Proposing a plan to convert hundreds of hectares of special-use forest into production forest in Nam Dan
(Baonghean.vn) - Just because they were "planned" into special-use forest areas, for nearly 15 years now, dozens of households in Nam Thanh commune, Nam Dan district have not been able to exploit the acacia trees they have planted, even though they were previously allocated land to plant production forests.
In recent days, we were present at the production forest area of 34 households in hamlet 9, Nam Thanh commune. This is the production forest area of the people, in the Da Han - Khe Su area, located onDai Hue mountain range, was assigned land by the People's Committee of Nam Thanh commune for production since 2007. After a period of normal production, until now, although it is time to harvest acacia, people still cannot exploit it because this entire area has been covered by a map of special-use forests.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, one of 34 households in Hamlet 9, Nam Thanh Commune, has submitted a petition to the local government to resolve the issue of allowing acacia exploitation in this area. According to Ms. Hang, previously, 34 households were allocated land for forest planting, each household had an area of about 3 hectares. After receiving the land, the people planted forests according to regulations. In 2014 - 2015, the first crop of acacia was exploited, now it is time to harvest the second crop of acacia, the people in the hamlet have repeatedly requested permission to exploit but have not been allowed to do so yet.
Mr. Bui Huu Hieu, also residing in hamlet 9,Nam Thanh commune said that in the past, the local government mobilized people to receive land to plant forests to cover bare hills, limit forest fires and develop the economy. Because the Da Han - Khe Su area in the past was only bushes and reeds. After people planted acacia trees, they contributed greatly to the greening. When the special-use forest was planned, people did not receive notice so they did not know that their forest had been planned.
It is known that in 2007, implementing the policy of land allocation and leasing of forestry land according to Decree 163/ND-CP dated November 16, 1999 of the Government, the People's Committee of Nam Dan district established a Steering Committee for forestry land allocation. In Nam Thanh commune alone, the local government allocated land to 376 households with a total area of 448 hectares, including 31 households with an area of more than 41 hectares in the Da Han - Khe Su area, hamlet 10B (now hamlet 9).
After being allocated land, the households have been cultivating, planting forests and have made applications to be granted certificates of forest land use rights at the above location. However, the granting of certificates of forest land use rights has not been implemented because the Nam Dan Special Use Forest Management Board, based on the planning of 3 types of forests in Nghe An province, approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 48/2014/QD-UBND dated August 15, 2014, determined that 36.26 ha/41.13 ha of land belongs to the management of the Nam Dan Special Use Forest Management Board.
In June 2010, the Prime Minister issued a decision approving the project of planning special-use forests associated with historical relics in Nam Dan district, increasing the total area of special-use forests in Nam Dan from 628 hectares to 3,069 hectares. Of which, more than 1,700 hectares of protective forests, 410 hectares of production forests, 240 hectares of barren hills and nearly 29 hectares of garden land were converted to special-use forests.
In September 2021, the People's Committee of Nam Dan district sent a report to the Nghe An Forest Protection Department, proposing to convert some areas of special-use forests in areas unrelated to provincial and national historical and cultural relics into production forests. However, due to being entangled in the Planning Law, it has not yet been approved by higher authorities. Recently, the People's Committee of Nam Dan district continued to issue documents, proposing to competent authorities to convert nearly 500 hectares of special-use forests into production forests so that people can harvest acacia and eucalyptus. "These areas are mainly eucalyptus and acacia that people have abandoned seeds, fertilizers, and care for, and the trees are now past harvest age, and some areas of pine forests have been exploited for resin for many years. This is a very legitimate aspiration of the people," said a leader of Nam Dan district.
Mr. Dau Dinh Hung - Head of Nam Dan Special Use Forest Management Board said that the predecessor unit was Dai Hue Forestry Enterprise, in 2006 it was transformed into the Protection Forest Management Board and in 2012 it was transformed into the Nam Dan Special Use Forest Management Board as it is today. According to Mr. Hung, since the planning of the special use forest, not only the people have been stuck, the Management Board has also fallen into a similar situation. Because many pine forests are planted for resin but when they become special use forests, they cannot be exploited.
In February 2021, the Nam Dan Special-use Forest Management Board submitted a request for exploitation of supporting trees, pine resin, etc. in the special-use forest. On August 10, 2022, the District People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 272/BC-UBND on proposing and recommending a number of contents related to the exploitation of special-use forests in Nam Dan district to the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in which it requested the superior to adjust the transfer of 212.68 hectares, plot 2, TK1012 in Nam Thanh commune from the Special-use forest to the production forest. On March 24, 2023, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the consulting unit worked with the District People's Committee and relevant departments and branches to review, adjust and update the above forest area into the National Forestry Planning and the Provincial Planning according to the provisions of the Law on Forestry.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh The - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nam Dan district said: Regarding the issue of people's production forest land being covered by special-use forests, on June 16, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee held a meeting to listen to the review results and issued Notice No. 423/TB-UBND requesting the consulting unit to work and unify the data with the District People's Committee and the sectors for the last time before submitting it to the Provincial People's Council for approval and reporting to the Provincial People's Committee before July 15, 2023.
On July 5, 2023, the consulting unit worked with the People's Committee of Nam Dan district and related sectors and agreed to include the forest area in Nam Thanh commune in the National Forestry Planning and Provincial Planning according to the provisions of the law on forestry. Currently, the steps for approval are continuing.
On July 20, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee continued to hold a meeting with the consulting unit and the People's Committees of districts and towns to hear the results of reviewing and adjusting the planning of 3 types of forests in the province. Currently, the Provincial People's Committee has also submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to carry out adjustment procedures according to regulations.
