Vietnam has seen decreases in the number of violation cases related to forest protection and development, as well as the area of forest lost by deforestation.

After three years of implementing Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s directions, an average of 16,980 violation cases have been detected annually across the nation, down 35 percent compared with the average figure of the 2011-2015 period. The area of forests damaged by deforestation is 1,873ha per year, down 29 percent from the previous period.

Notably, 12,945 cases were uncovered and 936 ha of forests damaged in 2018, with year-on-year decreases of 22 percent and 35 percent, respectively.

Despite these achievements, deforestation and the illegal smuggling, transportation, conservation, and processing of forest products happen in several localities, with increasingly sophisticated tricks.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan said that his ministry will maintain coordination with other ministries, sectors, and localities in implementing the forestry law and documents guiding the enforcement of the law drastically, synchronously, and effectively.

More drastic measures will be taken to prevent deforestation. Inspections will be intensified at deforestation hot spots, while violation cases will be strictly handled, he added –VNA