A policy to 'save' the forestry profession

(Baonghean) - After nearly 5 years of implementing payments for forest environmental services, it has been shown that this is a policy that both actively promotes the socialization of forest management and protection, and creates a "rescue" resource for the development of the forestry profession...

In recent years, especially since the project of planting 5 million hectares of new forests ended, like many provinces and cities across the country, due to budget difficulties, the State's investment capital for forest protection and development in Nghe An has been very limited. It is noteworthy that many management boards of protective forests and special-use forests in the area have had their investment sources cut, leading to difficulties in forest patrolling and protecting forests as well as mobilizing people to participate in forest protection work. Many protective and special-use forests are at risk of decline. At that time, Decree 99/2010/ND-CP on the policy of payment for forest environmental services was issued and implemented by the Government, which was like a cool breeze to "cool down" the difficulties and challenges in forestry activities.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Lam - Director of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund said: “Nghe An has the largest forest and forestry land area in the country with nearly 1.2 million hectares; many of which are quite rich and are often upstream forests of hydropower basins, so implementing the policy of paying for forest environmental services is of special importance, not only contributing to protecting valuable resources but also maintaining water resources and regulating kinetic energy sources for electricity production. Therefore, in recent times, the province has paid great attention to directing the implementation of the policy. This is reflected right from the organization stage with the Fund Management Board established under the direct direction of a Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, helping the Forest Protection and Development Fund Management Agency to promote its responsibility as the focal point for management, organization, guidance and implementation of the policy”.

Sa mu dau - heritage tree in Pu Hoat forest. Photo: Ho Phuong

Although this is a new policy, implemented for the first time, there are many difficulties and confusion, but with the determination to "do, learn and gain experience", the implementation of the policy soon stabilized and achieved positive results. According to the assessment of the General Department of Forestry as well as the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund, Nghe An is one of the top provinces that has done well in paying for forest environmental services according to Decree 99 of the Government. It is noteworthy that in the past 5 years, Nghe An has mobilized more than 250 billion VND from hydropower plants, clean water users and a number of other partners to contribute to improving social security in special areas and preserving the green color of the forest with nearly 250,000 VND ha/year.

Returning to the communes that benefited from the policy such as Dong Van, Thong Thu (Que Phong), My Ly, Bac Ly (Ky Son), Yen Na, Yen Hoa, Nga My, Xieng My (Tuong Duong)..., not only did we witness many protective forests on the mountain slopes spreading green, but we also heard many stories about villagers participating in forest protection and benefiting from the policy. Mr. Lo Van Tien - Head of the Forestry Department of Dong Van commune (Que Phong) confided: "Implementing the policy of paying for forest environmental services in 2015, the whole commune had 760 households participating in contracting to protect nearly 20,000 hectares of forest and received nearly 8 billion VND. On average, each household earned more than 10 million VND/year from forest protection".

Surveying in Pu Duoc village (Dong Van commune), this season people are going into the forest to exploit bamboo, Mr. Vi Van Tam - a local resident confided: "People are very satisfied with the policy of paying for forest environmental services. Not only are they supported with money, but they also create favorable conditions for bamboo trees to grow quickly for daily income". It is known that, implementing payment for forest environmental services, people in the village are propagandized and educated, not to arbitrarily enter the forest to exploit forest products and illegally clear the forest for farming, but actively participate in patrolling and protecting, pushing back violations of forestry laws. The area of ​​natural forest, especially bamboo trees and bamboo trees on the top of Pu Duoc, recovers quickly, each year generating tens of millions of VND/ha in income. Thanks to that, in addition to helping improve their lives, many households have built new houses, purchased expensive amenities such as motorbikes, televisions, refrigerators, phones, etc.

Mr. Lo Van Lieu - Chairman of the People's Committee of My Ly commune (Ky Son), could not hide his joy: "Fortunately, thanks to the policy of paying for forest environmental services, many forests in the upper border have been saved from slash-and-burn farming and restored to lush greenness". Research in many areas and basins benefiting from the policy of paying for forest environmental services has had the same positive results: The policy has been propagated and implemented into life. With the flexible way of assigning contracts to households and groups of households, the role and responsibility of forest owners, contractors and village elders and village chiefs in forest management and protection has really been promoted early, so deforestation has been pushed back, forests have been protected and developed, and the villagers are united and happy. Not only that, when assigned to be the focal point at the district level in implementing the policy, the forest rangers are equally excited.

People in Yen Thanh district prepare acacia seedlings for forest planting. Photo: Phu Huong

Deputy Head of Ky Son Forest Protection Department Nguyen Viet Minh - the person directly responsible for paying for forest environmental services in the area said: "Implementing the policy has eliminated inferiority complex, multiplied the image of forest rangers who are friendly and approachable, bringing policies and joy to the local people, not just checking, arresting, and handling; thereby contributing to preventing illegal exploitation and burning of forests, and managing the existing forest area well. Violations of the provisions of the law on forest protection and development, and forest fire prevention and fighting have gradually decreased over the years". According to the summary of the Forest Protection Department, in 2011, there were 1,366 cases of forestry law violations in the whole province, in 2013 there were 1,141 cases, in 2014 it decreased to 856 cases, and in 2015 there were only 695 cases.

The effectiveness of the forest environmental service payment policy does not stop at numbers but has had a profound impact on practice, especially forestry activities. Director of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board - Mr. Nguyen Danh Hung confided: "Payment for forest environmental services is a life-saving policy for the board's forest protection and management activities. It helps the unit have a fairly stable source of funding to do a good job of managing 85,000 hectares of protective and special-use forests in a sustainable manner". It is known that in 2 years (2014 and 2015), Pu Hoat Nature Reserve was supported by the forest environmental service payment policy with over 27 billion VND for management and protection work, an average of over 13 billion VND per year (while previously the State budget only supported 1.2-1.5 billion VND/year). The policy has really helped the unit's forest protection work escape from difficulties and deadlocks, gradually managing the existing forest area well. In recognition of this achievement, on November 28, the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment awarded the Certificate of Vietnam Heritage Trees to a population of 56 Sa Mu Dau trees and 5 Phay Horn trees in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve.

However, through implementation, people as well as local authorities are still concerned. That is the unit price between the basins of hydropower plants is too different, for example, in Que Phong district in 2015, the payment level of Hua Na - Cua Dat hydropower basin was 400,000 VND/ha, while Sao Va was nearly 76,000 VND/ha/year (price not yet added). With the payment unit price depending on the production and electricity consumption capacity of each hydropower plant, some basins pay too low, which invisibly causes new challenges and risks in forest management and protection. On the other hand, the responsibility of the People's Committee of the commune, especially the responsibility of the commune chairman, village head in state management of forests in the area has an equally important role and task such as organizing propaganda, inspection, handling complicated situations that arise, which is a factor contributing to the good implementation of the policy of payment for forest environmental services but has not yet received remuneration...

In my opinion, promoting the good and the good, considering and promptly handling arising problems is a necessary and regular task for each policy in general and the forest environmental service payment policy in particular. Only then can we contribute to perfecting and bringing the forest environmental service payment policy into real life in a profound way, helping forest management and protection to be effective and sustainable.

Hai Yen