GLA 2 - Viet Nam GLA partners will work on four out of five provinces of the Central Highlands: Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, and Lam Dong provinces. These provinces are the major area of GLA 2016-2020 programme with a total area of 4.85 million hectares and about 45% forest cover. Much of the land is the watershed of the Srepok River which plays an important role in local ecosystems, biodiversity, and soil and water protection for lower provinces. At present, deforestation and forest degradation in the CHs is alarming due to agricultural expansion, illegal exploitation, and forestland conversion for other purposes. The CHs are the home of many native peoples including the Jarai, Ede, Bana, K’Ho, and M’nong. These peoples account for 26% of the total 6.2 million people of the CHs. Since 1960, the life of native peoples has been
disturbed in terms of environment, culture, and livelihood due to resettlement and biased development policies. At present, IPLCs in CHs are among the poorest people in the country. Unfortunately, the current loss of the forests – the foundation of IPLC’s cultures and livelihoods – exacerbates further the hardship of
native peoples.