Son La (Vietnam) and Hua Phan (Laos) are two provinces with a border stretching over 240 km. The terrain is complex, mainly consisting of high mountains and hills, heavily fragmented, and transportation is difficult. They also have large areas of forest and forestry land, and the border region is far from populated areas. Therefore, coordination in protecting forests in the border area is a top priority for both provinces.
Implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in forest management, protection, and fire prevention and control in the Son La - Hua Phan border area, for the period 2024-2025, the coordination between the agriculture and environment sectors of the two provinces has achieved many positive results. Both sides regularly exchange information and closely cooperate in combating and preventing acts of forest resource encroachment, contributing to maintaining security and order in the border area.
Forest rangers in Son La province are raising awareness and encouraging people in border areas to manage and protect the forest.
From September 2024 to July 2025, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province organized over 230 propaganda conferences at the commune and village levels in border areas, reaching more than 14,400 people; the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hua Phan province coordinated propaganda activities in 46 villages, with more than 2,300 participants.
In patrolling and protecting forests in border areas, the Son La Forest Ranger force, in coordination with border guard posts, has intensified patrols and inspections of border forest belts to prevent illegal logging, slash-and-burn farming, exploitation and transportation of forest products, and hunting of wild animals; detecting and handling 69 cases of deforestation and 5 cases of illegal transportation of forest products.
Forces and local people are building firebreaks to prevent forest fires during the dry season.
The Hua Phan province authorities have detected and handled two cases of violations of laws regarding smuggling, transporting, and trading of non-timber forest products; and dealt with three forest fires, with a total damaged area of over 460 hectares.
At a recent meeting between the Departments of Agriculture and Environment of the two provinces, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation for the period 2025-2026, agreeing to continue maintaining a regular coordination mechanism; and promptly exchanging information on forest management and protection, forest fire prevention and control, and border security.
The Departments of Agriculture and Environment of Son La and Hua Phan provinces held a meeting and signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation for the period 2025-2026.
The two provinces also agreed to compile and distribute bilingual Vietnamese-Lao propaganda materials for people in the border area; and to build bilingual notice boards at major border gates. Each side will also proactively develop programs and plans, and coordinate patrols in key areas at risk of forest encroachment to promptly prevent acts of deforestation, illegal logging, trading, and transportation of timber, forest products, and wild animals in the border area…
Maintaining the annual liaison mechanism between the agriculture and environment sectors of both sides is a practical activity that contributes to strengthening the special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Son La and Hua Phan provinces in particular, and between Vietnam and Laos in general, and improving the effectiveness of forest management, protection, and fire prevention and control in the border area.