Restoring forestry production

The recent storm No. 3 caused damage to the forestry sector of Quang Ninh province estimated at over 6,400 billion VND with more than 117,000 hectares of forest broken from 30-100%. To support people to overcome the consequences of natural disasters and soon restore forestry production, the province has issued many policies and directed localities to actively review, count, and make support lists, helping people and forestry companies to recover planted forest areas and clean up the scene to prevent forest fires in the dry season.

Ba Che is one of the localities with the most severely damaged forest area in storm No. 3, with over 18,600 hectares, more than 3,400 households, units, and forestry companies affected, mainly acacia trees aged 2 to 6 years old were broken; estimated damage of about 550 billion VND. Many households with large damaged areas are currently having difficulty hiring workers, unable to collect fallen trees, leading to the risk of total loss when the weather is increasingly dry.

Along with the initiative of forest owners, the Party Committee and the Ba Che district government have implemented a plan to help forest growers and forestry companies clean up and exploit fallen forest wood.

People of Don Dac commune, Ba Che district collect fallen acacia trees.

With the help of local authorities, Mrs. Ban Thi Lam's family (Lang Mo village, Don Dac commune) took advantage of favorable weather to harvest the family's acacia area. With 2.5 hectares of acacia planted for 4 years completely broken, the family estimated to harvest about 20% of the area's value. According to Mrs. Lam, if the weather was favorable, the family expected to harvest about 50 tons of acacia, earning about 250 million VND. However, due to the recent storm No. 3, they almost lost everything and only managed to salvage a little. Hopefully, with the State's policy, the family will somewhat reduce difficulties and have the conditions to restore production.

According to Mr. Khieu Anh Tu, Vice Chairman of Ba Che District People's Committee, the district has issued a document directing communes to review, compile and prepare support records according to Decision 1568/QD-UBND (dated May 18, 2017) of the Provincial People's Committee; organized meetings to guide communes and towns to prepare support records for forest planting families to soon restore production. Up to now, the district has received notices from 2,530 households with damaged forest areas of 14,125 hectares. Of which, localities in the district have reviewed, counted and appraised over 3,300 hectares of nearly 700 households; prepared the first support records for nearly 2,600 hectares of 606 households. The area damaged by 30-70% is 882ha, over 70% is more than 1,700ha with an estimated support cost of about 8.6 billion VND. For the remaining 1,924 records with 11,636ha, the district continues to direct specialized departments to handle procedures and complete them as soon as possible. At the same time, direct communes and towns to review and count accurately and objectively, ensuring the rights of the people; request wood purchasing units to actively support people and forest product processing companies to improve production capacity, increase output in wood purchasing and avoid price pressure.

Dam Ha district mobilized forces to support people, units, and forestry companies to clean up, overcome damage, and do a good job of preventing forest fires after the impact of storm No. 3.

In order to promptly overcome the consequences of storm No. 3 and minimize difficulties for those who directly live and do business in the forest sector, on October 1, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 2832/UBND-KTTC on launching a 30-day and night peak period to support forest clearing, sanitation, and collection and utilization of forest products in the forest area damaged by storm No. 3. With the motto "4 on-site", mobilize forces from armed units, forest rangers, and youth volunteers to strengthen measures to protect and prevent forest fires after the storm, ensuring completion before October 31, 2024.

To implement this peak period, localities with forests are currently focusing on supporting forest clearance, sanitation, and harvesting forest products after the storm. Typically, Dam Ha district has increased information to people, units, and forestry companies in the area; directed specialized departments, offices, and localities to arrange forces to provide maximum support to forest planting households; the Protective Forest Management Board and forestry companies carry out clearance, harvesting forest products, clearing vegetation, and making firebreaks to minimize the risk of fire.

Mr. Tran Anh Cuong, Vice Chairman of Dam Ha District People's Committee, said: The whole district has nearly 4,000 hectares of forest that were destroyed in storm No. 3, mainly acacia, eucalyptus, and cinnamon trees, with an estimated loss of nearly 150 billion VND. To overcome the damage and restore forestry production, along with effectively implementing forest fire prevention and control, the district is also actively implementing plans and orientations for new planting and replacement of damaged forest areas.

Wood processing companies improve purchasing and production capacity.

In the long term, based on the advice of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on policies to support households affected by losses in the agricultural sector according to Resolution No. 37/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council stipulating a number of specific policies to encourage sustainable forestry development in the province, forestry crop varieties will be restructured. The province has also sent documents to banks to promptly resolve difficulties for customers such as debt forgiveness, reducing loan interest rates, providing new loans for customers who no longer have collateral, providing new loans with appropriate interest rates...

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