FSC Forest: No more worries about price pressure

FSC forestry helps alleviate poverty

Due to the increasing demand for wooden products, many farmers in Thanh Hoa province have switched from traditional forestry to FSC-certified forestry. This shift has enhanced sustainable forest management and harvesting according to FSC standards, creating a traceable, safe supply of materials while ending deforestation-based timber exploitation.

Mr. Luu Quang Anh (Kim Son village, Thach Binh commune, Thach Thanh, Thanh Hoa) owns 2 hectares of FSC-certified forest planted in Lien Son village, Thach Son commune, since 2016. Previously, his household participated in the Forestry sector development Project - WB3 and Project 661.

“At first, I was hesitant to switch to FSC forestry because farmers have to follow many principles, such as not using herbicides or chemical pesticides, not burning vegetation, and strictly applying care and harvesting processes. However, after technical staff from the Thach Thanh Sustainable Forestry Cooperative explained the benefits of FSC forestry, I signed a contract with the cooperative and transitioned to the new model,” shared Mr. Luu Quang Anh.

Mr. Luu Quang Anh further added: “In addition to financial support from the cooperative, my family received training on care techniques to improve yield and efficiency."

Not long ago, we harvested 2 hectares of FSC-standard acacia forest, earning a profit of VND 160-170 million per hectare (harvested in cycles of 6-7 years). FSC-certified forests produce 10-15% more timber than regular plantations, and the selling price is 15-20% higher. This provides farmers with a stable income, improving their livelihoods, and preventing price pressure during harvest periods.”

Mr. Le Duy Mo (Lien Son village, Thach Son commune, Thach Thanh), leader of the Lien Son FSC Forestry Group, stated "FSC-certified forestry has proven effective. In addition to increasing farmers’ income, it helps preserve and restore natural ecosystems, reducing soil erosion and landslides."

Currently, the Thach Thanh sustainable forestry Cooperative manages over 3.2 thousand hectares of FSC-certified forest, with 1,575 member households across 11 communes in Thach Thanh district. These households strictly avoid using herbicides and chemical pesticides and limit vegetation burning, minimizing ecological harm.

The cooperative’s annual production of "clean" wood reaches approximately 62,000 cubic meters, facilitating the export of wood products from Thach Thanh and Thanh Hoa. Thanks to the FSC certification, the business performance and income of cooperative members have significantly improved.

Collaborate and create sustainable values

According to the Thanh Hoa Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the province has over 641,000 hectares of forest, including 56,000 hectares of large timber forest and 260,000 hectares of planted forest. Partnerships with enterprises are proving effective, helping many households escape poverty through forestry.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thai, Head of the Forest Use and Development Department (Thanh Hoa Forest Protection Sub-Department), stated: "To increase farmers’ income from forestry, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will implement policies to support seedlings and tissue culture, develop high-quality timber plantations, and aim for sustainable FSC certification. The support policy for FSC certification will provide VND 300,000 per hectare for areas over 300 hectares. Additionally, we will focus on accumulating concentrated forestland to produce timber, linking the entire value chain from planting, caring, harvesting, processing, and product consumption."

The department is also working with local authorities to promote participation in large timber forest plantations with FSC certification, encouraging cooperative and group formation to manage, protect, and certify forests. This will establish concentrated raw material areas with FSC certification.

According to Mr. Thai, after several years of implementation, Thanh Hoa province now has over 28.4 thousand hectares of forest certified under FSC, involving 4,670 households. There are also seven value chains linking forest owners (households and groups) with processing factories like Xuan Son Joint Stock Company, Ngoc Son Joint Stock Company, BWG Mai Chau Joint Stock Company, and Dai Minh Joint Stock Company. Thanks to FSC certification and livelihood models, many mountainous households have risen out of poverty through forestry.

By the end of 2025, Thanh Hoa aims to expand its planted timber forest area to 125,000 hectares, with an additional 25,000 hectares of planted timber forest and 10 hectares of bamboo and rattan certified under FSC. Developing FSC forests opens the door for Thanh Hoa’s timber products, and Vietnam’s in general, to export to European and U.S. markets, thereby improving the income of forestry households in mountainous areas.