Sustainable forest development

Determining that forestry is a potential advantage in the province’s economic development, in recent years, along with the central government’s forestry development support policies, the province has issued many policies to support agricultural production, including forestry, bringing practical results.

The forest rangers have promoted and mobilized people in Tu Vu commune and Thanh Thuy district to convert large timber plantations to high economic value.

In reality, policies to support forestry development have gradually changed people’s awareness of forest protection and development while encouraging people to actively participate in forest planting, creating a widespread movement.

The whole province currently has an area of nearly 180,000 hectares of forest and forestry land, with a stable annual forest cover of 39.7%, creating jobs and increasing income for local people, forming stable areas of planted forest timber materials, serving the forest products processing industry.

As one of the localities with a large area of hills and forests, in recent years, Thanh Son district has had many solutions to turn the hill and forest economy into a key economic sector, bringing high economic efficiency. So far, the district has converted more than 500 hectares of large timber forests.

To ensure the conversion of large timber forests as well as the annual forest planting target, the District People’s Committee has developed a specific plan and assigned the Forest Protection Department and specialized departments to closely coordinate with the communes in the area to do a good job of propaganda, instructing people to care for and protect the forest so that the trees can grow well, forming large timber forests.

Comrade Tran Quang Hung, Head of Thanh Son Forest Protection Department, said: The whole district has a total forest area and land planned for forest development of over 40,000 hectares. People in the district mainly plant acacia and cinnamon trees. Identifying poverty reduction as one of the key tasks, in which the poverty reduction goal is associated with the development of the forest economy, focusing on large timber trees and medicinal plants, which are considered feasible solutions, the district government has created all conditions to support people in developing the forest economy, promoting the role of internal strength and self-improvement to escape poverty for the people. Most localities in the district have focused on developing large timber forests; so far the forest coverage has reached 50.5%.

Not only Thanh Son district, but districts with large forestry land areas such as Yen Lap, Tan Son, Doan Hung, and Ha Hoa have also focused on promoting the development of production forests in the direction of new planting, converting large timber forests, expanding the area certified as sustainable forests, and contributing to improving production efficiency, productivity, quality, and value of planted forests. Indicators on forest protection and development every year have all met and exceeded the set plan.

Every year, the whole province plants more than 9,000 hectares of concentrated forests, of which over 2,000 hectares are planted with large trees, more than 2 million scattered trees, and nearly 30,000 hectares of planted forests. The output of exploited timber reaches 195,000m3, the average productivity of planted forests reaches 70m3/ha/cycle.

The management and planning of 3 types of forests are focused on, ensuring compliance with the provisions of current laws; thereby, the forest area in the province is protected, exploited, used effectively and developed sustainably, maximizing the potential and advantages of forestry.

Forest protection, fire prevention and fighting are strengthened; violations of the provisions of the law on forest management, protection and development are reduced in both the number of violations and the level of damage; gradually exploiting and promoting the value of forests associated with the development of ecotourism; providing forest environmental services, ensuring sustainable development.

In the coming time, the agriculture sector will continue to promote the dissemination of laws on forest protection and development; actively and proactively advise and propose to the Provincial People’s Committee, Party committees and local authorities specific solutions in the management, protection, development and management of forests and forest products in the locality. Focus on protecting the existing forest area, promoting management, protection, use, development, forest fire prevention and fighting, while at the same time improving forest quality for the goal of sustainable forest development.

Hoang Huong