Meeting on coordination of forest protection management and fire prevention in the Son La - Hua Phan border area.

Son La province has more than 242 km of border with Hua Phan province, Lao PDR. The border area between Son La and Hua Phan has complex terrain, mainly high hills and mountains, strongly divided, making transportation difficult. The forest area in the border areas is mostly far from densely populated areas, causing difficulties in patrolling, controlling, detecting, handling violations and mobilizing people to participate in forest fire fighting.

 

Delegation of Son La province attended the meeting.

Implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in forest protection management and forest fire prevention in the Son La - Hua Phan border area, period 2024-2025, the coordination between the two agricultural and environmental sectors of Son La and Hua Phan in the past time has achieved many positive results. The two sides regularly exchange information and closely coordinate in the fight against acts of encroachment on forest resources, contributing to maintaining security and order in the border area.

 

Leaders of Son La Provincial Forest Protection Department spoke at the meeting.

From September 2024 to July 2025, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La directed the Forest Protection Department to organize 15 commune-level conferences and 217 village-level conferences in Yen Chau, Moc Chau, and Van Ho districts (before implementing the two-level government model), attracting more than 14,400 participants. The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hua Phan directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Inspection to coordinate propaganda in 46 villages and hamlets, with more than 2,300 participants.

 

Delegation of Hua Phan province attended the meeting.

In the work of patrolling and protecting forests, Son La Forest Rangers regularly coordinate with Border Guard Stations to strengthen patrolling and inspection of border forest areas to prevent illegal logging, slash-and-burn cultivation, exploitation, transportation of forest products and hunting of wild animals. Son La Provincial authorities have detected and handled 69 cases of deforestation; 5 cases of illegal transportation of forest products. Hua Phan Province directed border patrol units 27 times, detected and handled 2 cases of violations of the law on smuggling, transportation and trading of non-timber forest products; early detection and handling of 3 forest fires in border areas...

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province and the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hua Phan province signed a memorandum of cooperation.

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province and the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hua Phan province signed a memorandum of cooperation.

At the meeting, delegates discussed, agreed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in forest protection and management and forest fire prevention in the Son La - Hua Phan border area, period 2025 - 2026, with the following contents: Regularly exchange information on forest protection and management, forest product management and forest fire prevention and fighting to ensure timely and accurate unified direction between the two sides. Coordinate in building, organizing professional training, coordinating forest fire fighting drills for communes and villages in the border area. Promote research cooperation, share experiences on biodiversity conservation, develop sustainable livelihoods associated with forest protection.

 

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province presented gifts to the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hua Phan province.

Along with that, each side proactively develops a program and plan for forest protection and management; coordinates patrols in key areas at risk of forest encroachment to promptly prevent deforestation, exploitation, trading, and illegal transportation of timber, forest products, and wild animals in border areas. Proactively inspects and reviews key areas at high risk of forest fires; develops a plan to mobilize resources, vehicles, equipment, and tools to be ready to participate in forest fire fighting..., and protects forest areas in border areas.