Policy on payment for forest environmental services to create sustainable livelihoods

The policy of payment for forest environmental services has created a strong change in forest protection and development in Lai Chau.

Stable income, improving people's lives

Mu Ca commune is one of the localities that has done a good job of forest protection in Lai Chau province. Currently, the commune has more than 29,000 hectares of forest, with a coverage rate of nearly 80%, mainly natural forest. In 2024, each household here will receive nearly 40 million VND from forest environmental services. Thanks to that, people have the conditions to buy supplies, invest in agricultural production, and improve their living standards.

Forest rangers propagate and guide people to protect and care for the forest. Photo: Van Tam.

Mr. Vang Chu Hu in Ma Ky village used to be a poor household, often going into the forest to collect firewood for cooking and heating. However, thanks to propaganda as well as money from forest environmental services, he and his fellow villagers have changed their perception.

"I always comply with forest protection, do not cut down or burn forests, and regularly patrol and protect forests with the locals, thereby having a higher source of income from the forest," said Mr. Vang Chu Hu.

To protect the forest area, Mu Ca commune has completed the Steering Committee for Sustainable Forestry Development, developed a forest protection plan and established a mobile team of more than 80 people including forest rangers, border guards, militia, and police. In all 8 villages, there is a specialized forest protection team. Forest fire prevention and fighting work is carried out according to the motto "Prevention is the main thing, timely fire fighting" and the principle of "4 on-site": on-site forces, on-site logistics, on-site means, on-site command.

Mr. Ly Go Xe, Deputy Head of Economic Department, People's Committee of Mu Ca Commune said: "The staff department of the People's Committee of the commune requires forces and specialized departments to step up propaganda work for people to protect and develop forests. During the dry season, regularly organize patrols, control, and assess forest conditions; strictly prohibit all activities that harm the forest, direct people to proactively clear vegetation, and create firebreaks."

Na Un village (Pac Ta commune) regularly holds meetings, assigns tasks to each household, and establishes forest protection regulations. Violators will be strictly punished. The role of village elders and village chiefs is maximized in propagating and mobilizing the people here.

Mr. Tong Van Lanh, Head of Na Un village, shared: "We distribute the money for annual forest environmental services to the people and guide them to use that money to care for and protect the forest. In addition, we invest in tools and fertilizers to develop the economy, so the people are very excited."

Thanks to the consensus, illegal logging and slash-and-burn farming have almost ceased. People understand that protecting the forest means protecting water sources for daily life and production.

Close monitoring, transparent payments

Determining that it is very necessary to protect the forest area well, recently, all levels, sectors and localities of Lai Chau province have paid attention to promoting propaganda to the people to do well the work of forest protection, regeneration and protection. Along with that, promoting the planting of new forest areas every year to contribute to protecting the ecological environment, protecting water sources at the headwaters of the Da River and increasing people's income from the forest.

Villagers meet to prepare for forest fire prevention during the dry season. Photo: Van Tam.

In particular, most of the province's forest area is upstream forest, which is of special importance in protecting national security and defense, conserving biodiversity and ecological environment, especially maintaining water resources, regulating kinetic energy for hydropower production and creating livelihoods for local people.

Currently, Lai Chau has nearly 500,000 hectares of forest, with a coverage rate of 52.86% by 2024. Of which, the area of ​​payment for forest environmental services is up to 456,000 hectares, with an average unit price of 1.14 million VND/ha. The total payment amount is over 500 billion VND. After more than 13 years of implementation, the policy of payment for forest environmental services has helped ethnic minorities have more income, many households have been able to buy motorbikes, televisions, invest in production, creating conditions to escape poverty.

More importantly, awareness of forest protection has been raised, the number of violations has decreased from 357 in 2011 to less than 150 now. Forest cover has increased from 35% in 2004 to 54% in 2025.

Ms. Tong Thi Huong, Director of Lai Chau Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund, said: “The Fund coordinates with the People's Committees of communes to always make full and timely payments to people and forest owners. The Fund increases the number of specialized staff to directly monitor and supervise to avoid problems in the payment of forest environmental services.”

The forest environmental service policy not only protects forests but also creates jobs, increases income, and contributes to changing the face of Lai Chau countryside. This is a testament to the harmonious combination between environmental protection and sustainable economic development.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/chinh-sach-chi-tra-dich-vu-moi-truong-rung-tao-sinh-ke-ben-vung-d783780.html