Vietnam to strengthen sustainable forest management
The forestry sector will focus on promoting the sustainable management and certification of forests in the coming years, according to Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
Hanoi (VNA)♉ – The forestry sector will focus on promoting the sustainable management and certification of forests in the coming years, according to Ha Cong Tuan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Tuan made the statement during a conference reviewing the forest sector’s activities in 2015 and preparing for the sector’s main tasks in 2016 held by the Vietnam Forest Administration under the MARD in Hanoi on December 29.
The deputy minister said there were only 157,000 hectares of forest granted certification of sustainable management.
In 2016, the sector aims to increase the country’s forest coverage to 41 percent. The annual forestry production growth is targeted to reach 7 percent in average with total wood product export value of 7.1 billion USD.
This year, the forestry production growth reached 7.92 percent and over 239,000 hectares of forest were planted, accounting for 106 percent of the yearly plan.
The sector exploited 12.8 million cubic metres of wood and collected over 1.25 trillion VND (54.3 million USD) from environmental service fees. Wood product export earnings reached 7.1 billion USD.
About 11.6 million hectares of forest have been handed over to forest management companies and contracted individuals, accounting for 84 percent of the country’s forestland and 71.8 percent of the total land projected for forest industry.
However, the sector failed to achieve the goals of protective forest and special-use forest planting.
At the conference, experts in the field also discussed opportunities and challenges created by free trade agreements to the country’s wooden product exports.-VNA
This year, the forestry sector aims to halt exploitation of natural forest to protect and develop forest resources while improving living conditions, eliminating hunger, and reducing poverty among ethnic minorities.
Northern Bac Kan province, with the highest rate of forest coverage in the nation, needs to develop forest-based economy into a key sector and a sustainable source of livelihood for local residents in the next five to seven years, said State President Truong Tan Sang.
The island district of Phu Quy in the central province of Binh Thuan has raised its forest coverage rate to 45 percent with a total area of 800 hectares.
The forestry sector has been shifting towards a market economy over the recent five years, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said at a conference reviewing the five-year plan on forest protection.
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Torrential rains from the night of July 31 to early August 1 triggered flash floods and landslides across several communes in Dien Bien province, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing.
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Regional solidarity and cooperation are the key factor for the effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. Only through sustainable cooperation, innovative approaches, and collective action can biodiversity be safeguarded for the present and future generations, an Vietnamese official has said.
Hanoi has approved a comprehensive plan to restore the environmental quality and develop four major urban rivers – the To Lich, Kim Nguu, Lu, and Set reverine environments.
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
As a key member of the core group of 18 countries, initiated by Vanuatu, Vietnam engaged in advocating for the UN General Assembly’s Resolution N.77/276, requesting for the ICJ’s advisory opinion. Following the resolution's adoption, Vietnam fully participated in all procedural steps for the first time, from submitting written proposals to presenting directly at the court’s hearings.
The wild elephant population in Da Nang includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals.
Conservation efforts here have become a model, helping to save millions of turtle hatchlings and promoting Con Dao as a member of the Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Turtle Site Network.
As part of its drive to fulfil its net zero emissions commitment by 2050, Vietnam is fast-tracking the development of a legal corridor to launch a pilot carbon market by the end of 2025, according to the Department of Climate Change.
Under the plan, from 2025 to 2026, the city will complete mechanisms and policies to support businesses in switching to green vehicles, expand the electric and green-energy bus network, and build charging stations. The targeted proportion of green buses is set at 10% in 2025 and 20–23% in 2026.
Storm Comay, the fourth in the East Sea this year, was at around 16.7 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East, in the east of the East Sea's northern waters as of 4am on July 24.
The disaster risk warning level for flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to heavy rains and flows is rated at level 1, except in Nghe An, where it is raised to level 2.
Illustration photo. (Photo: VNA)
