To make forestry an important and sustainable economic sector in Nghe An

Positive contributions from forests

Nghe An is the province with the largest forestry land area in the country, with a total area of ​​1,018,788.24 million hectares, accounting for nearly 75% of the total natural area of ​​the province. Currently, the land with forest is more than 1 million hectares (including 790,352.86 hectares of natural forest and 171,421.51 hectares of planted forest); the land without forest is more than 271 thousand hectares, of which 70,004.23 hectares have been planted but have not met the criteria for becoming a forest.

Forestry, from a socialized activity with environmental and social roles and functions, has now affirmed its role as an important economic sector of the province. This is confirmed by the annual increase in planted forest area. Since 2010, the planted forest area has always reached more than 15,000 hectares/year and the total planted forest area is currently more than 220,000 hectares (including newly planted forests without reserves), of which the production forest area is more than 178,000 hectares.

In terms of economic efficiency, forestry has increased the export turnover of wood and non-timber forest products of the province in the period of 2021-2023 in the province: The growth rate of forestry production value always reaches over 5.5%, in 2021 it reached 7.85%; in 2022 it reached 9.07%; in 2023 it reached 6.67%; The export turnover of wood and non-timber forest products in the period of 2021-2023 reached 821.25 million USD (in 2021: 207 million USD; in 2022: 344 million USD, in 2023: 270.25 million USD) and in the first 6 months of 2024 it reached 161 million USD.

Besides economic value, Nghe An forest cover increased by 58.33%; increased biodiversity and is now opening up more opportunities for carbon credit export.

On August 24, 2024, the Prime Minister approved Decision No. 895/QD-TTg on the National Forestry Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, and a number of mechanisms, policies, and orientations for forestry development in the period 2026-2030. The new forestry planning will create a legal corridor for the province to develop programs, projects, plans, mechanisms, and development policies. From there, it will create a vibrant emulation movement, contributing practically to the successful implementation of the forestry development goals in line with the orientation to 2030, with a vision to 2050.

What is more special is that through the development of the forest economy, it has been creating sustainable livelihoods for people in many areas with difficult economic conditions, especially mountainous areas and ethnic minorities. For Quy Chau district, the locality has a fairly large forestry land area, with more than 95,000 hectares, distributed in 12/12 communes and towns. With that advantage, along with doing a good job of forest protection, in recent years, Quy Chau district has also focused on directing the development of planted forests on production forests to create jobs and income for people, contributing to sustainable hunger eradication and poverty reduction in the locality. Accordingly, each year the locality has a planted forest area of ​​3,000 hectares and currently the planted forest area is more than 23,000 hectares; the annual revenue is more than 350 billion VND.

In Tuong Duong district, in order to achieve the goal of developing forestry economy, in recent times, the Party Committee and authorities from the district to the grassroots have also focused on directing the development of planted forest areas, planting 1,000 - 1,500 hectares each year, with the total planted forest area currently reaching more than 4,400 hectares. Regarding economic value, according to comrade Nguyen Hai Au - Head of Tuong Duong Forest Protection Department: Each hectare of acacia with a 5-7 year cycle will have a corresponding income of 90-120 million VND/ha and meter trees will reach 15-20 million VND/ha/year. This is an important source of livelihood for people in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty; in particular, it contributes to changing awareness, thinking, overcoming people's mentality of waiting and relying on others.

Improving the quality of forestry plant varieties

In order to further promote the value of forests, in recent years, based on the orientation and direction of the Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, localities have focused on developing large timber trees and diversifying crops. In addition to the main forests of acacia, eucalyptus, and pine, some localities have expanded the area of ​​planting mahogany, cinnamon, fat, linden, etc.; however, that area is still very small; acacia and eucalyptus trees still occupy a large area, with a total of more than 150,000 hectares out of a total of more than 208,000 hectares of planted forests in the whole province.

Besides the lack of diversity in crops, acacia trees are being exploited in a 5-8 year planting cycle, even in some places after 4 years, reducing the productivity of planted forests, timber output and economic value per unit of forest area. Specifically, the average productivity fluctuates at only 70-150m³/ha, equivalent to 15-25m³/ha/year and the annual exploitation output only reaches about 1 million m³. Exploited wood is mainly used to produce pulp, wood chips, veneer, MDF boards, laminated boards, etc.

The cause of this situation, according to comrade Nguyen Thi Anh Huong - Deputy Head of the Management Board of the High-tech Forestry Zone in the North Central region: Due to the lack of comprehensive research on plant varieties, associated with strict and effective management of forestry seed sources for forest planting and development; on the contrary, the use of seeds without clear origin is quite common. Currently, the whole province has 24 units producing and trading forestry seeds, mainly serving the management boards of protective forests and forestry companies, in addition to small-scale nursery models of households. In general, the scale of seed production is small, technology is backward, mainly from seeds and partly from cuttings, the quality of seeds is low, the origin and source are unclear; at the same time, the main varieties are acacia of all kinds, linden, meter, eucalyptus, pine, xoan ta, mangrove trees, and native trees. These limitations are major barriers to the establishment of afforestation areas that are guaranteed to be granted Sustainable Forest Certification according to international regulations.

The Deputy Head of the Management Board of the High-Tech Forestry Zone in the North Central region also emphasized: Varieties are one of the most important steps, a key factor in improving productivity, quality and increasing the value of planted forests, especially production forests. Without improved varieties according to economic goals, it is impossible to increase the productivity of planted forests. According to studies, improved varieties can account for 50 - 60% of planted forest productivity. Therefore, improving forest tree varieties to increase productivity and wood quality, at the same time, creating many commercial products from wood is an urgent requirement for the Nghe An Forestry sector - a locality with nearly 75% of the total natural area planned for forestry land and forestry is identified as an important economic sector. In particular, on May 4, 2024, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 376 approving the Planning of the North Central and Central Coastal Regions for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050; including planning Nghe An to become a center of high-tech forestry. On the other hand, previously, on March 31, 2021, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 509 on the establishment of the High-tech Forestry Zone in the North Central region in the communes of Nghi Lam, Nghi Van, Nghi Kieu, Nghi Hop, Nghi Xa (Nghi Loc) and Dai Son commune (Do Luong) with an area of ​​618 hectares.

In order to realize the orientation, goals and strategies for forestry development in the province; Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has established the Planning Project for the High-tech Forestry Zone in the North Central region until 2045 with a total planning area of ​​618 hectares, including a high-tech forestry seedling production center with a scale of about 48 hectares in Nghi Lam commune, Nghi Loc district, approved by the Provincial People's Council and the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee. Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has approved the planning for the construction of the North Central High-tech Forestry Seedling Center Project. In addition to the High-tech Forestry Seedling Production Center in Nghi Lam commune, the Provincial People's Committee has also approved the Project "Improving the quality of forestry seedling varieties in the period 2024 - 2030" to effectively implement the Forestry Development Strategy in Nghe An province, in Decision No. 350, dated February 20, 2024.

Accordingly, one of the contents that need to be focused on is improving the capacity of forestry seed management with a breakthrough in producing high-quality forestry seed, determining a list of priority crops suitable for each locality in the province based on surveys and assessments of advantages in terms of land, terrain and consumption markets.

To realize this task, in addition to promoting the early operation of the High-tech Seed Production Center in the North Central region, Nghe An also encourages investors and existing production facilities to upgrade and apply advanced science and technology in building seed sources and large-scale seed production facilities, providing stable and long-term seed according to product chain requirements, producing and supplying high-yield, high-quality seeds that adapt to climate change; contributing to meeting the demand for 41,500,000 intercropped forest seedlings; 1,500,000 - 2,000,000 non-timber forest product seedlings for planting under the forest canopy by 2030.