Maximizing capital and eco-economic efficiency

Current forest status and objectives for forest reclassification

The Xuan Loc Protection Forest Management Board (PFMB) is responsible for managing 10,028 hectares of forest and forestry land across the communes of Xuan Thanh, Xuan Loc, and Xuan Hoa in Dong Nai City. The Board's responsibilities include forest management and protection, forest development and utilization, and organizing forestry production, business activities, and the provision of forestry services in accordance with regulations.

On May 14, 2026, the Dong Nai City Department of Agriculture and Environment approved the reclassification of 661.55 hectares of protection forest into production forest under Decision No. 143/QD-SNNMT.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duy Cong, Deputy Director of the Xuan Loc PFMB, the forest reclassification plan was developed based on the criteria for protection forests stipulated in Article 7 of Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP. The assessment considered factors such as topography, rainfall, soil texture, and soil depth, and ensured that the areas were incorporated into the national forestry plan as production forests. “This provides a solid legal basis to safeguard the legitimate rights and long-term interests of contracted forest households,” he said.

Pursuant to Decision No. 735/QD-UBND dated August 14, 2025, issued by the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee approving the review and zoning of special-use forests, protection forests, and production forests, as well as the provincial forestry planning map for the 2021–2030 period, most of the protection forest area managed by the Xuan Loc PFMB no longer meets the criteria for protection forests.

However, only 661 hectares have been incorporated into the National Forestry Planning for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, making these areas eligible for inclusion in the forest reclassification plan.

As an initial step, the Board is implementing a pilot reclassification of 661 hectares, including 435 hectares in Tran Tao Forest Station and the remainder in Gia Phu Forest Station. Surveys conducted among local residents showed broad support for converting these areas into production forests to facilitate timber harvesting and economic development.

“Many households planted large timber trees as early as 1987, and the trees have now reached harvest age. However, under regulations governing protection forests, harvesting is subject to strict requirements regarding stand density and canopy cover, making timber extraction extremely difficult. At the same time, contracted households have a strong demand to harvest their trees. Reclassifying these areas as production forests would help address this issue,” Mr. Cong explained.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duy Cong, contracted households will receive technical guidance on planting high-value forestry species, including acacia and rubber, while preserving part of the existing large timber trees to maintain adequate forest canopy cover. The objective is to balance economic benefits for local households with the preservation of forest cover, environmental protection, and the enhancement of the value of production forests.

Towards sustainable forest development

In terms of forest structure, the large timber trees in the area are primarily native species such as dipterocarps (Dipterocarpus spp.) and black star (Hopea odorata), which were planted during previous reforestation programs. The areas proposed for reclassification mainly consist of planted forests with relatively low tree density, a sparse canopy cover of around 40-50%, and relatively simple vegetation composition. These forests are dominated by single-species or simple mixed-species stands, including dipterocarps, black star, red wood (Afzelia xylocarpa), Siamese rosewood (Pterocarpus macrocarpus), hybrid acacia, along with some industrial crops and fruit trees.

Reclassifying these areas as production forests is intended to better reflect current forest conditions, improve the efficiency of forest and land management, and promote the sustainable development of the forestry economy. The change will enable local households to harvest timber more effectively, shorten production cycles, and create additional employment opportunities in the area.

The Xuan Loc Protection Forest Management Board (PFMB) has publicly displayed maps of the proposed reclassification areas at the People's Committee headquarters of Xuan Hoa Commune, as well as in local hamlets and forest stations, to ensure that residents are fully informed.

Deputy Director Nguyen Duy Cong said: “To comply with state regulations on forest management, we are revising existing forest allocation contracts to align with the production forest zoning plan. For households that have not yet signed contracts, we will provide guidance to complete new agreements, ensuring transparency in the rights and responsibilities related to the planting, management, and harvesting of production forests.”

According to Mr. Cong, the reclassified areas will be managed under regulations governing high-quality production forests and will adopt agroforestry models to increase household incomes while protecting soils, conserving water resources, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh, Head of the Community Forestry Group at Lan Cat Forest Station, emphasized: “The conversion of protection forests into production forests is being carried out in accordance with government policy. It will enable more efficient use of forest land while providing stable livelihoods for local communities. As forest conditions improve, people will have greater confidence to invest in forest-based economic activities, allowing both forests and local livelihoods to develop in harmony.”

According to Mr. Hanh, households managing reclassified production forests will be encouraged to prioritize high-value tree species and adopt agroforestry systems. This approach supports healthy tree growth, ensures compliance with technical standards, and creates opportunities for producing higher-value timber for downstream processing rather than using wood primarily for pulp production.

Addressing challenges during forest reclassification

The Xuan Loc Protection Forest Management Board has encountered several challenges in implementing the forest conversion program. Nevertheless, most residents in the affected areas have expressed strong support for the policy to reclassify protection forests as production forests.

However, in the Tran Tao Forest Station area, a small number of contracted households have requested land use right certificates for the forest land they manage under contract with the Xuan Loc PFMB. These requests have complicated the implementation of the Board's responsibilities, as well as the preparation and execution of the plan to reclassify protection forests as production forests.

Most protection forest areas outside the pilot reclassification zone share similar natural conditions, socio-economic characteristics, and land-use patterns with those included in the conversion project. As a result, some households managing protection forests outside the pilot area have compared their situation with that of households within the reclassification zone, leading to concerns about unequal treatment.

To address these issues, the PFMB has coordinated with the Xuan Hoa Commune People's Committee, Forest Ranger Sub-Department No. 2, and community forestry groups to conduct public awareness campaigns, provide technical guidance, and encourage local residents to comply with legal regulations governing forest management while ensuring that their rights and obligations are fully understood.

The Board also noted that once the remaining forest areas are reviewed, approved by the competent authorities, and incorporated into the National Forestry Planning, additional reclassification plans will be prepared for areas that no longer meet the criteria for protection forests.

Tran Tao Forest Station has actively advanced the transition from protection forest to production forest. According to Mr. Tran Quoc Bao, Head of the Forest Station, “We consulted local residents, and the majority support the transition and wish to manage and utilize the forest under the production forest regime. However, a small number of contracted households remain uninterested because their primary objective is to obtain land use right certificates, which has created challenges for our communication efforts.”

Mr. Bao added that the Forest Station has worked closely with technical departments and local authorities to provide guidance and implement the reclassification plan for each contracted household. The primary objective is to ensure that forest classification reflects the appropriate management criteria while improving local livelihoods, creating sustainable forest-based income opportunities, and encouraging households to fulfill their responsibilities for forest planting, maintenance, and protection.

The forest reclassification initiative is expected to deliver not only direct economic benefits but also strengthen the sustainable management of production forests, promote higher-value timber processing, and reduce pressure from illegal logging.

Mr. To The Manh, Acting Deputy Director of the Xuan Loc PFMB, said that the Board is moving forward with the reclassification of protection forest areas that no longer satisfy the legal criteria for protection forests. “The transition will provide local households with greater opportunities to develop forest-based livelihoods by cultivating hybrid acacia, rubber, and other high-value timber species, while making forest management more efficient. Reclassifying these forests will not only generate economic benefits but also enable contracted households to better fulfill their responsibilities for forest protection and maintenance,” he said.

The Xuan Loc PFMB is encouraging contracted households to prioritize the production of large-diameter timber for higher-value processing. At the same time, it is promoting the enrichment planting of high-value forestry species. These measures are intended to support the long-term development of productive forests while safeguarding environmental values and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for local communities.