Lao Cai builds forest carbon data foundation

Planting area codes enhance transparency and data standardization

Lao Cai is currently one of the localities with a large area of planted forests in the Northern mountainous region. Leveraging this advantage, the province has been actively coordinating with specialized agencies to implement the granting of planting area codes. This is not only an effort to better manage existing forest areas but also an important step toward building a standardized data system that will serve as a basis for accessing the carbon credit market once national policy mechanisms are completed and officially put into operation.

In Yen Binh commune, Lao Cai province, the granting of planted forest codes is being implemented methodically, with the direct participation of officers from the Forestry Economics Research Centre (FEREC) under the Vietnam Academy of Forest Sciences. The center's staff conduct field measurements and collect data from sample plots within specific forest areas, which then serve as the basis for issuing planting area codes to each forest plot owned by local households.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hau of FEREC, selecting sample plots is a necessary technical solution when it is not possible to measure every tree across large areas. "We select sample plots; for example, for areas of 0.5 hectares or more, at least two plots are chosen for measurement. The data are then updated into forest management software for monitoring and supervision," Mr. Hau said.

The application of digital technology in planted forest management not only simplifies monitoring for state management agencies but also delivers practical benefits to local people. In the past, many households relied on memory or manual records to track their planted forests, making it difficult to calculate harvesting cycles or timber output. Now, with planting area codes and a synchronous data system, all information on area, location, and timber stock is clearly displayed on electronic devices.

Mr. Hoang Van Son, a resident of Yen Binh commune, shared, "With a planting area code, I no longer have to worry about remembering information or having my forest area miscalculated. When I need to sell timber, I can clearly and transparently verify the output, and traders no longer pressure me to accept lower prices."

The granting of planting area codes is currently being piloted by the Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences in five Northern mountainous provinces. Among them, Lao Cai has been selected, with the pilot focusing primarily on forest owners that are households.

According to Mr. Hoang Lien Son from the FEREC, granting planting area codes is an important step toward unifying and standardizing forest data. In addition, the activity supports better management of forest growth capacity and productivity and moves toward assessing carbon sequestration potential in the future.

Building data for the carbon market

Although Viet Nam's carbon credit market is still in the preparatory stage and has yet to establish a specific operating mechanism, Lao Cai's proactive efforts to build a data system at this stage serve as an important foundation for seizing opportunities when the market takes shape in the coming period. Under the Government's plan, the 2025-2028 period will serve as a pilot phase for the domestic carbon market, ahead of the carbon trading exchange's official launch in 2028.

Granting planting area codes is directly linked to carbon measurement and monitoring, as it is the step that clearly identifies the "address" of greenhouse gas emissions and absorption in forestry. Once a planting area is assigned a code, its area, boundaries, and tree species are clearly defined, forming the basis for calculating the amount of carbon absorbed by forest trees through biomass growth. With area codes, measurement data can be tracked over time, cross-checked using satellite imagery, and verified through field inspections, thereby ensuring transparency and avoiding duplication in the recording of emission reduction results and carbon credits.

"We have not yet conducted comprehensive studies on the specific carbon credit potential in Lao Cai. However, preparing data and planting area codes from now is a necessary condition for participating in this market once legal and technical conditions allow," Mr. Hoang Lien Son affirmed.

Clearly, rather than waiting, Lao Cai has chosen a proactive approach to forest resource management and a focus on sustainable forestry economic development. Implementing planting area codes not only helps local communities manage their forest areas more effectively but also enables the province to establish a robust data foundation that supports multiple long-term objectives. Among these, the carbon credit market is a promising direction; however, to leverage it effectively, standardizing information and building a comprehensive database are mandatory from the outset.

With methodical and proactive steps, Lao Cai is demonstrating its determination to seize the green economy trend, modernize planted forest management, and stand ready to participate in the carbon market - one of the most promising fields in the future.