5 years of implementing payments for forest environmental services.

(Baonghean) - Payment for forest environmental services is a new policy, and its implementation has encountered many difficulties and obstacles. However, with collective efforts, especially the active and decisive involvement of the Forest Protection and Development Fund, it has initially created momentum to contribute to the sustainable protection and development of forests...

Nghe An province has a total natural area of ​​1,649,853.2 hectares, of which 1,176,150.3 hectares are forest land (accounting for 71% of the natural area), and a dense network of rivers and streams. It also possesses diverse ecological zones such as mountainous, midland, and coastal plains, creating favorable conditions for providing forest environmental services (FES). However, payment for forest environmental services is a unique policy, unprecedented in Vietnam, making successful implementation a challenging task.

The planted forest of Song Hieu Forestry Company in Nghia Mai commune (Nghia Dan district).

Anticipating these difficulties and complexities, the Provincial People's Committee provided systematic and thorough guidance during the implementation of this work. In conjunction with the establishment of the fund, the province organized an Executive Board, a Management Council, and a Supervisory Board, and assigned responsibility to the Forest Protection and Development Fund to implement the policy of payment for forest ecosystem services.

To ensure the fund operates effectively and successfully fulfills its mission, the province has selected qualified, capable, young, dedicated, and responsible officials to participate in the Executive Board, Management Council, and Supervisory Board; simultaneously, it has developed and strictly implemented the charter and operating regulations; and assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to lead, develop, and issue guidelines for implementing the policy on payment for ecosystem services.

Thanks to this, the fund's operations have seen much innovation and the implementation of many positive and effective measures. Most notably, the fund has coordinated well in propaganda and guidance work; proactively advised the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to issue appropriate directives; and actively mobilized and used revenue to promptly serve the work of forest protection and development.

Regarding fundraising, the fund considers this a crucial step in fulfilling its mission. Because effective fundraising is essential for implementing the payment policy and vice versa, the fund consistently adheres to the plan, strictly follows directives from higher authorities, employs various methods, and intensifies efforts to urge units that have signed entrustment contracts to declare and pay the Environmental Service Fee to the fund.

Despite the challenging approach, the Forest Protection and Development Fund has successfully negotiated and signed entrustment contracts with 15 forest ecosystem service users over the past five years, including 10 hydropower plants and 5 clean water production and supply facilities. In addition, the Fund regularly reviews and expands its revenue sources, especially targeting forest ecosystem service users currently under construction, to promote and negotiate entrustment contracts once the plants become operational, such as the Chi Khê, Xoỏng Con, Khe Thơi, Bản Ang, Tiền Phong, Ca Nan, Nhãn Hạc, Đồng Văn, and Châu Thắng hydropower plants.

Simultaneously, ongoing reviews and research are underway to expand revenue sources from aquaculture, industrial production facilities, and services that utilize water resources. Therefore, annual revenue is not only increasing rapidly but also ensuring the increasingly sustainable implementation of the policy.

Primary forest in the Pù Hoạt Nature Reserve.

The payment process is given special importance by the Forest Protection and Development Fund. In practice, payments need to be not only timely but also fair and accurate to avoid unforeseen consequences, such as conflicts among the people and difficulties in protecting and developing the forests.

To improve payment efficiency, in addition to coordinating with districts to build a payment network down to the grassroots level and guiding the implementation of MTR service payment policies, the fund is strengthening inspection, supervision, and monitoring efforts.

Each year, the fund has established a systematic inspection and monitoring system. In 2015 alone, the fund coordinated over 20 inspection and monitoring campaigns of programs and projects supported by the fund's resources, and in the first six months of 2016, it organized working groups to inspect forest protection activities linked to payments for ecosystem services in many key districts... This has helped the fund to promptly detect, address, and correct shortcomings in policy implementation, especially in the management and use of funds for ecosystem services at the grassroots level, in communes, villages, and hamlets.

Through inspections and surveys conducted by working groups from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the General Department of Forestry, and the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund, the activities of the Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund have been assessed as one of the units that have effectively implemented the policy of payment for forest ecosystem services nationwide.

Apart from the outstanding budget revenue from 2011 and 2012, which lacked payment documentation at the time (now approved for disbursement by the Prime Minister in Official Letter 1820/TTg-KTTH dated October 13, 2015), the collection and disbursement process for the remaining years was basically carried out simultaneously. By the end of the 2015 disbursement plan (April 30, 2016), the fund had disbursed a total of VND 174,098 million.

Disbursement results have increased steadily over the years, specifically as follows: 2012: VND 17,564 million (for forest environmental service fees); 2013: VND 20,494 million (for forest environmental service fees); 2014: VND 29,137 million (for forest environmental service fees: VND 27,336 million, support for reforestation: VND 1,801 million); 2015: VND 106,903 million (for forest environmental service fees: VND 97,874 million, support for reforestation: VND 9,030 million).

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development conduct on-site inspections of forest protection contracting work. in My Ly commune (Ky Son district).

Notably, the timely payment of forest-related expenses to those who received the contracts has not only contributed to job creation, poverty alleviation, and improved livelihoods, helping people in mountainous areas feel secure in their commitment to the forest and actively contributing to the stability of political security and social order in mountainous and border regions.

According to compiled data, the number of forest owners and people benefiting from payments for forest environmental services has increased annually, along with the number of organizations, households, and individuals participating in forest protection contracts. Specifically: In 2012, the number of forest owners receiving payments for forest environmental services was 3 units with 765 contracts; by 2015, the number of forest owners benefiting was 6,026 cases, including 10 organizations, 40 commune People's Committees, and 5,976 households and individuals granted long-term land use rights, with over 10,000 contracts.

Many households participating in forest protection contracts covering large areas and achieving good quality have received tens of millions of VND per year in payments for forest environmental services. For example, in the Hủa Na and Cửa Đạt hydropower basins, in 2015, each household contracted to protect 30 hectares of forest earned 12,000,000 VND per year from forest environmental service payments.

Benefiting from the policies, people enthusiastically participate in the management, protection, and development of forests, actively contributing to preventing illegal forest burning. Forests are better protected, and violations of laws and regulations on forest protection, development, and fire prevention and control have gradually decreased over the years.

In 2011, the number of violations of forestry laws in the province was 1,366, but by 2015, the number had decreased to 695. The policy has gradually contributed to stabilizing and ensuring forest area, maintaining forest cover, improving forest quality, and contributing to improving the quality of the ecological environment.

In 2014, the total area of ​​forest protection contracts in hydropower basins in Nghe An province (according to the approved forest protection technical design documents) was 97,258.38 hectares. In 2015, the total area of ​​forest protection contracts for which documents were prepared and payments were made was 228,106.85 hectares.

Officials from the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund inspect the implementation of payments for forest environmental services. in Que Phong district.

Despite achieving significant results, the fund's leadership acknowledges that there are still many issues that need attention and resolution. Many of these require the involvement of both the provincial and central governments. Therefore, in the coming period, in addition to its own efforts to improve, the Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund hopes to receive more attentive guidance and support from the Provincial People's Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and other relevant departments and levels of government. Only then can the policy of payment for forest ecosystem services become increasingly practical and effective, contributing to the rapid and sustainable development of the province's forestry sector.

For all information regarding the Policy on Payment for Forest Environmental Services, please visit [website/link].here!

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