Dak Lak joins hands to protect forests for sustainable development

Protecting forests to sustain the lifeblood of vast forest

Dak Lak is widely recognized as one of Viet Nam's most ecologically valuable regions. It is home to unique dry dipterocarp forests. From the natural forests stretching across the eastern region to the distinctive dipterocarp forests in the west, forests play a vital role in maintaining the ecological environment and sustaining the livelihoods of people in Dak Lak province. Therefore, forest protection and development are not solely the task of specialized forces but have become a shared responsibility of all levels, sectors, and local communities.

Dak Lak is currently one of the localities with the largest forest areas in the Central Highlands, with more than 743,000 hectares of forested land, including over 530,000 hectares of natural forest. Beyond providing landscapes and conserving biodiversity, forests also play a role in regulating water resources, protecting soil, mitigating the impacts of natural disasters, and contributing to climate change adaptation.

In the context of increasingly complex climate change, forests are no longer viewed solely as forestry resources but also as an important resource for sustainable development. As a result, forest protection and development have been identified as long-term tasks requiring the joint efforts of society as a whole.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Hung, Director of the Dak Lak Forest Protection Department, protecting forests is not only about preserving natural resources but also about safeguarding resources essential for long-term development. Therefore, forest protection and development have consistently been identified as key tasks of the forestry sector, closely linked to strengthening accountability for forest protection at the grassroots level.

Accompanying local authorities and forest owners, the Dak Lak forest ranger force plays a central role in advising, guiding, supervising, and raising public awareness, thereby strengthening shared responsibility among government agencies at all levels, forest owners, and local communities in forest management, protection, and development. As a result, communication and mobilization activities have been regularly carried out at the grassroots level, helping foster a sense of responsibility for forest protection within communities.

Turning forest protection responsibility into community strength

Through the advisory, guidance, and supervisory role of the forest ranger force, responsibility for forest protection and development has gradually spread to all levels, sectors, forest owners, and local residents. This joint effort has contributed to positive outcomes in forest development across the province.

During the 2021–2025 period, Dak Lak province planted more than 51,813 hectares of concentrated forests, achieving 125% of the plan. This included approximately 1,346 hectares of protection and special-use forests, along with more than 50,467 hectares of production forests.

In addition to concentrated forest plantations, the province also planted more than 8.29 million scattered trees in residential areas, schools, agencies, along transportation routes, and in various public spaces. These achievements have not only helped increase forest cover but have also expanded green spaces for local communities while improving the ecological environment.

However, forest development efforts continue to face a range of challenges, including encroachment on forestry land, the impacts of extreme weather events, droughts and floods, as well as limited investment resources. These challenges call for even stronger collective action from all sectors of society in forest protection and development.

Building on the achieved results, Dak Lak has set a target of planting nearly 28,648 hectares of concentrated forests and more than 272,000 scattered trees during the 2026–2030 period. These are important goals aimed at further increasing forest cover, improving the ecological environment, and helping fulfill the province’s sustainable socio-economic development objectives.

Amid growing pressure on forest resources, the Dak Lak forest ranger force will continue to play a central role in advising, guiding, and overseeing forest protection and development at the grassroots level. This is a long-term mission aimed at safeguarding the ecological environment, water resources, and the foundation for the locality's sustainable development.