VietNamNet Bridge – The Management Board of the Nam Kar Natural Conservation Centre in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has decided to take disciplinary action against four forest rangers.

Many trees at the Nam Kar Natural Conservation Centre were illegally chopped. — VNA/VNS Photo

The decision followed the illegal deforestation of more than 10ha of forests at the centre.

The rangers were disciplined for not fulfilling their responsibility in forest management and for failing to prevent deforestation.

The management board also held a meeting to draw lessons and seek measures to better protect the forests, including increased inspection and supervision, strengthening of information dissemination to raise public awareness of forest protection and issuing strict penalties for violators.

According to a report of the Vietnam News Agency, more than 10ha of forests in Binh Hoa Commune were found burnt and used up for agricultural production. At the scene, many trees, measuring 40-60cm in diameter, were chopped down. Some areas of the forests continue to smoulder. Evidence at the scene showed that deforestation happened a few days ago.

The Nam Kar Natural Conservation Centre covers more than 20,900ha of forests in six communes in Lak and Krong Ana districts.

In another development, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has asked the People’s Committee of the northern mountainous Bac Kan Province to promptly verify and collect information about alleged deforestation in An Thang Commune in April.

He urged the local authorities to strictly punish violators in line with the regulations and reported the results to the Prime Minister.  

As reported, nearly 11ha of natural forests in the commune were burnt by local people to grow a new forest. 

Source: VNS