The Forest Protection Unit of Region XI is disseminating information about the policy on payment for forest environmental services to the people of Muong Lan commune.
Bản Ít, Mường La commune, is one of the communities that has done a good job in forest protection under contract. For many years, the more than 800 hectares of forest under the village's management have remained free from forest fires, illegal logging, and wildlife hunting. The village also has its own forest protection regulations, such as: Absolutely no deforestation, slash-and-burn farming, or indiscriminate clearing of forests; when collecting firewood or timber for house construction, only dead trees or dry branches should be used. Anyone who destroys the forest is severely punished according to the regulations of the village and commune; minor violations may result in the family being disqualified from the "Cultural Family" title that year; major violations will be reported to the commune and local forest rangers for legal action.
Mr. Lo Van Oanh, Deputy Head of the village, Head of the Forest Protection and Fire Prevention Team, It village, Muong La commune, informed: On average, the village receives over 300 million VND annually from forest protection contracts funded by forest environmental service payments. A portion of this money is used to support the village's forest protection and fire prevention teams, while the remainder is used for communal purposes such as: building roads, constructing a village cultural center, purchasing loudspeakers, radios, tables, and chairs for the cultural center; and supporting cultural and sports activities during village festivals and holidays. Most encouragingly, the villagers' awareness of forest conservation is steadily increasing. Everyone understands that good forest protection will limit erosion and landslides, and conserve water for their own lives and agricultural production.
Upon arriving in the border commune of Muong Lan, one is impressed by the endless green of the forests covering the hillsides and mountains. Muong Lan currently has over 11,500 hectares of forest, including more than 11,400 hectares of natural forest and nearly 100 hectares of planted forest, with a forest cover rate of nearly 46%. Annually, the commune receives over 1.1 billion VND in forest environmental service payments. Mr. Lo Van Quan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Muong Lan commune, informed: The implementation of the forest environmental service payment policy has led to positive changes in forest protection and development in the area. The forest environmental service payments have provided resources for rural development in the villages, increased income for the people from the forest, and reduced deforestation for farming and illegal logging.
The people of Bản Ít village, Mường La commune, along with forest rangers, are clearing undergrowth.
Adhering closely to its assigned tasks, the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund actively advises on forest protection and development, and organizes the payment of forest environmental services to ensure economic , social, and environmental effectiveness. Simultaneously, the Fund proactively reviews and expands revenue sources from industrial production facilities, eco-tourism, resort, and entertainment service businesses; organizations and individuals engaged in aquaculture; or those collaborating with households in forest production areas. Coordination between the Fund and the Forest Protection Department, the People's Committees of communes and wards, and forest protection units is strengthened to determine the area of forest providing environmental services, ensuring compliance with regulations, timelines, and quality standards.
Through review and inspection, by 2025, our province will have over 550,000 hectares of forest eligible for environmental service payments. During the year, the amount collected from units using forest environmental services exceeded 260 billion VND, surpassing the set plan. The Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund, in coordination with banks, has disbursed forest environmental service payments to nearly 40,000 forest owners, totaling over 229.5 billion VND, achieving 99.9% of the plan. The implementation of the forest service payment policy has contributed to realizing the socialization of forestry, creating jobs, increasing income, and improving livelihoods for people, especially ethnic minorities living near forests; raising the forest cover rate of the entire province to 47.6%.
Mr. Le Manh Thang, Deputy Director of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund, said: "The collection and expenditure are carried out promptly, openly, and transparently. Revenue from forest environmental services has created motivation for people, communities, and forest owners to actively protect forests, thereby, the area of natural forests is better protected, and planted forests are cared for and regenerated effectively."
The effective implementation of the forest environmental service payment policy has been and continues to be a prerequisite for the people of Son La to further develop forest resources to increase income and reduce poverty sustainably; contributing to the implementation of the policy of socializing forest protection and development at the grassroots level, creating an important impetus for sustainable forestry economic development.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/dong-luc-giu-rung-ben-vung-zdmKzLMDg.html
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