VietNamNet Bridge – Poachers continue to destroy the 1,300-hectare forest in the Buon Don Eco-tourism area in Central Highland Dak Lak Province' Krong Na Commune after media reported on illegal logging last October.

Buon Don District and Krong Na Commune authorities are working together to protect the forest in the Buon Don Eco-tourism area in Dak Lak Province against illegal loggers, but not making much progress.

Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper reported that in 2005 the provincial People's Committee authorised the Dak Lak Rubber Limited Company to develop the forest in the Buon Don Eco-tourism area.

However, in July 2012 the Dak Lak Rubber Limited Company sought to transfer management of the forest to the Ban Don Tourism Joint Stock Company.

While waiting for the committee to complete legal procedures to hand over the forest to the Ban Don Tourism Joint Stock Company, trees in the forest were found to again have been illegally chopped down.

In the meantime, the two companies have said the other was responsible for the forest.

Nguyen Hoai Duong, deputy director of the department, said that as the legal documents were yet to be finished, the Dak Lak Rubber Limited Company still had responsibility to manage the forest.

Meanwhile, Trang Quang Thanh, director of the provincial Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said that poor management by the Dak Lak Rubber Limited Company was to blame for the situation.

The department had ordered the Buon Don Forest Management Division to set up inspection teams to prevent the additional cutting down of trees, Thanh said.

Y Thong Nie Kdam, chairman of the communal People's Committee, said that security staff in the eco-tourism area had been assigned to protect the forest.

Therefore, authorised agencies of the district and militia from the commune had co-operated to protect the forest, he said.

Duong Van Xanh, vice chairman of the People's Committee of Buon Don District, said the district dealt with dozens of violations related to destroying the forest last year.

The district had repeatedly sought assistance from the provincial authority in dealing with the illegal logging, but received no help, he said.

VNS