Quang Nam regulates advance payment and payment for forest environmental services

*Authorities set camera traps in the managed forest area. Photo: D.N.*

Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Finance to preside over and coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to guide the implementation of the decision. At the same time, inspect and report annually on the implementation status according to regulations. The decision takes effect from April 20.

The regulations of the Provincial People's Committee clearly state that the activities of management, advance payment and payment for forest environmental services in the province are carried out according to Decree No. 156 of the Government, applicable to the subjects including relevant state agencies; Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund; forest owners are management boards of protective and special-use forests and village communities, commune-level People's Committees and other organizations assigned by the State to manage forests according to the provisions of law.

The money is coordinated from the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund and money entrusted from forest environmental service users in the province.

*Community forest protection group participates in removing wild animal traps in the forest area receiving forest environmental services. Photo: D.N.*

Accordingly, 10% of the total amount of money entrusted to pay for management activities of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund; 5% of the reserve fund is deducted from the total amount of money entrusted to forest environmental services. The remaining amount after deducting the above expenses is transferred by the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund to the forest owners and the People's Committees of the communes assigned to manage the forest and pay for forest environmental services.

Each year, the forest environmental service fee is advanced 4 times, with the advance rate (advance rate) based on the actual revenue up to the time of advance. Particularly for basins with unit price up to the time of advance exceeding 2 times the state budget support level for forest protection, the advance will only be up to 90% of the unit price which is 2 times the state budget support level for forest protection, the remaining funding source (10%) will be paid after the forest area is determined.

For forest owners whose forest environmental service revenue in the previous advances is too low and who require additional advances, the Director of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund shall consider using a source whose recipients of forest environmental service fees cannot be identified, a source with a unit price twice the state budget support level for forest protection contracts to make advances to forest owners, but must ensure that the correct beneficiaries are included in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 156 of the Government.

Determining and paying the amount of forest environmental service payment before March 31 every year, based on the amount of forest environmental service payment actually collected in the previous year and the results of determining the forest area for which forest environmental service payment is made, the Director of the Provincial Forest Protection and Development Fund shall determine the amount of payment to the forest environmental service provider in the previous year to pay the forest environmental service provider.

In addition, based on the actual amount collected in the year and the results of determining the forest area covered by forest environmental services, the fund will make payments to forest environmental service providers before April 30 of the following year...

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