Which province in our country has the highest forest cover rate? This province has the largest natural lake in the North.

Forest land area accounts for more than 80%, the highest forest coverage rate in the country at more than 73%; this is the strength and also the basis for Bac Kan province to identify forest economic development as a key task.

Focus resources on exploiting potential and advantages

Bac Kan is a mountainous province located in the inland center of the Northeast region of the North. The natural land area of ​​Bac Kan is 485,996ha, of which: Agricultural land is 44,116ha, accounting for 9.08%; forestry land is 413,366ha, accounting for 85.05%.

A planted forest in Thanh Mai commune, Cho Moi district, Bac Kan province. Photo: Chien Hoang

According to the announcement of the forest status of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2023, Bac Kan is the province with the highest forest coverage rate in the country at 73.38%. The whole Bac Kan province has more than 100,000 hectares of planted forests, of which 50,000 hectares are in the exploitation age. This is an important basis for Bac Kan province to identify forest economic development as a key task.

With available potentials and advantages, in recent years, Bac Kan province has focused all resources to support people in developing forest economy through policies, projects and calling for and attracting investors to Bac Kan; opening export routes to help people and businesses reduce transportation costs.

Mr. Trieu Duc Van, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Kan shared about policies related to forest economic development in Bac Kan. Photo: Chien Hoang

Talking to Dan Viet reporter, Mr. Trieu Duc Van, Director of Bac Kan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that according to the Forest Protection and Development Project, the provincial budget is still supporting scattered tree planting. Besides, each year Bac Kan province also has tens of billions that enterprises reclaiming land with forest conversion use to invest in Pac Nam, Ba Be districts or areas with concentrated land to form alternative forest planting projects.

"Bac Kan province is still allocating funds for subcontracting outside the National Target Program. As for the National Target Programs, currently sub-project 1 and project 3 are being implemented very well. In the coming time, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Kan will continue to advise on the implementation of sub-project 2 and project 3, which are afforestation and planting medicinal plants under the forest canopy," Mr. Van added.

The acacia forest in Tan Minh village, Cao Ky commune, Cho Moi district, Bac Kan province was granted FSC certification in 2018. Photo: Chien Hoang

According to Mr. Van, with sub-project 2 and project 3, the contents will be expanded so that people with forests can choose to do forest business, ensure their lives, and increase their income. Along with that, steps will be taken so that Bac Kan forests can be granted a certificate of controlled wood products (FSC).

Regarding the implementation of carbon credits, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Kan shared that this is a very new content. Currently, some provinces such as Nghe An and Ha Tinh have paid. The People's Committee of Bac Kan province is also directing the agricultural sector to urgently develop projects, review and evaluate carbon reserves of all types of forests in the province. The Department is developing an outline, associated with the review of planning for 3 types of forests to implement this project.

Strengthening leadership and direction in implementing forest economic development

Regarding the development of forest economy in Bac Kan, Ms. Phuong Thi Thanh, Standing Deputy Secretary of Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee, said that with the potential advantages of forests, Bac Kan province always identifies forest economic development as a key task in the leadership and direction of Bac Kan province in the socio-economic development of the province.

Ms. Phuong Thi Thanh, Standing Deputy Secretary of Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee, shared about the leadership and direction of Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee in developing forest economy. Photo: Chien Hoang

"For the 2020-2025 term and the thematic resolution on implementing the key tasks of the 12th Congress, the Provincial Party Congress, the Executive Committee of the Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution 10 on agricultural and forestry economic development, including assigning targets on FSC certification of forests; forest cover ratio and annual forest planting area of ​​Bac Kan province.

Along with that, Bac Kan province has focused on implementing the Central Government's policies on supporting forestry development through National Target Programs, supporting agricultural and forestry development and specialized Resolutions of the Provincial People's Council on supporting forest economic development in Bac Kan province", the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee shared.

According to Ms. Phuong Thi Thanh, directing the implementation of FSC certified forest areas is the content that must be aimed at. Since the beginning of the term, Bac Kan province has focused on leading and directing units to implement.

"With FSC certification, the value of Bac Kan province's planted forest wood products will increase, and local wood processing enterprises will meet the criteria to ensure export to foreign markets. However, up to this point, we see that the target of 20,000 hectares of forest being granted FSC certification during the forecast term is difficult to achieve.

Nghien forest in Nam Xuan Lac Species and Habitat Conservation Area (Cho Don district, Bac Kan province). Photo: Lam Chi

Regarding the implementation of carbon credits, with a forest coverage rate of more than 73%, the assessment of forest carbon credits is very important. To implement this content, it is necessary to have principles and regulations of the State through the Government's Decree or guidance through circulars of ministries and branches. The authority of the locality determines the related reserves.

Bac Kan province also needs to attract businesses to evaluate carbon credit criteria on the forest area of ​​Bac Kan province. From there, there will be a basis for assessing reserves, and the purchase and sale of carbon credits on the market will be qualified. If this content is well implemented, the value of forests and people's income will be increased, contributing positively to the socio-economic development of the locality and ensuring more sustainable forests in Bac Kan", said the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Bac Kan Provincial Party Committee.

Source: https://danviet.vn/tinh-nao-cua-nuoc-ta-co-ty-le-che-phu-rung-cao-nhat-tinh-nay-co-ho-nuoc-tu-nhien-lon-nhat-mien-bac-20241104223446526.htm