Decision No. 39/2002/QD-TTg On Expanding Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the Expansion of Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Government Organization Law dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Forest Protection and Development dated August 19, 1991;

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Circular No. 2591/BNN-KL dated August 31, 2001), opinions of the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Science and Technology, and Environment, and the opinion of the Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lak Province.

DECISION:

Article 1. Expand Yok Don National Park with a total area of 115,545 hectares, including: strict protection zone: 80,947 hectares; ecological restoration zone: 30,426 hectares; administrative service zone: 4,172 hectares.

The buffer zone of the expanded Yok Don National Park has an area of 133,890 hectares, including the areas of the surrounding communes: Ea Bung commune, Chu M'lanh commune, Krông Na commune, Ea Huar commune, Ea Ver commune, and Ea Po commune.

Article 2. Location and Geographic Coordinates of Yok Don National Park:

1. Geographical location: The expanded Yok Don National Park is located within the territory of four communes in three districts: Krông Na commune in Buôn Đôn district (including the areas of Buôn Đôn and Buôn D'răng Phôk forest farms); Ea Bung commune and Chu M'lanh commune in Ea Súp district, and Ea Po commune in Cư Jút district.

The boundaries of the Park are defined as follows:

- North along Provincial Road 1A from the intersection of Chu M'lanh to Border Guard Post No. 2 to the Vietnam-Cambodia border.

- West along the Vietnam-Cambodia border.

- East along Provincial Road 1A from the intersection of Chu M'lanh to Ban Don, upstream along the Srêpok River to the administrative boundary of Cư Jút district.

- South adjacent to Cư Jút district and intersects Highway 6B at Km 22 + 500, following Highway 6B to Dak Dam stream, adjacent to the Vietnam-Cambodia border.

2. Geographic coordinates:

- From 12°45' to 13°10' north latitude. ⁰ - From 107°29'30" to 107°48'30" east longitude. ⁰Objectives and Tasks of Yok Don National Park:

- Protect forest resources, protect diverse and rich forest ecosystems within the boundaries of the national park.⁰- Preserve scientific values for typical flora and fauna of the Central Highlands region, especially large mammals such as elephants, gaur, wild cattle, tigers, leopards, and clouded leopards.⁰- Develop infrastructure of Yok Don National Park, creating conditions for research and conservation of typical flora and fauna of the Central Highlands region. At the same time, facilitate cooperation in scientific research both domestically and internationally, serving training and educational tours according to Decision No. 08/2001/QĐ-TTg dated January 11, 2001 of the Prime Minister on the management regulations for special-use forests, protective forests, and naturally produced timber forests.

Article 3. - Leverage natural scenery advantages to develop eco-tourism, guide and assist local people to create jobs, participate in tourism services to continuously improve their living standards, contribute to the socio-economic development of the locality, protect the ecological environment, and ensure border security.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall manage Yok Don National Park in accordance with Decision No. 08/2001/QĐ-TTg dated January 11, 2001 of the Prime Minister on the management regulations for special-use forests, protective forests, and naturally produced timber forests; complete the investment project for building and developing the expanded Yok Don National Park, the investment project for building and developing the buffer zone of the expanded Yok Don National Park, review, approve, and implement the projects according to current regulations.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with the People's Committee of Dak Lak Province to integrate Buôn Đôn and Buôn D'răng Phôk forest farms into Yok Don National Park (as all forests and forest land of the two forest farms have been transferred to the management of the national park) according to the principle of maintaining the status quo regarding forest capital, arranging staff from the two forest farms into the national park's staffing, ensuring their livelihoods and employment; while managing assets and capital of the two forest farms when transferring them to the expanded Yok Don National Park in accordance with current regulations.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated agencies, heads of related sectors, and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lak Province are responsible for implementing this decision.

- Leverage the natural landscape advantages to develop eco-tourism, guide and assist local residents to create job opportunities, participate in tourism service activities to continuously improve the living standards for the people, contribute to the economic and social development of the locality, protect the ecological environment, and safeguard border security of the country.

Article 4. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for managing the Yok Don National Park according to Decision No. 08/2001/QD-TTg dated January 11, 2001 of the Government on the management regulations for special-use forests, protective forests, and naturally produced production forests; complete the investment construction and development project of the expanded Yok Don National Park, the investment construction and development project of the buffer zone of the expanded Yok Don National Park, review, approve, and implement the projects in accordance with current regulations.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in coordination with the People's Committee of Dak Lak Province, shall carry out the integration of Buon Don Forest Enterprise and Buon Drang Phok Forest Enterprise into Yok Don National Park (as all forests and forest land of the two enterprises have been assigned to the national park for management) based on the principle: maintaining the existing forest capital status, arranging the staff and workers of the two enterprises into the national park's staffing, ensuring their livelihoods and employment; at the same time, manage the assets and capital of the two enterprises when transferring them to the expanded Yok Don National Park in accordance with current regulations.

Article 5. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days from the date of signature.

The Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated agencies, heads of related sectors, and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lak Province are responsible for implementing this decision.