More motivation for investment in forest protection and development

In order to ensure the legal basis for implementing the contents of investment policies in forestry in the province, it is expected that at the 9th Session of the 19th Provincial People’s Council, the Provincial People’s Committee will submit a proposal to issue regulations on a number of contents and funding levels for implementing investment policies in forestry according to Decree No. 58/2024/ND-CP dated May 24, 2024, of the Government (Decree 58) in the province.

The Xuan Son National Park Forest Protection Team coordinates with the Tan Son District Forest Protection Force, the Lap Village Forest Protection Team, and Xuan Son Commune to patrol the natural regeneration promotion and protection area assigned to Xuan Son National Park.

In the period of 2016-2024, based on the regulations of the Central Government and the actual situation in the locality, the province has developed, issued, and strictly implemented the investment policy on forest protection and development according to Decision No. 3553/QD-UBND, dated December 28, 2016, of the Provincial People’s Committee, with a total annual support budget from the Central and provincial budgets of 11.4 billion VND. Thanks to that, the investment in forest protection and development has been effectively implemented, contributing to creating livelihoods, increasing income for people, protecting the ecological environment, and promoting the socio-economic development of the province in a sustainable direction.

However, the regulations on investment in forest protection and development have now expired. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the Provincial People’s Council for a decision on the promulgation of regulations on funding levels for implementing investment policies in forestry to create a legal corridor to ensure proper implementation of regulations as well as to encourage and mobilize organizations and individuals to actively participate in forest protection and development, thereby improving the effectiveness of forest management, protection, and development in the province.

Based on the provisions of Decree 58 and the actual situation, the Provincial People’s Committee has directed relevant departments, branches and district-level People’s Committees to review and unify proposals to submit to the Provincial People’s Council for specific regulations on funding levels for implementing investment policies in forestry in the province for 5 contents: Protection of special-use forests; natural regeneration promotion enclosure, natural regeneration promotion enclosure with additional planting under the special-use forest planning; protection of protective forests; protection of production forests which are natural forests during the period of forest closure; forest protection contract. The specific funding level is determined to be equal to the average funding level as prescribed in Decree 58.

According to Mr. Do Ngoc Doan, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the proposal to specify the funding level for implementing the investment policy in forestry, specifically for 5 contents out of 15 contents prescribed in Decree 58, will contribute to increasing income for people, especially people living near forests, living by forestry; in addition, it will encourage people and communities to actively participate in forest protection because, according to the proposal, the funding level for forest protection will be higher than in the period 2016-2024 in the province, from 25% to 50%.

Specifically, the state-funded fund for the protection of special-use and protective forests is 150,000 VND/ha/year for the Management Board of special-use and protective forests and 500,000 VND/ha/year for the community and other subjects according to the provisions of the Forestry Law. For communes in regions II and III, this fund is 1,800,000 VND/ha/year for the Management Board of special-use and protective forests and 600,000 VND/ha/year for the community. For the subject of the People’s Committee at the commune level that is managing the forest area that has not been assigned or leased, the state-funded fund for the protection of protective forests is 150,000 VND/ha/year, and for communes in regions II and III, it is 180,000 VND/ha/year. For production forests that are natural forests during the period of forest closure, the beneficiaries of protection funds are the Special-use Forest Management Board and the People’s Committees at the commune level that are managing the forest area that has not been assigned or leased, and the State will provide forest protection funds of VND 150,000/ha/year, and in communes in regions II and III, it will be VND 180,000/ha/year. For state-owned enterprises that were assigned production forests that are natural forests by the State before January 1, 2019, and for households, individuals, communities, and other subjects according to regulations, the State will provide forest protection funds of VND 500,000/ha/year, and in communes in regions II and III, it will be VND 600,000/ha/year.

The level of funding for natural regeneration promotion is VND 1,000,000/ha/year for a period of 6 years. The cost of natural regeneration promotion with additional planting in the planning of special-use forests is 2,000,000 VND/ha/year for the first 3 years and 1,000,000 VND/ha/year for the next 3 years. The budget for the protection of special-use forests, protective forests, and production forests that are natural forests from the state budget is 500,000 VND/ha/year; for forest areas in communes in regions II and III, it is 600,000 VND/ha/year...

The regulation of some contents and budget levels for implementing investment policies in forestry is consistent with current regulations of the state as well as the actual situation, creating more motivation for the work of protecting and developing sustainable forests in the province.

Le Oanh