Attaching special attention to natural forest

The opinion was raised by Vo Dai Hai - Director of the Vietnam Forest Science Institute at the conference to review activities in the first half of the year and implement tasks for the second half of 2021 of the Administration of Forestry (MARD).

As stated by Mr. Hai, the new phase of development strategy pays special attention to natural forests citing the Vietnam Forestry Development Strategy for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister.

Accordingly, by 2030, 100% of forest areas of forest owners will be managed sustainably; between 2021 and 2025, 10% and in the period 2026 - 2030, 20% of the natural forest area will be upgraded while the efficiency of biodiversity conservation and forest protection capacity will be improved. The strategy also requires minimizing the cases of violations of the law on forestry, ensure environmental security.

Strictly manage and protect the current natural forest area; restore and improve the quality of natural forests to conserve biodiversity are considered vital tasks to ensure the sustainable development of the forestry sector, Hai said. 

As mentioned in the report of reviewing 6-month tasks of the Administration of Forestry, forest protection, fire prevention, and fighting continue to be concerned and directed by localities. However, there are still some hot spots for deforestation in some provinces such as Bac Kan, Son La, Thua Thien Hue, Dak Nong, Gia Lai with 1,329 violation cases.

It is reported that 109 wildfires, which was equivalent to the same period in 2020, burnt 283 ha of forest. And the most notable and serious case was in Thua Thien – Hue last June. The wildfire was contained and control despite the low-status location thanks to fluent cooperation between localities and competent units.

Regarding forest protection work, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh stressed that all stakeholders must pay high concentration to the task as it needs systematic instruction from the upper level of ministry to the lower levels of department, sub-departments, region and raise vigilance amidst the uncertainties of weather, especially in the dry season.

At the conference, the Director of the Academy of Forestry Science also raised several issues of the forestry sector that also need attention.

Regarding the progression of programs, plans, and legal documents, Hai said that as soon as the Vietnam Forestry Development Strategy (2006-2020) came to an end, the rapid creation of new substitute strategies has created a strong evolvement and renovation of the forest sector.

“We have developed a development scheme of planting 1 billion trees and a Decree on the management of forest tree varieties. These are important issues in the first 6 months of the year that we have done”, Vo Dai Hai assured on the notable results of the sector.

At the Conference, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh stressed that in the next six months of the year, the forestry sector is not allowed to be subjective over the unpredictable developments of Covid-19 pandemic as well as trade barriers, which will directly affecting all aspects of the industries. 

He also asked the forestry sector to come up with scenarios to anticipate the possible challeges as well as sudden situation when implementing plans. Forest development needs to be over-completed, not only afforestation but also forest protection must take in place because those factors are the foundation, the root for the sustainable development of the sector. 

The leader of MARD demanded to strengthen the cooperation between the administration and associations to avoid distruption of goods circulation in the both domestic market and exports.