Contribute to the protection and sustainable development of forests

Implementing the policy of payment for forest environmental services (PFES) according to Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP and Decree No. 156 amending and supplementing a number of new forest environmental services, Tuyen Quang province has proactively deployed many solutions to manage and use the source of payment for FES transparently and effectively. Thereby, contributing to increasing income, encouraging communities and people to actively participate in forest protection and developing sustainable livelihoods.

Strict, transparent and targeted management

Tuyen Quang currently has more than 852,789 hectares of forest, of which 620,891 hectares are natural forests, the rest are planted production forests, the forest cover rate is over 62%. The province is one of the localities with large forest areas in the Northeast region. The policy of payment for forest environmental services is considered an important driving force to help the locality protect upstream forests, especially protective forest areas associated with the hydroelectric reservoirs of Tuyen Quang, Chiem Hoa, Na Hang, Song Nho Que, Bac Me and small hydroelectric plants in the area.

Officers of the Forest Protection Department of Region XI inspected forest management and protection work in Cao Bo commune.

According to the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund, since 2011, the province has signed contracts to pay for forest environmental services with 100% of users as prescribed, including hydropower and clean water enterprises and ecotourism establishments. On average, each year, the province collects over 100 billion VND in forest environmental services; of which over 90% is paid to forest owners who are organizations, households, individuals and village communities. In more than 10 months of 2025, the whole province had 643,000 ha/852,789 ha, accounting for 75.4% of the total forest area of ​​the province paid for forest environmental services.

To ensure strict management, Tuyen Quang has built a forest monitoring and surveillance system using GPS technology and digital maps. The delineation of watersheds and payment boundaries is updated and reviewed periodically to avoid duplication or omission of areas. Forest owners are informed about forest protection procedures, patrol methods, and forest diary recording, helping to improve management capacity at the grassroots level.

Payment for forest environmental services is public and transparent. Since 2023, the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund has coordinated with banks to implement the payment of forest environmental services through accounts. To date, more than 85% of forest owners have received money through the banking system. This method not only minimizes errors and saves management costs, but also contributes to promoting digital transformation in the forestry sector.

Leaders of the Forest Protection and Development Fund inspected the payment of forest environmental services in Linh Ho commune.

Comrade Dinh Thi Ha, Director of the Forest Protection and Development Fund of Tuyen Quang province, said: “We pay special attention to monitoring the use of forest environmental service payments for the right purposes. Forest owners and communities must have a clear plan for using the money, linked to forest protection, fire prevention and fighting activities. Every coin of forest environmental service money is used practically, bringing direct benefits to the people.”

Resources to promote livelihoods and sustainable forest protection

In fact, the policy of paying for forest environmental services has created a stable source of income, becoming a driving force for people to stay connected with the forest. In highland communes such as Na Hang, Thuong Lam, Chiem Hoa, Nam Dan, Khuon Lung, the payment source has helped thousands of households have more conditions to develop their economy , contributing to sustainable poverty reduction.

Mr. Ma Van Do, Na Tong village, Thuong Lam commune shared: “Previously, people only considered the forest as a place to collect firewood and bamboo shoots, but now they consider the forest as an asset that brings annual income. Each household receives wages for protecting the forest, so everyone is aware of protecting the forest, preventing forest fires during the dry season, and replanting when the forest is damaged.”

Not only does it benefit the people, the money from DVMTR payments also helps the management units of protective forests and special-use forests have more resources to invest in patrolling, protecting and restoring forests. As a result, forest quality is improved, coverage rate increases, and the upstream forest ecosystem is better preserved.

Payment for forest environmental services in Son Vi commune.

In addition to paying forest owners, part of the fund is also used to support scattered tree planting activities, promote forest protection, build livelihood models under the forest canopy such as growing medicinal herbs, raising bees for honey, and developing community ecotourism. These models have been opening up sustainable directions for many rural mountainous areas of the province.

In particular, Tuyen Quang province is also piloting a model of payment for forest environmental services in ecotourism at Na Hang - Lam Binh ecotourism area. Enterprises and tourism businesses participating in exploiting forest landscapes must contribute a portion of their revenue to pay for forest environmental service providers. This is considered a new step, demonstrating the mindset of exploiting forest services in conjunction with conserving natural resources.

To continue to promote the effectiveness of the DVMTR policy, Tuyen Quang province focuses on improving the quality of forest management associated with digital transformation in the forestry sector. The Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund under the Department of Agriculture and Environment will coordinate with communes to build a DVMTR digital database system. This system helps to monitor online the status of forests, watersheds, and commercial electricity output of hydropower plants, ensuring accuracy and fairness in determining payment levels.

Along with that, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda and popularize policies to people, especially ethnic minorities, to help them understand their roles, rights and obligations when participating in forest protection; encourage businesses to proactively cooperate with forest owners, build a "green business" model, both effectively exploiting resources and reinvesting in environmental protection.

Mr. Nguyen The Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Tuyen Quang province, said: The province identifies the DVMTR policy as not only a financial tool but also a strategic solution to protect forests and develop sustainable forestry economy. We aim for a modern, transparent forest management model with community participation, creating a harmonious relationship between people and nature, thereby improving the lives of tens of thousands of people living on forests.

Article and photos: Hoang Ngoc

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/kinh-te/202511/gop-phan-bao-ve-va-phat-trien-rung-ben-vung-a1f6173/