered effective is linking the responsibility of forest protection with economic benefits. The current payment for forest environmental services, exceeding 389,000 VND/hectare/year, has contributed to motivating people to participate in forest protection. According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Doan, Head of the Forest Ranger Station Region XI, to fundamentally address the issue of forest land encroachment, it is necessary to complete the demarcation of boundaries, digitize data, and increase the production value of existing land. When income per unit area increases, people will no longer feel the need to expand their land area by destroying forests.
In the coming period, the role of forest rangers will continue to change, from a force protecting forests to one that participates more deeply in the agricultural value chain. Verifying land origin and providing data for traceability will become important tasks. The reality in the Sop Cop area shows that when solutions are implemented synchronously and people's awareness is raised, forest conservation gradually becomes a voluntary act. These forests are not only protected but also contribute to creating a foundation for sustainable economic development.
Amidst the mountain slopes of the border region of Sop Cop, the green of the forest is preserved, and the awareness of each local person is constantly improving. On the coffee plantations, which are currently being tended, new methods are gradually emerging, with production linked to adherence to planning and forest conservation to maintain livelihoods. The determination to prevent coffee from encroaching on forest land is becoming a concrete action, creating a foundation for the sustainable development of this border region.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/khong-de-ca-phe-xam-lan-dat-rung-swExnYhDg.html
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