Leaders of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee have directed agencies, units, and localities to strengthen management and protection of forests, and synchronously deploy solutions to prevent illegal deforestation and forest exploitation throughout the area, according to VNA.
According to the People's Committee of Lam Dong province, violations of the Forestry Law still occur and have complicated developments. Notably, some cases of deforestation and forest exploitation have not been coordinated for strict and thorough handling.
Document No. 0630/UBND-NNMT dated May 4 said that from December 11, 2025 to April 15, 2026, the whole province recorded 199 forestry violations. Of which, 117 cases identified subjects, accounting for 59%. There were 88 cases of deforestation with an area of 14.7ha and 24 cases of illegal forest exploitation, with a volume of nearly 60m3 of various types of wood.
Faced with this situation, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested departments, agencies, branches, localities and forest owners to focus on implementing preventive measures early and remotely. Heads of units must clarify responsibilities and strictly handle collectives and individuals who lax management, leading to prominent and prolonged violations.
The commune-level People's Committee is assigned to drastically implement decisions to handle violations related to forestry land, especially to organize the remedy of consequences and hand over the area to the forest owner unit for management.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment (NNMT) of Lam Dong province is requested to urgently complete the investigation and inventory of forests, as a basis for managing, protecting and developing forests in accordance with regulations. At the same time, direct the forest protection force to strengthen inspection and supervision, promptly report and propose handling responsibilities for forest owners for forest destruction, illegal exploitation or land encroachment.
Forest owners must enhance the role and responsibility of heads, fully exercise their rights and obligations as prescribed; proactively detect and prepare initial records of violations and transfer them to competent authorities for handling.
The Provincial Police are assigned to review cases with signs of crime or that have been prosecuted to focus on investigation and thorough handling; and at the same time verify and dismantle the ringleaders of gangs and groups destroying forests, exploiting and transporting forest products and illegally encroaching and leveling forest land.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Environment of Lam Dong province, this locality currently has 1,149,609ha of forest land, the largest in the country. The area calculating the coverage rate reaches 1,132,111ha, equivalent to 46.72%, higher than the national average of 42%. The entire forest area has been assigned to forest owners for management, including 16 Forestry One-Member Limited Liability Companies, 3 nature reserve management boards, 22 forest management boards and 4 national parks.
