Son La, Houaphanh strengthen coordination in forest protection, fire prevention

The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Son La province and the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Laos’ Houaphanh province held a meeting in the Vietnamese locality on November 7 to review coordination efforts in forest management and protection, and firefighting and fire prevention in their border areas in 2025.

At the meeting on coordination in forest management and protection, and firefighting and fire prevention in the Son La – Houaphanh border areas.

Son La province’s delegation attends the meeting.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in this field for the 2024–2025 period, coordination between the two departments has achieved many positive results. The two sides have regularly exchanged information and closely cooperated in preventing violations of forest resources, contributing to maintaining security and order along the border.

A representative of the Son La Forest Protection Sub-Department speaks at the meeting.

From September 2024 to July 2025, the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment directed the provincial Forest Protection Sub-Department to organise 15 commune-level and 217 hamlet-level meetings in former Yen Chau, Moc Chau, and Van Ho districts (before the implementation of the two-tier local administration model), attracting over 14,400 participants. Meanwhile, the Houaphanh Department of Agriculture and Environment instructed the Sub-Department of Natural Resources and Environment Inspection to coordinate outreach activities in 46 villages and hamlets, with over 2,300 participants.

Houaphanh province’s delegation attends the meeting.

Son La authorities have detected and handled 69 cases of forest destruction and five cases of illegal timber transportation, while Houaphanh has conducted 27 border patrols, detecting and handling two cases of illegal trade and transportation of non-timber forest products, and promptly discovered and handled three forest fire incidents in the border area.

Leaders of the two departments sign the memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation.

Leaders of the two departments sign the memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation.

At the meeting, the delegates discussed, agreed upon, and signed a new MoU on bilateral cooperation for the 2025–2026 period. It includes regular information exchange on forest management, forest product control, and firefighting and fire prevention to ensure timely and consistent coordination; joint organisation of professional training and fire-fighting drills for border communes and villages; and enhanced cooperation in research, experience sharing on biodiversity conservation, and the development of sustainable livelihoods linked with forest protection.

A leader of the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment presents a gift to a leader of the Houaphanh Department of Agriculture and Environment.

 

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