More motivation to invest in forest protection and development

In order to ensure the legal basis for implementing investment policies in forestry in the province, it is expected that at the 9th Session of the 19th Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee will submit a Proposal to promulgate regulations on a number of contents and funding levels for implementing investment policies in forestry according to Decree No. 58/2024/ND-CP dated May 24, 2024 of the Government (Decree 58) in the province.

The Xuan Son National Park Forest Protection Team coordinated with the Tan Son District Forest Rangers and the Lap Village Forest Protection Team, Xuan Son Commune to patrol the natural regeneration protection area assigned to manage at Xuan Son National Park.

In the period of 2016-2024, based on the regulations of the Central Government and the actual situation in the locality, the province has developed, issued and strictly implemented the investment policy on forest protection and development according to Decision No. 3553/QD-UBND, dated December 28, 2016 of the Provincial People's Committee with a total annual support budget from the Central and provincial budgets of 11.4 billion VND. Thanks to that, the investment in forest protection and development has been effectively implemented, contributing to creating livelihoods, increasing income for people, protecting the ecological environment, promoting the socio -economic development of the province in a sustainable direction.

However, the regulations on investment in forest protection and development have now expired. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the Provincial People's Council for decision on promulgating regulations on funding levels for implementing investment policies in forestry to create a legal corridor to ensure proper implementation of regulations as well as to encourage and mobilize organizations and individuals to actively participate in forest protection and development; ensure the harmony of interests of the State and enterprises, families and individuals in forest protection and development, thereby improving the effectiveness of forest management, protection and development in the province.

Based on the provisions of Decree 58 and the actual situation, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant departments, branches, and district-level People's Committees to review and unify proposals to submit to the Provincial People's Council for specific regulations on the level of funding for implementing investment policies in forestry in the province for 5 contents: Protection of special-use forests; zoning and promoting natural regeneration, zoning and promoting natural regeneration with additional planting under the planning of special-use forests; protection of protective forests; protection of production forests that are natural forests during the period of forest closure; forest protection contracts. The specific level of funding is determined to be equal to the average level of funding as prescribed in Decree 58.

According to Mr. Do Ngoc Doan - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the proposal to specify the funding level for implementing investment policies in forestry specifically for 5 out of 15 contents stipulated in Decree 58 will contribute to increasing income for people, especially people living near forests and living on forestry. In addition, it will encourage people and communities to actively participate in forest protection because according to the Proposal, the level of funding for forest protection will be higher than the period 2016-2024 in the province from 25% to 50%.

Specifically, the State-funded budget for protecting special-use and protective forests is 150,000 VND/ha/year for the Management Board of special-use and protective forests and 500,000 VND/ha/year for the residential community and other subjects according to the provisions of the Forestry Law. For communes in regions II and III, this budget is 1,800,000 VND/ha/year for the Management Board of special-use and protective forests and 600,000 VND/ha/year for the residential community. Particularly for the subject of the People's Committee at the commune level that is managing the forest area that has not been assigned or leased, the State-funded budget for protecting protective forests is 150,000 VND/ha/year, in communes in regions II and III it is 180,000 VND/ha/year.

For production forests that are natural forests during the period of forest closure, the beneficiaries of protection funds are the Special-use Forest Management Board and the People's Committees at the commune level that are managing the forest area that has not been assigned or leased and are granted forest protection funds by the State of 150,000 VND/ha/year, in communes in regions II and III it is 180,000 VND/ha/year. For state-owned enterprises that were assigned natural production forests by the State before January 1, 2019 and households, individuals, communities, and other subjects according to regulations, the State is granted forest protection funds of 500,000 VND/ha/year, in communes in regions II and III it is 600,000 VND/ha/year.

The funding level for natural regeneration promotion is 1,000,000 VND/ha/year for 6 years; for natural regeneration promotion with additional planting under special-use forest planning, the funding level is 2,000,000 VND/ha/year for the first 3 years and 1,000,000 VND/ha/year for the next 3 years. The funding level for the protection of special-use forests, protective forests, and production forests that are natural forests from the state budget is 500,000 VND/ha/year, for forest areas in communes in regions II and III is 600,000 VND/ha/year...

The regulation of a number of contents and funding levels for implementing investment policies in forestry is consistent with current State regulations as well as the actual situation, creating more motivation for the work of protecting and developing sustainable forests in the province.

Le Oanh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/them-dong-luc-dau-tu-bao-ve-phat-trien-rung-224055.htm