Protecting the environment, ecosystem, and biodiversity, reducing the risk of forest fires, and simultaneously generating higher economic value on the same cultivated area are the dual benefits that FSC-certified forest planting offers!
Forests certified by FSC offer benefits in many aspects - Photo: LM
According to Phan Van Phuoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, implementing sustainable forest management with principles and criteria as stipulated by the FSC certification organization will contribute to the rational use of forest resources, thereby protecting biodiversity, protecting the environment, and meeting social and economic needs.
With the increasingly stringent demands of the European and US markets regarding deforestation and forest degradation (EUDR, Lacey Act, etc.), and the growing requirements for wood traceability from export-oriented wood processing companies, implementing sustainable forest management and forest certification according to international standards will help plantation timber sources access and be purchased by reputable, branded wood processing companies exporting to international markets.
According to Trinh Minh Hoa, Director of Ha Xa Cooperative (Trieu Ai, Trieu Phong), in 2013, the cooperative registered to plant FSC-certified forests on an area of 406 hectares, with 110 households participating. Initially, many members of Ha Xa Cooperative were hesitant because the FSC standard assessment process was unfamiliar to farmers, and the management regulations were very strict, causing people to be apprehensive.
However, with the dissemination of information and guidance from authorities regarding the environmental protection benefits and long-term economic efficiency of forests, especially the benefits from effective forest fire prevention, ecological protection, and forest resources, people have felt reassured to participate. To date, the cooperative has 406 hectares of forest managed under FSC certification.
Workers of Ben Hai Forestry One-Member Limited Company are equipped with personal protective equipment during the process of harvesting timber from planted forests - Photo: LM
Quang Tri province has been one of the leading localities in planting forests according to FSC standards for over 10 years, with a total forest area participating in assessment and certification to date of 26,135.65 hectares. Units and individuals participating in FSC-certified forest planting include: Duong 9 Forestry Company Limited with 4,229.8 hectares; Ben Hai Forestry Company Limited with 8,069.3 hectares; Trieu Hai Forestry Company Limited with 4,063.91 hectares; Ha Xa Cooperative, Trieu Ai commune, Trieu Phong district with 406 hectares/110 households; Quang Tri Forest Certification Groups with 5,396.64 hectares (planted forests: 3,251.79 hectares; natural forests: 2,144.85 hectares); and Hai Lang District Forest Certification Group with 3,970 hectares/444 households.
Evaluating the effectiveness of FSC-certified forest planting, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ben Hai Forestry Company Limited, Hoang Ngoc Thanh, said that the company has participated in FSC-certified forest planting since 2011. The FSC certification assessment process is carried out quite rigorously every year, but in the long run, it is sustainable and offers double benefits.
This includes evaluating the forest planting planning process, ensuring that forest planting is technically sound, contributes to the restoration of natural ecosystems, and guarantees the survival and development of biodiversity in nature; from a social perspective, it must ensure the rights of forest planters, such as working conditions, labor protection, and income; and harvesting conditions must ensure that the volume of timber does not exceed the yield of the forest produced.
In terms of economic efficiency, traditional forest plantations typically take 5-6 years to harvest, yielding approximately 80 million VND/ha. However, FSC-certified forests yield 200 million VND/ha in 8-10 years, more than double the value of conventional forests. In contrast, conventional forests require 10 years to achieve a value of 160 million VND/ha, necessitating two cultivation cycles and twice the investment costs. Therefore, it is clear that FSC-certified forests offer significantly higher economic returns compared to traditional plantations.
An international organization is inspecting and evaluating the current status of FSC-certified forest planting by Ben Hai Forestry Company Limited - Photo: LM
Regarding the output of FSC-certified forest timber products in the province, a supply chain has been established linking forest owners with CoC-certified businesses such as Thu Hang Wood Processing Company, Nguyen Phong Company, Quang Tri Trading Company, and Scansia Pacific Company (Ho Chi Minh City). These businesses have signed commitments to purchase the entire output of FSC-certified timber from the Quang Tri FSC Association in general and cooperatives in particular at a price 10-12% higher than that of uncertified timber.
According to Phan Van Phuoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the benefits of FSC-certified forest planting are quite clear, but developing the area of forests managed according to FSC standards faces many difficulties. The majority of current production forest areas are managed by small-scale, scattered household and individual forest owners, making it difficult to prepare documentation, produce, and manage forests according to the standards and principles of international forest certification.
With the global economic downturn and volatile market conditions, prices have a low margin, which has not encouraged small-scale forest owners. Strict regulations on sustainable forest management and certification according to international standards discourage participation from forest growers. The mindset of forest growers wanting to plant trees for a short time, harvest quickly, and manage independently remains hesitant to participate in sustainable forest management and certification.
To develop sustainable FSC-certified forestry that yields dual benefits, feasible and long-term solutions are needed soon. These include promoting awareness throughout society, especially directly among forest growers. Furthermore, policies supporting processing and purchasing businesses should be prioritized to ensure product distribution becomes a breakthrough in the development of FSC-certified forestry.
Le Minh
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/hieu-qua-tu-trong-rung-fsc-189474.htm
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