Communities drive sustainable forest management, addressing challenges for the wood industry

Foundation to tackle challenges for the wood industry

On October 2, the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), in coordination with relevant agencies, held a conference to evaluate sustainable forest management and forest certification.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, Deputy Director of the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection, Vietnam’s forests continue to face multiple challenges, including deforestation, forest degradation, land conversion for agricultural production, and wildfires caused by extreme weather.

In addition, the forestry sector is also affected by climate change, trade competition, and increasingly stringent requirements of international markets on legality, traceability, and sustainability of wood and forest products.

In recent years, Vietnam's export turnover of wood and forest products has grown rapidly, reaching USD 17.35 billion in 2024. This achievement made a significant contribution to the export performance of the agricultural sector and the national economy. The wood processing industry currently provides direct employment for more than 500,000 workers and supports millions of households engaged in forest plantation.

"However, to realize the export target of USD 23–25 billion by 2030, the wood industry must overcome numerous barriers, particularly the requirements of major markets (such as the U.S. and the EU) in terms of legal timber sources and sustainable forest management standards," Mr. Nguyen Van Dien stated.

The Vietnam Forestry Development Strategy for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision toward 2050, identifies sustainable forest management and forest certification as top priorities. The goal is to achieve around 1 million hectares of forests certified for sustainable management by 2030.

"This not only ensures certified raw materials for processing and export but also helps forest-growing households increase their income by 10–20% compared to non-certified wood, while affirming the Vietnamese wood brand and reinforcing the commitment to 'say no' to raw materials of unknown origin," emphasized Mr. Nguyen Van Dien.

To date, over 70% of forests managed by organizations have developed sustainable management plans. However, areas with sustainable forest management certification (PEFC, FSC) account for only about 15% of production forests. According to the leader of the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection, this reality shows that despite initial progress, plantation, harvesting, and wood processing activities still face risks of unsustainability, requiring stronger efforts in the coming years.

Communities write the story of sustainable forest management

In 2012, the first household groups in the former Quang Nam province began participating in forest certification projects. They learned to manage planted forests according to international standards, from planting and tending to harvesting and protection. Ten years later, those early seeds have grown into a legally recognized organization with strong linkages, officially managed by the Hiep Thuan Agricultural Cooperative since 2022.

The forest certification management group currently includes 260 households, jointly preserving and harvesting more than 1,485 hectares of planted forests, mainly hybrid acacia and acacia mangium. This planted forest area spreads across 412 plots of different planting years, mainly 3-4 years. Beyond planted forest management, the cooperative also partners in protecting more than 1,000 hectares of natural forests, primarily protection forests rich in indigenous tree species and wildlife.

According to Mr. Duong, the FSC certification granted to Hiep Thuan Cooperative affirms its credibility and opens up many opportunities for market access. Local people have also become more aware of planting and protecting forests, avoiding illegal logging, and safeguarding water sources and ecological landscapes. The story of communities sticking with forests has turned the management group model into a regional highlight.

For the 2025–2030 period, the cooperative has set a goal of developing household forests of sufficient scale to meet the requirements of sustainable forest management plans, enhancing household economies while protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.

"Identifying the economics, society, and environment as the three pillars and foundation of sustainable development, the cooperative will aim for improving productivity, expanding certified forest areas, extending harvesting cycles, and diversifying income sources. On the social aspect, our objective is to secure stable jobs for 260 households and many local workers, improve forest management and protection skills, and promote gender equality within the community. Environmentally, we focus on protecting and restoring natural forests, mitigating the impacts of climate change, and improving soil and water quality," said Mr. Nguyen Duc Duong.

Ms. Nguyen Bich Hang, manager of the project “Promoting Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity in Vietnam” under the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), stressed, "Biodiversity conservation is not only a goal but also a method for sustainable development.”"

According to Ms. Hang, in recent years, WWF has cooperated with many domestic and international partners to implement models of forest management linked with biodiversity conservation. Notable examples include granting FSC certification to household groups and cooperatives in Quang Tri, which both ensures sustainable forest management and expands access to international markets; business–household linkage models in Quang Nam; and independent enterprises such as Bao Chau (Phu Yen), which obtained FSC certification for its own forest area. For mangrove forests, WWF has combined conservation with aquaculture livelihoods, aiming for sustainable value chains certified by ASC and organic standards.

"To ensure these models promote long-term efficiency and are widely spread, close cooperation among the State, communities, the private sector, and development organizations is essential," said Ms. Nguyen Bich Hang.

Sharing solutions to promote forest certification, Mr. Tran Lam Dong, Deputy Director of the Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences, emphasized the need to focus on supporting and enhancing management capacity and quality.

Firstly, it is necessary to continue raising awareness and strengthening the capacity of stakeholders in sustainable forest management and forest certification, to strictly manage certification issuance in accordance with regulations, and to promote certification systems to guarantee quality.

In addition, a planted forest code issuance system should be developed, along with production chain management and traceability. Large-scale production linkages among associations, enterprises, and forest owners are also crucial to mobilize resources, build collective strength, and advance sustainable forestry development.