Opportunities for forest protection and development

Forest carbon credits are credits generated from greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction project activities, including reducing deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), increasing absorption from afforestation, reforestation, vegetation regeneration (ARR), and enhanced forest management (IFM). Developing forest carbon credit projects is a great opportunity for forest management and protection units, especially in the current context when the demand for this type of credit is very high in the carbon market.

People in Tan Son district learn pruning and care techniques to transform large timber forests, creating a premise to participate in the carbon credit market.

Our province has about 55% of its natural area as forests and forestry land, equivalent to 170,000 hectares, with a coverage rate of nearly 40%. Phu Tho is the province with the 5th largest forest area in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region (according to Decision No. 816/QD-BNN dated March 20, 2024 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).

Currently, Phu Tho forests are also assessed as a large carbon reservoir. This is a new resource, contributing to forest protection and development, improving the lives of forest growers, creating a premise for sustainable forestry development, and is also an advantage for the province to attract green investment.

Phu Tho has had many policies and strategies on sustainable forestry development to be ready to participate in the carbon credit market. In the Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, Phu Tho has identified the task for the Forestry sector as maintaining the province’s forest cover of 38-39%; reviewing and adjusting the planned land area of 3 types of forests; focusing on protecting the existing natural forest area; Enclose and improve the quality of forests, especially natural forests and special-use forests; develop planted forests according to sustainable forest management standards (FSC) associated with deep processing; improve the quality of planted forests, especially large timber forests; conserve and effectively use special-use cultural forests and historical relics; effectively and fully implement the policy of payment for forest environmental services for ecotourism, community tourism, and carbon credits...

At the same time, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Plan No. 1466/KH-UBND dated April 13, 2021, on planting scattered trees in the province for the period 2021-2025 according to the Prime Minister’s decision on approving the project “Planting one billion scattered trees for the period 2021-2025”; a plan for management, protection, and sustainable forest development in the province for the period 2021-2025.

In particular, clearly defining sustainable forestry development based on existing forest areas; exploiting and effectively using production forest areas; promoting the effectiveness of ecological environment protection, biodiversity conservation, providing forest environmental services, minimizing the impact of natural disasters, and adapting to climate change...

The results of the forest inventory of the forestry sector were approved by the Provincial People’s Committee in Decision No. 1338/QD-UBND dated June 7, 2016. On approving the results of the forest inventory, the whole province has over 126,000 hectares of forest land; these are the forest areas that can absorb the most CO2.

Comrade Hoang Anh Vu, Deputy Head of Tan Son District Forest Protection Department, said: "Tan Son Forest in particular, and Phu Tho Province in general, has the potential to generate many carbon credits. Selling forest carbon credits will help increase income for businesses through revenue from emission reduction results. For forest owners and farmers, it will increase the productivity of planted forests, improve sustainable livelihoods, contribute to protecting existing forest areas, and increase coverage. In the coming time, the district will continue to do a good job of managing and protecting existing forest areas; promoting the planting of large timber forests; granting sustainable forest management certificates; maintaining forest coverage to be ready to participate in the carbon credit market...

Not only Tan Son, localities across the province continue to synchronously implement solutions to protect, develop, effectively, and sustainably use existing forest areas; preserve genetic resources and biodiversity of forests; improve productivity and quality; promote the value of each type of forest...

Le Oanh