Forest protection is an urgent requirement for all nations around the world, including Vietnam. Forests in the Central Highlands not only have played an important role in the region but also have had a great impact on water resources, ecological environment and socio-economic development of coastal provinces in the South Central Coast and the Southeastern region. Forests are also attached to the cultural space and the existence of the community of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands.
In recent years, the Central Highlands has faced increasingly serious droughts, which cause both the economic and cultural space to narrow following the disappearance of forests.
The “blooding” of natural forests in the region is caused by forest destruction, projects on using forests to grow industrial plants but in reality for timber, hydroelectric projects and the locals’ old habit of burning forests for farm land.
In his recent meeting with leaders from five mountainous provinces of the Central Highlands held in Dak Lak Province’s Buon Ma Thuot City, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc clearly pointed out that the destruction of forests in the region is causing the loss of biodiversity, directly threatening climate change in the region. If not properly settled, the forests in the Central Highlands will become exhausted, thereby causing unavoidable aftermaths.
Analysing reasons and long term solutions, the Prime Minister said that the loss of forests takes place extensively because of the lack of ownership of forests together with the existence of corruption of some cadres in relevant bodies.
To settle the urgent issue and save the Central Highlands’ forests, the Prime Minister declared the closing of natural forests; not shifting 2.25 million hectares of natural forests for other purposes and not replacing poor and exhausted forests with industrial tree plantations. Also, to avoid the situation of “everybody’s business is nobody’s business” in managing, protecting and developing forests, the Prime Minister asked chairmen of provincial people committees in the Central Highlands to directly entrust the task of forest protection and development to chairmen of people committees of districts and communes in the region, as well as to clearly define the responsibility of everyone on duty in the locality.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister asked to shut down facilities processing natural wood under the supervision of competent agencies and the public and revamp forest plantations in a bid to better control the area of virgin forest. In a parallel effort, the Prime Minister made an order to stop granting licenses to hydropower projects that are subject to forest policies, and project owners who violate regulations of forestation; stop activities of deforestation projects and not paying compensation for forest land and forests.
The leader required the entire political system, the business community and population to joint hands in promoting sustainable forest recovery and development. He called on localities to take more feasible and sustainable solutions in a bid to fulfill the target of raising forest coverage in the Central Highlands to 59% by 2020.
It is said that it is a decision to “save” forests in the Central Highlands which the locals have longed for.
In recent years, the Central Highlands has faced increasingly serious droughts, which cause both the economic and cultural space to narrow following the disappearance of forests.
 Forests in the Central Highlands are at risk of disappearance because of human destruction. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP  Protection forests in Kon Tum are destroyed to make room for cultivation. Photo: Quang Thai/VNA  Illigally exploiting wood in protection forests in Kon Tum. Photo: Quang Thai  Denuded deciduous forests in the Central Highlands during dry season. Photo: Nguyen Luan/VNP |
| Forest destruction and illegal exploitation are very serious. In 2015, competent agencies uncovered 6,034 cases of violations of regulations on forest protection and development, up 463 cases against the figure recorded in 2014 (equivalent to 8.3% of cases). In the five early months of 2016, 1,724 cases were uncovered. |
In his recent meeting with leaders from five mountainous provinces of the Central Highlands held in Dak Lak Province’s Buon Ma Thuot City, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc clearly pointed out that the destruction of forests in the region is causing the loss of biodiversity, directly threatening climate change in the region. If not properly settled, the forests in the Central Highlands will become exhausted, thereby causing unavoidable aftermaths.
Analysing reasons and long term solutions, the Prime Minister said that the loss of forests takes place extensively because of the lack of ownership of forests together with the existence of corruption of some cadres in relevant bodies.
To settle the urgent issue and save the Central Highlands’ forests, the Prime Minister declared the closing of natural forests; not shifting 2.25 million hectares of natural forests for other purposes and not replacing poor and exhausted forests with industrial tree plantations. Also, to avoid the situation of “everybody’s business is nobody’s business” in managing, protecting and developing forests, the Prime Minister asked chairmen of provincial people committees in the Central Highlands to directly entrust the task of forest protection and development to chairmen of people committees of districts and communes in the region, as well as to clearly define the responsibility of everyone on duty in the locality.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister asked to shut down facilities processing natural wood under the supervision of competent agencies and the public and revamp forest plantations in a bid to better control the area of virgin forest. In a parallel effort, the Prime Minister made an order to stop granting licenses to hydropower projects that are subject to forest policies, and project owners who violate regulations of forestation; stop activities of deforestation projects and not paying compensation for forest land and forests.
 At a conference to seek solutions to achieving sustainable forest recovery in order to cope with climate change in the Central Highlands, tenure 2016-2020, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered the closing of natural forests to save forests in the region from current degradation. Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA  Staffs at the Reservation Centre for precious Chinese swamp cypress (Glyptostrobus pensilis) in Ea Ral Commune, Ea H’leo District, Dak Lak Province attach fire warning signs to protect forests. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Staffs at the Reservation Centre for precious Chinese swamp cypress (Glyptostrobus pensilis) in Ea Ral Commune, Ea H’leo District, Dak Lak Province fortify barbed wire fences to protect forests. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA |
The leader required the entire political system, the business community and population to joint hands in promoting sustainable forest recovery and development. He called on localities to take more feasible and sustainable solutions in a bid to fulfill the target of raising forest coverage in the Central Highlands to 59% by 2020.
It is said that it is a decision to “save” forests in the Central Highlands which the locals have longed for.
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By VNA/VNP
