Benefits from implementing the policy of payment for forest environmental services in Nghe An
The policy of payment for forest environmental services (PFES) and reforestation is important to increase forest cover, improve forest quality, contribute to improving the ecological environment and create more jobs, increase income for people in highland areas.
Mobilize revenue well and pay DVMTR on time
In recent times, Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund has coordinated well with relevant levels and sectors, promptly resolved difficulties and problems, and effectively implemented the policy of payment for forest environmental services and replacement forest planting.
The Forest Protection and Development Fund has advised the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Department of Agriculture and Environment) to establish an inspection team to determine the forest area providing forest environmental services as a basis for calculating, determining unit prices and paying for forest environmental services; Develop a plan to regulate and support forest environmental services for suppliers in hydropower basins with low payment levels; Guide, direct and urge organizations that are forest owners and district-level payment organizations to review and update changes in data related to the forest environmental service payment map; OrganizeTraining on the use of software to monitor and evaluate forest environmental service payments for forest owners who are organizations and district-level payment organizations in the province...
One of the important tasks of the Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund in recent times is to proactively review and expand revenue sources from establishments using forest environmental services. Up to now, the fund has signed 48 contracts to entrust payment for forest environmental services, including 23 contracts with hydropower production establishments, 14 contracts with clean water production establishments and 11 contracts with industrial production establishments.
In 2024, with a coordinated source of nearly VND 9.3 billion from the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund, the provincial fund mobilized VND 123.5 billion from forest environmental service users, reaching 110% of the plan. Thanks to good implementation of revenue mobilization, Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund promptly responded to the disbursement of forest environmental service funds (reaching 120% of the plan).
Sharing experiences and effective methods in implementing the policy of paying for forest environmental services, Mr. Nguyen Van Tan - Head of the Planning Department - Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund said: "As a public service unit, under the Department of Agriculture and Environment, subject to financial inspection and supervision by the Department of Finance, the Fund always maintains close coordination with relevant parties and local authorities at all levels to perform well the advisory work, carry out the task of paying for forest environmental services in a timely, public, transparent and correct manner. In addition, as a financial agency serving the work of forest protection and development, the Fund always closely coordinates with the Forest Protection Department, District Forest Protection Departments and forest owners as organizations to pay the correct, sufficient and timely funding sources to serve the work of forest protection and development in the province"
Focus on reforestation work
In addition to the task of implementing the policy of paying for forest environmental services, the Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund is assigned to receive and manage money for reforestation from projects that convert forest use purposes but do not have conditions for reforestation.
The Fund coordinates to urge approved projects to pay TRTT money when changing the purpose of forest use to pay money to the fund according to regulations. Based on the document assigning investors to plant replacement forests of the Provincial People's Committee for projects and units, the Fund has coordinated to exchange and guide units to carry out the approval of technical designs and forest planting estimates. The Fund also regularly coordinates to urge projects and units allocated TRTT funds to do a good job of planting, caring for and protecting forests; Based on the progress reports and procedural records of the units, conduct inspections and provide guidance, and timely disburse according to regulations. The result of disbursement of money for replacement forest planting in 2024 reached more than 12 billion VND.
To effectively implement the policy of payment for forest environmental services and replacement forest planting, in 2025, Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund will continue to innovate the content and communication methods so that the policy is known and responded to by all classes of people in the province, especially the people in the mountainous areas of Western Nghe An. At the same time, the fund also focuses on improving the professional qualifications of cadres, civil servants and workers to meet the increasing demands of work.
Mr. Pham Ba Hung - Deputy Director of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund said: In the coming time, the fund will continue to receive instructions from the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund, the Provincial People's Committee, departments, branches, especially the Department of Agriculture and Environment and closely coordinate with relevant agencies, units and localities to effectively implement the policy of payment for forest environmental services, forest protection and development work, and related activities. In addition, the fund will focus on expanding and mobilizing additional revenue sources according to the provisions of law to serve the work of forest protection and development management.
From there, a large human resource in society is mobilized to participate in forest protection, contributing to improving livelihoods, increasing income, improving people's lives, especially making an important contribution to implementing the National Target Program on hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and new rural construction in localities. Thereby, the forest area enjoying the payment policy for forest environmental services is increasing, forests are better protected, violations of forestry laws are gradually reduced year by year... increasing forest cover, improving forest quality, contributing to improving the ecological environment.
