Plant trees 20% more than in 2021

On December 30, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Directive No. 9095/CT-BNN-TCLN on organizing the movement "Tree planting Festival to commemorate Uncle Ho" to strengthen forest protection and development in 2022. In which, the Chairman of the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities is requested to direct 8 tasks.

Firstly, strengthen propaganda, education, and encouragement at all levels, branches, and people to actively participate in tree planting and afforestation; raising awareness of all classes of people about the role, effect, value of forests, the meaning of tree planting, afforestation, forest protection, forest fire prevention and fighting, and ecological environment protection implementation of the provisions of the law on forestry.

Second, launch a practical and effective "Tree planting Festival", ensuring the regulations on "Safe adaptation, flexibility, effective control of the Covid-19 epidemic"; create conditions for agencies, organizations, mass organizations, schools, armed forces, and all classes of people to actively participate in tree planting and afforestation; strive for the target of planting trees at least 20% higher than the implementation results in 2021.

The time to organize the launch of the "Tree planting festival" with the northern provinces is the beginning of the new year, with the southern provinces is the occasion of Uncle Ho's birthday (May 19). The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed that the People's Committees of provinces and cities pay attention to planting trees in special-use forests and protection forests, planting new production forests, and planting scattered trees in both urban and rural areas.

After implementing the "Tree planting festival", localities organize to examine, evaluate, draw lessons, praise and reward typical organizations and individuals for doing well; report the organizational plan and implementation results to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Third, develop a plan for tree planting and afforestation in association with the implementation of forestry development targets in 2022 and the period 2021-2025 according to the Sustainable Forestry Development Program for the 2021-2025 period approved by the Government under Decree No.84/NQ-CP dated August 5, 2021, and the Project on planting one billion trees in the 2021-2025 period.

Fourth, strictly implement Directive No. 13-CT/TW dated January 12, 2017, of the Secretariat, Resolution No. 71/NQ-CP dated August 8, 2017, of the Government and the provisions of the law on Forestry. In particular, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed to focus on managing the planning area of ​​special-use forests, protection forests, and production forests approved by competent authorities.

In addition, localities are requested to strictly control the conversion of forest use purposes to other purposes, especially the conversion of natural forests. To assign and decentralize responsibility for state management of forests and forestry land following the provisions of the 2017 Forestry Law.

Fifth, inspect and review the entire forest area that has been destroyed, encroached on, and used for wrong purposes at the forest management boards, companies, enterprises, and commune-level People's Committees; speeding up the process of measuring and granting land use right certificates to forest management boards, companies, and forest owners, setting boundary markers; definitively handle the overlapping forest areas.

Sixth, inspect and prosecute those who smuggle, buy, sell, transport, and store timber, forest animals (especially endangered and rare animals), illegal forest products, and strictly handle following the law. 

Seventh, review the plan for forest fire prevention and fighting to ensure the initiative of forces and means according to the motto "4 on the spot"; directing the force to be on duty 24/24 hours, arranging guard forces, strictly controlling people entering forest areas with high fire risk; suspending fire treatment of vegetation during the peak period of forest fires.

Eighth, direct inter-sectoral forces (forest rangers, police, army) to strengthen close coordination, implement regulations on coordination in forest protection, forest fire prevention and fighting; there are plans to ensure forces, supplies, equipment and logistics, standing, ready to coordinate forces to respond and handle urgent situations in forest protection and forest fires.

In 2021, despite many complicated developments in natural disasters, prolonged Covid-19 epidemic, directly affecting agricultural production, forestry and people's lives, locally across the country planted 260,000 hectares of planted forest and 100 million scattered trees. Due to this supply, the wood processing industry is guaranteed output of over 32 million m3 per year.

Forest coverage rate is stable at 42%; revenue from forest environment services reached over VND 3,100 billion, which is an important and sustainable financial source of the industry; The export value of the wood and forest product processing industry reached US$ 15.87 billion, 20% higher than the year plan and 21% higher than in 2021.

Based on the success, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed the Chairman of the People's Committees of the provinces and cities to pay attention and direct the implementation of the newly issued Directive.