VietNamNet Bridge – Inspections of forested land in Yok Don National Park began this week after local media reported that illegal loggers had destroyed several forested areas in the park.

The Buon Don District People's Committee and authorities in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dac Lac met on Monday to announce the new inspection activities that aim to prevent further destruction of forested land.

Tran Van Nhuong, chairman of the Buon Don District People's Committee, said all of the affected areas would be inspected.

The Buon Don District People's Committee would set up three mobile inspection teams to patrol important sites where illegal loggers often entered the park, Nhuong said.

Forested land that local residents illegally reclaimed to grow crops will also be taken back.

Several agencies will also investigate corruption among forest rangers who may have been involved in destruction of land.

Nguyen Huu Dung, head of the Department of Forest Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, told Sai Son Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper said that the forested areas of the park were in danger of dying.

Under law, the owners (households assigned to protect the areas) of the forested land had to bear the responsibility for forest destruction, Dung said.

Nhuong said the park's forest ranger stations had to bear responsibility when they let people and vehicles enter the park to cut down precious trees, hunt wild animals or burn forests to grow crops.

Serious forest destruction cases in the park in the past was caused by residents from other locations.

There were signs that people assigned to take care of the park had joined hands with illegal loggers, Nhuong said.

The Yok Don National Park, which covers Buon Don and Ea Sup districts in Dac Lac and Cu Jut District in Dac Nong Province, has a core area of 115,545ha and a buffer area of 133,924ha.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News