Hanoi mobilizes resources to protect forests

Although still new, the fund is expected to become a "lever" to help localities protect the value of the "green lungs" of the capital.

Authorities inspect forests in Trung Gia commune. *Photo: Duc Duy*

New financial tools

Hanoi currently has nearly 27,100 hectares of forest and forestry land, distributed in 25 communes and wards. Of these, many protective and special-use forests play an important role in regulating the climate, protecting water resources and conserving biodiversity for the urban core. However, over the past years, forest management and protection have encountered many difficulties due to limited state budget resources, while the need for new planting, regeneration, fire prevention, fire fighting and forest environment protection is increasing. Therefore, the establishment of the Hanoi City Forest Protection and Development Fund is considered a necessary step, creating a financial corridor to mobilize more social resources for the goal of sustainable forest development.

Mr. Nguyen Van Chuan (officer of Hanoi Forest Protection and Development Fund) said: “The fund has just been established, initially focusing on building operating regulations, revenue and expenditure procedures and a database for payment of forest environmental services. We hope that the fund will be a transparent and stable financial tool, helping people and communities have more resources to stay connected with the forest. When people can live thanks to the forest, they will protect the forest better.”

According to Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP, dated November 16, 2018, of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Forestry Law, the subjects that must pay for forest environmental services include: Hydropower plants, clean water production facilities, ecotourism enterprises, industrial facilities using water from forest basins... This mechanism not only creates a stable source of income for the fund, but also promotes organizations and enterprises to be more aware of their responsibility to protect the environment in the production and business process. In addition to mandatory payments, the fund also receives funding, aid and voluntary contributions from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals, along with support from the Central Forest Protection and Development Fund.

"We aim for all revenue and expenditure to be public and transparent, ensuring that money reaches the right forest rangers," informed Mr. Nguyen Van Chuan.

Towards transparent and modern forest management

As one of the localities with large forest areas in Hanoi, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Huong Son Commune Nguyen Thi Huong Giang said that the establishment of the Forest Protection and Development Fund is a correct policy and is of great interest to the people. When the fund is in stable operation, the source of funding for forest environmental services will help the community and households contracted to manage and protect the forest to have more income, thereby feeling secure in their attachment to the forest. Huong Son currently has more than 2,900 hectares of forest and forestry land, of which the area of natural forest is 2,712 hectares, planted forest is 156 hectares, and the area without forest is 56 hectares. All are special-use forests; if properly supported, forest protection work will be much more proactive and effective.

In Trung Gia commune, according to the forest development in 2024, there are nearly 2,088 hectares of forest and forestry land, of which more than 1,364 hectares are forest. Head of the Economic Department of Trung Gia commune Bui Thi Thuy Ngan informed that for many years, forest management has mainly relied on the budget and the people's self-awareness. When there is a fund, the payment for forest environmental services will create a new motivation, encouraging people to participate more actively. At the same time, this is also the basis for local authorities to have more resources to maintain patrolling, tree planting and forest fire prevention and fighting activities.

According to localities, the fund not only has financial significance, but also helps change public awareness of the value of forests. When people understand that preserving forests also contributes to socio-economic development and protecting the living environment, conservation work will be more sustainable.

Deputy Director of the Hanoi City Forest Protection and Development Fund Bui Huy Khoi said that in the first phase, the unit will coordinate with communes with forests to review the area, identify payment subjects and organize training and guidance on forest environmental service policies. "We hope that localities will proactively coordinate and join hands so that the fund can truly become a resource for the grassroots, not just a financial model on paper," said Mr. Bui Huy Khoi.

Although newly established, the Hanoi City Forest Protection and Development Fund has set a goal of soon implementing basic activities, prioritizing the construction of a digital database on forest area, forest owners and payment subjects to ensure publicity, transparency and convenience for monitoring.

At the local level, communes with forests all expressed their wish that the fund would be put into operation soon, helping them have more funds to support forest protection forces, purchase fire prevention and fighting equipment, organize propaganda and raise public awareness. Head of the Economic Department of Trung Gia Commune Bui Thi Thuy Ngan said: "We expect the city to soon guide the payment mechanism for communes to implement. With a stable fund source, forest protection work can be maintained in the long term."

According to the assessment of the Forest Protection Department (Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment), the establishment of the Forest Protection and Development Fund not only creates a new financial mechanism, but also demonstrates the city's determination to develop a green, clean and sustainable capital. The Fund will be a bridge between businesses, people and the State in a joint effort to protect forests. Every organization and individual can contribute - whether financially, in terms of effort or sense of responsibility - to protect their own living environment. In particular, when the mechanism is completed, the fund increases and operates stably, localities will have more resources to plant trees, regenerate and restore the ecosystem, contributing to increasing forest cover and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, this is also the foundation for Hanoi to fulfill its commitment to developing green urban areas, adapting to climate change, towards the goal of net emissions of "0" by 2050.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ha-noi-huy-dong-nguon-luc-de-bao-ve-rung-723218.html