Decision No. 91/2002/QĐ-TTg On converting the Lò Gò - Xa Mát Nature Reserve into the Lò Gò - Xa Mát National Park in Tây Ninh Province

DECISION OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Regarding the conversion of Lo Go-Xa Mat Nature Reserve into Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park, Tay Ninh Province

PRIME MINISTER

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

Pursuant to the Law on Protection and Development of Forests dated August 12, 1991;

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (document number 1679/BNN-KL dated June 24, 2002) and that of Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).the People's Committee of Tay Ninh Province (report number 284/UB dated October 18, 2001),

DECISION:

Article 1. Convert Lo Go-Xa Mat Nature Reserve, located in Tan Bien District, Tay Ninh Province, into a national park within the system of special-use forests in Vietnam, including the following contents:

1. Name: Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park.

2. Location, boundaries, and coordinates:

Location:

Situated in three communes: Tan Lap, Tan Binh, and Hoa Hiep, in Tan Bien District, Tay Ninh Province (30 km from Tay Ninh City).

Boundaries:

The northern and western boundaries run parallel with Highway 791, the border between Vietnam and Cambodia.

The eastern boundary is defined by Tre Stream (in Tan Binh Commune) and Xa Mat Rubber Plantation.

The southern boundary adjoins Hoa Hiep Road (Thanh Tay) and the Soc Thet Project area.

Geographic Coordinates:

From 11⁰02^!to 11⁰ 47^! degrees North latitude,

From 105⁰ 57^!to 106⁰04^!degrees East longitude.

3. Scale of area and functional zones:

Total area: 18. 765 hectares.

Where:

Strictly protected zone: 8,594 hectares.

Ecological restoration zone: 10,084 hectares.

Administrative and service zone: 87 hectares.

The buffer zone of Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park has an area of 18,600 hectares, comprising Tan Lap, Tan Binh, Thanh Tay, and Hoa Hiep communes in Tan Bien District, Tay Ninh Province.

4. Objectives and tasks:

Preserve the standard model of the semi-humid forest ecosystem, the characteristic biodiversity of the transitional forest region between the Central Highlands, Southeastern Region, and the Mekong Delta (representative forest in Vietnam with this ecosystem).

Continue to investigate, discover, supplement, and conserve rare and precious flora and fauna species currently existing in the national park.

Contribute to preserving and enhancing national-level historical relics such as the base of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, the Vietnam Liberation Front during the anti-American resistance period.

Serve as a basis for implementing cooperative activities in natural conservation along the Vietnam-Cambodia border and environmental protection, biodiversity among countries in Indochina.

Contribute to maintaining ecological balance and increasing forest coverage, ensuring environmental security and sustainable development of the transitional ecological region between the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta, while promoting the values of the transitional, semi-humid forest ecosystem for scientific research, ecotourism, and tourism.

Article 2. Entrust the People's Committee of Tay Ninh Province to directly manage Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh Province shall be responsible for:

Submitting to the competent authority for approval the investment project for construction and development of Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park and the investment project for construction and development of the buffer zone of Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park according to current regulations.

Submitting to the competent authority for approval the ecotourism development project within Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park.

Article 3. Regarding the organization and staff structure of Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park:

Entrust the Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh Province to decide on the organizational structure and management staff of Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park based on the provisions of the Regulation on Management of Special-Use Forests, Protective Forests, and Naturally Produced Timber Forests issued together with Decision No. 08/2001/QĐ-TTg dated January 11, 2001 of the Prime Minister and the consensus of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Government Organizational Cadre Department.

Article 4. THIS DECISION SHALL TAKE EFFECT 15 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF SIGNATURE.

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, and heads of government-affiliated agencies, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh Province are responsible for implementing this Decision./.