"Double joy" of forest planters in Nghe An

Money "falls from the sky"

Mr. Luong Van Thang in Tuc Pang village, Dong Van commune (Que Phong) confided that his family has more than 1 hectare of forest for protection and preservation. Up to now, he and many other households in the village have received support payments for forest environmental services, each year receiving several million VND. Now, the joy is doubled when, on the same forest area, people receive additional support from greenhouse gas emission reduction costs (money from selling forest carbon credits).

On October 6, Mr. Nguyen Van Sinh - Director of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve (Que Phong) said that the unit has just received a decision from the Provincial People's Committee approving funding to support payments for greenhouse gas emission reduction activities for individuals and organizations in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. The amount of money that forest owners will receive is 19.5 billion VND. However, the documents that meet the payment requirements of forest owners will be 18.5 billion VND (the remaining 1 billion VND is no longer allocated area).

In addition, in the near future, forest protection participants in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve will also receive an annual budget of more than 18 billion VND from forest environmental services. Thus, in 2024, forest owners will have "double joy" when they receive 2 support funds. In the entire Que Phong district, according to Mr. Phan Trong Dung - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, forest owners will receive a total budget of about 34 billion VND. Currently, individuals and organizations are completing documents to prepare to receive money. Village and hamlet officials in Que Phong district said that they have just received training from the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund in coordination with all levels and sectors on how to carry out procedures to prepare for payment of support money to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Ms. Lang Thi Hoai - Head of Tuc Pang village, Dong Van commune, Que Phong district said that currently, the villages are reviewing information on forest area and forest owners to prepare to receive money. Dong Van commune has 6 village communities and forest owners who receive support funds to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with more than 2 billion VND. As for forest owners who are individuals, the support level received in this payment is almost equal to the amount of forest environmental protection services, about 500,000 VND/ha. This is the amount of support to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for 2 years 2023 - 2024 (about 250,000 VND/ha each year).

“It is expected that in October - December this year, people will receive both amounts of money. Including forest environmental service fees of 600,000 VND/ha, and carbon credit sales fees of 500,000 VND/ha. In Muong Hinh, some households with 10ha, 15ha of forest are expected to receive 10 - 15 million VND/household for both amounts by the end of this year. Everyone is very excited,” said Ms. Luong Thi Tien - Head of Muong Hinh village.

According to Dong Van commune officials, in addition to the forest environmental service fee that communities and individuals receive annually, villages and hamlets now have an additional 2 billion VND to invest in social activities and develop livelihoods at the grassroots level. “We jokingly say that this is money that falls from the forest. But in reality, we also understand that when we receive support money, each person has more responsibility to protect the forest, protect the environment, and fight climate change. Money from selling carbon credits can only be enjoyed when the forest is well protected,” said Mr. Luong Van Thuong - Deputy Secretary of the Dong Van Commune Party Committee.

Similarly, in 2024, the Provincial People's Committee approved 5,772 households, individuals and communities in Con Cuong district to benefit from greenhouse gas emission reduction activities. These households manage more than 28,500 hectares of forest. Each hectare of payment by the end of 2024 is expected to be about VND 500,000/ha for forest owners who are individuals and households.

As for the community, it is no more than 50 million VND/organization or community. In addition, the People's Committees of communes in Con Cuong district, which manage more than 10,000 hectares of forest, will also benefit from the funding from selling carbon credits. Forest owners in Pu Mat National Park alone are expected to receive about 24 billion VND from the source of support for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The entire Con Cuong district is expected to receive about 50 billion VND from this source.

Develop a plan for using the aid money

Village and hamlet officials in localities said that after being instructed to complete the dossier, the review of individual and household forest owners has basically been completed. For the dossier of collective and community forest owners, it is necessary to pay attention to the "7 steps" of completion.

The most important thing is to develop a plan to use the support resources to implement the models, manage and protect forests, develop and improve local living standards corresponding to the amount of supported funds. According to the regulations of ERPA, when receiving payment, the community must agree within the community on the rules for sharing and using this source of income in accordance with the purposes established in the plan.

Mr. Nguyen Danh Hung - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the list of eligible entities meeting the regulations of the North Central Region Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Payment Agreement (ERPA) in 2024 has been completed. The approved list has 3 groups of entities that will receive revenue from ERPA in 2024.

Currently, the Forest Protection and Development Fund is implementing training and guiding localities to complete documents to prepare for payment by the end of 2024. In particular, it is noted that forest owners who are communities and collectives need to have specific documents on the use of funds corresponding to the supported funds. It is expected that Nghe An will receive more than 280 billion VND in support.

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On September 24, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 32/2024/QD-UBND stipulating the forest protection contract level; the number of payments, and the payment period from the agreed payment source for greenhouse gas emission reduction in the North Central region for beneficiaries in Nghe An province. Specifically, the Provincial People's Committee stipulates the forest protection contract level from the agreed payment source for greenhouse gas emission reduction in the North Central region at 500,000 VND/ha/year. Number of payments: 1 time/year for each forest owner, commune-level People's Committee and other organizations assigned by the State to manage forests. Payment period: For forest owners who are households, individuals, and communities: After the commune-level People's Committee publicly posts the payment list at the commune-level People's Committee headquarters for 7 days without any questions or complaints. For forest owners that are organizations, commune-level People's Committees and other organizations assigned by the State to manage forests, payment will be made after the annual financial plan is approved by the competent authority.