People benefit from the policy of payment for forest environmental services

The entire Nghe An province currently has 962,230.69 hectares of forest, including 789,933.97 hectares of natural forest, 172,296.52 hectares of planted forest, forest coverage reaches 58.36%. In recent years, forest management and protection towards socialization of forestry, development and reasonable use of forest resources have always received great attention and focus from the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People’s Committee, and Nghe An forestry sector. Drastic direction with many solutions and measures. In forest management and protection measures, a very effective community-based forest protection model has emerged.

In Tuong Duong district, one of the localities that has done this work well has assigned more than 7,073.9 hectares of forest and forestry land to Yen Na and Yen Thang communes for nearly 832 households and 15 communities to manage. protect.

After being implemented, forest protection work in Ban Na Bon, Yen Na commune has made a lot of progress in forest protection and forest development when there are 154 households divided into 16 groups, each group is from 7 to 10 people. Families with forests and allocated forest land near each other cooperate to patrol, inspect, and protect the assigned forest area. In the dry season, each group patrols and protects the forest 4 times/month, and in the rainy season 1-2 times/month. Thereby, ensuring that every day there is a group to patrol the forest. Any abnormalities discovered during forest patrols are reported to the functional forces and local authorities for timely measures. Thanks to that, the forest area managed by the families is always protected and safe.

In addition, Yen Thang commune is currently assigned to manage 4,758 hectares of forest. Recently, the commune has also promoted propaganda and mobilized people to focus on developing forests and planting new high-yield varieties; Provide plant, seed, and technical support to people to ensure plants grow and develop well. Thanks to good advocacy work, the people of Yen Thang commune realized the benefits and economic efficiency brought by forests, so they not only actively registered to participate in afforestation but also invested capital and put effort into taking care of the area. planted forest area.

According to the assessment of the People’s Committee of Nghe An province, in the context of limited budget capital for forest management and protection, revenue from forest environmental services and replacement afforestation has maintained stability, contributing to Reduce pressure on the state budget in forest management and protection. At the same time, creating many jobs, improving livelihoods, increasing income and life of forest workers and forest protectors, especially people in highland areas, contributing to maintaining national security and order. social safety, increase forest coverage in the entire province.

Implementing the policy of payment for forest environmental services, to date, the payment area is 560,000 hectares (accounting for more than 57% of the forested area of ​​the province). Good implementation of the policy on payments for forest environmental services has gradually contributed to stabilizing and ensuring forest area, maintaining forest coverage, improving forest quality and contributing to improving the quality of the living environment. Thai in Nghe An.

In 2023, the revenue of the Nghe An Forest Protection and Development Fund will reach more than 123.6 billion VND (102% of the plan). In addition to the annual cost of paying for forest protection and providing forest environmental services (according to the unit price of hydropower basins), the forest environmental service policy also supports organizations and individuals serving them. forest protection work. In 2023, the fund has paid out 116% of the approved plan and reached 100% of the actual amount to be paid to forest owners (total amount of more than 115.6 billion VND).

To date, in Nghe An province, the number of subjects receiving payments for forest environmental services includes 20,938 forest owners who are households and communities and there are 1,310 forest protection contracts. In addition to the funds paid according to the plan, the provincial fund has advised and supported additional unit prices for payment of forest environmental services for hydroelectric basins.

Carrying out the task of collecting and spending on planting replacement forests, in 2023, Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund has collected more than 23.5 billion VND to convert forest use purposes from 21 projects. Thanks to that source of revenue, the work of planting replacement forests is implemented effectively. Currently, the total planted area is nearly 4,600 hectares, of which, protective forest planting reaches more than 1,133 hectares; planting more than 1,600 hectares of production forests; scattered tree planting (converted area) of more than 1,600 hectares.

According to the representative of Nghe An Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund, in 2024, the unit will continue to coordinate with the People’s Committees of districts, towns and cities to remove difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process. presently; Preside and coordinate with the forest ranger district to determine the forest area eligible for payment for forest environmental services to households, individuals, and residential communities. At the same time, coordinate with the Forest Protection Department to determine the forest area eligible for payment for forest environmental services to forest owners who are organizations; Payment for forest environmental services in 2023, advance payment for forest environmental services in 2024 to forest owners according to regulations.