Opportunities for forest protection and development

Forest carbon credits are credits generated from greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction project activities, including: Reducing deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+); enhancing sinks through afforestation, reforestation, and vegetation restoration (ARR); and enhancing forest management (IFM). Developing forest carbon credit projects presents a significant opportunity for forest management and protection agencies, especially in the current context where demand for this type of credit is very high in the carbon market.

People in Tan Son district are adopting pruning and care techniques to transform large timber forests, creating a foundation for participating in the carbon credit market.

Our province has approximately 55% of its natural area covered by forests and forest land, equivalent to 170,000 hectares, with a forest cover rate of nearly 40%. Phu Tho is the 5th largest province in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region in terms of forest area (according to Decision No. 816/QD-BNN dated March 20, 2024 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development).

Currently, Phu Tho's forests are also considered a major carbon sink. This is a new resource that contributes to forest protection and development, improves the lives of forest growers, creates a foundation for sustainable forestry development, and is also an advantage for the province to attract green investment.

Phu Tho province has implemented numerous policies and strategies for sustainable forestry development to prepare for participation in the carbon credit market. In its provincial planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, Phu Tho has identified the following tasks for the forestry sector: maintaining forest cover at 38-39%; reviewing and adjusting the planned land area for the three types of forests; focusing on protecting existing natural forests; improving forest quality through conservation and cultivation, especially in natural and special-use forests; developing planted forests according to sustainable forest management standards (FSC) linked to deep processing; improving the quality of planted forests, especially large timber forests; conserving and effectively utilizing cultural and historical special-use forests; and effectively and fully implementing the policy of payment for forest environmental services for ecotourism , community tourism, and carbon credits.

Simultaneously, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 1466/KH-UBND dated April 13, 2021, on planting scattered trees in the province for the period 2021-2025, in accordance with the Prime Minister's decision approving the Project "Planting one billion scattered trees in the period 2021-2025"; and the plan for sustainable forest management, protection, and development in the province for the period 2021-2025.

Specifically, it is defined that sustainable forestry development should be based on existing forest areas; efficient exploitation and utilization of production forest areas; effective protection of the ecological environment, conservation of biodiversity, provision of forest environmental services, mitigation of the impacts of natural disasters, and adaptation to climate change...

The results of the forest inventory by the Forestry sector were approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 1338/QD-UBND dated June 7, 2016, on approving the results of the forest inventory. The entire province has over 126,000 hectares of forested land, these are the forest areas that can absorb the most CO2...

Comrade Hoang Anh Vu - Deputy Head of the Tan Son District Forest Management Unit, said: “The forests of Tan Son in particular, and Phu Tho province in general, have the potential to generate many carbon credits. Selling forest carbon credits will help increase income for businesses through revenue from emission reductions. For forest owners and farmers, it will improve the productivity of planted forests, enhance sustainable livelihoods, contribute to protecting existing forest areas, and increase forest cover. In the coming time, the district will continue to do a good job of managing and protecting existing forest areas; promote the planting of large timber forests, issue sustainable forest management certificates; and maintain forest cover to be ready to participate in the carbon credit market...”.

Not only in Tan Son, but all localities throughout the province continue to implement comprehensive solutions to protect, develop, and effectively and sustainably utilize existing forest areas, conserve forest genetic resources and biodiversity; improve productivity and quality, and maximize the value of each type of forest...

Le Oanh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/co-hoi-cho-bao-ve-phat-trien-rung-218419.htm