More motivation for forestry development

Resolution 337/2021/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council stipulates a number of specific policies to encourage sustainable forestry development in Quang Ninh province, piloted in two localities, Ha Long and Ba Che. The implementation of the resolution has contributed to promoting sustainable forestry development in Quang Ninh.

Ba Che district has the largest forestry land area in the province, with 56,690 hectares of land planned for forestry.

Ba Che is one of the localities with the largest forestry land area in the province, with 56,690 hectares of land planned for forestry, accounting for 94% of the total natural area of the district. The local climate conditions are also suitable for the development of forest plantations and precious medicinal herbs under the forest canopy.

Realizing the goal of planting large timber trees according to Resolution 337/2021/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council, Ba Che district has developed large timber forests, native tree varieties and encouraged people to switch from planting small, short-cycle timber forests to planting large timber forests. To proactively source quality tree seedlings, the district has coordinated with 15 units, enterprises, and nursery owners to ensure the supply of high-quality tree seedlings to serve the needs of planting large timber forests and concentrated forest planting in the area. Up to now, many households have proactively switched to planting large timber trees.

As one of the pioneer households in planting large timber forests, having so far planted over 3 hectares of lim, giổi, and lát, Mr. Ninh Van Nam (Khe Long Ngoai village, Thanh Son commune, Ba Che district) shared: My family has a total of 7.5 hectares of forest. Previously, the family mainly planted acacia, but the income was not high. With the propaganda, support for tree varieties and loans for investment, in 2021 my family switched from planting acacia to planting lim. Currently, the trees are growing and developing very well. For intensive farming, the family intercrops cinnamon and Morinda officinalis. Planting large timber trees in the long term will certainly bring higher economic benefits, contributing to preserving local water resources, preventing erosion and protecting the environment.

In the first 6 months of 2024, Ba Che planted over 130 hectares of large timber forest, reaching 52.3% of the district's plan (250 hectares) and 6.4% of the province's plan (200 hectares), equal to 59.5% compared to the same period in 2023. Many communes and towns exceeded the assigned plan, such as: Luong Mong reached 110%, Dap Thanh reached 102.5%, Thanh Son reached 125.5%, Don Dac reached 120.8%...

Mr. Ninh Van Nam (Khe Long Ngoai village, Thanh Son commune, Ba Che district) takes care of and trims the branches of his family's large tree garden.

Vice Chairman of Ba Che District People's Committee Khieu Anh Tu said: The district continues to promote propaganda and support people to actively convert to planting large timber forests; develop typical forest and medicinal plant planting models. At the same time, promote propaganda and support to create trust and motivation for local people to boldly convert the forestry crop structure from fast-growing, low-economic value trees to planting large timber forests, native trees, and medicinal plants with high economic value. Thereby, contributing to the completion of the goal by 2025 of Ba Che becoming the agricultural and medicinal plant economic center of the province.

Resolution No. 337/2021/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council has actively contributed to the results of developing large timber forests and native trees, improving the quality of planted forests in the province. In the period of 2021-2023, the whole province has planted 4,170 hectares of large timber forests and native trees; the forest coverage rate reached 55%. However, in the process of implementing the resolution, there are still some shortcomings, such as: There is no mechanism to support households and individuals to develop the economy under the forest canopy while waiting for harvest; cinnamon trees still occupy a large area, over 92% of the total area implementing the policy to support the development of large timber forests, species of lim, giổi, lát... account for a low proportion, not commensurate with the potential of the locality; management and monitoring of tree quality are still limited; the support subjects have not been expanded, only stopping at households and forest owners...

Staff of Ba Che Forestry Company check the growth process of large trees planted in the area managed by the unit.

Therefore, new policies are needed to encourage and support more effective forestry development. Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Duy Van said: The Department has developed and completed a draft resolution amending and supplementing Resolution No. 337/2021/NQ-HDND to report to the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council for consideration at the 19th Session of the 14th Provincial People's Council. The draft resolution has a number of new points compared to Resolution 337/2021/NQ-HDND, such as: Expanding the scope of application from 2 pilot localities to the whole province; expanding the beneficiaries of the policy, from only supporting households and individuals to supporting organizations, enterprises, cooperatives, groups of households, households and individuals; increasing the level of support for planting large timber forests from only supporting the cost of buying seedlings at 15 million VND/ha to supporting the cost of buying seedlings and care at 20 million VND/ha; Increase the loan support level of the Bank for Social Policies from 20 million VND/ha to 30 million VND/ha; supplement the policy to support economic development under the forest canopy...

When the new policy is approved, it will create more motivation for people and businesses to promote the planting of large timber forests and native trees in the process of cultivation and production development. According to Deputy Director of Ba Che Chieu Forestry Company Van Quynh, the company plants over 300 hectares of production forest every year. Implementing the plan to plant large timber forests of the province and district, each year the unit plants about 80 hectares of lim, giổi, and lát trees... However, the unit is currently investing its own capital to plant large timber trees, so it also faces many difficulties. On average, planting 1 hectare of large timber trees will incur a cost of about 50 million VND for care. If Resolution 337/2021/NQ-HDND is amended, supplemented and has support for businesses, it will create a big "push" for forestry enterprises in planting large timber forests; helping businesses to borrow capital, rotate production, care, expand planting areas and attract more businesses to participate in planting large timber forests.

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