Nghe An's forest cover rate reaches nearly 60%

Comrade Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee gave a speech at the Conference. Photo: Van Truong

On the afternoon of March 27, in Vinh City, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a Conference to review the implementation of Directive No. 10-CT/TU dated October 5, 2021 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on promoting the development of high-quality intensive forest material areas associated with the certification of sustainable forest management and forest product processing industry for the period 2021 - 2025. The conference also summarized the forestry sector in 2023 and deployed tasks for 2024.

Attending the conference were members of the Provincial Party Executive Committee: Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Phung Thanh Vinh - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; and representatives of relevant departments and branches.

Overview of the Forestry Industry Conference in 2023 and Deployment of Tasks for 2024. Photo: Van Truong

Forest cover rate reached 58.33%

In 2023, Nghe An forestry sector will carry out its tasks in the face of many difficulties and challenges such as: changes in weather and climate; conflicts in some countries affecting the export market for wood products...

However, right from the beginning of the year, Nghe An forestry sector has implemented synchronous solutions for direction and management, closely following the assigned targets and tasks to organize and implement. Thanks to that, the forestry sector has achieved positive results, contributing to the overall growth of the agricultural sector and rural development.

In 2023, in the field of afforestation, Nghe An planted about 22,768 hectares, reaching 123.1% of the plan, well protecting 962,230 hectares of existing forest area.

Forest coverage rate reached 58.33%, achieving the set target. Total revenue from forest environmental services in 2023 reached over 133 billion VND. During the year, the whole province created more than 38.2 million seedlings of all kinds, reaching 116.0% of the plan, and exploited 1.7 million m3 of concentrated planted forests ^, reaching 113% of the plan.

Comrade Phung Thanh Vinh - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported on forestry work in 2023 at the Conference. Photo: Van Truong

The province has 45 wood processing enterprises, 98 enterprises producing non-timber forest products, 10,410 individual production and trading establishments of wooden furniture and products from wood, non-timber forest products, and 3 biomass pellet factories. The export turnover value in 2023 reached 270.25 million USD, the growth rate of forestry production value reached 6.67%.

The total forest area certified for sustainable forest management in the province up to now is 24,826.39 ha. 183,682 ha/265,771 ha of forest and forestry land have been allocated, reaching 69.11% of the approved area according to the Project.

The forest security situation is basically stable, however, there is still deforestation for agricultural and forestry production to develop the economy in some districts such as: Con Cuong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Thanh Chuong, Quynh Luu, Tan Ky... The cases were detected early and forces were organized to prevent and handle them promptly. In 2023, the whole province detected, arrested and handled 476 cases of forestry law violations, a decrease of 172 cases.

In 2023, there were 14 forest fires in the province, causing damage to a total area of ​​14,325 hectares of forest. The force mobilized 2,746 people to participate in fire fighting, the core of which was the local force including: forest owners, forest rangers, local authorities, militia, police, army, etc.

Delegates attending the Conference. Photo: Van Truong

Implementing Directive No. 10-CT/TU dated October 5, 2021 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on promoting the development of high-quality intensive forest material areas associated with granting certificates of sustainable forest management and forest product processing industry in the period of 2021 - 2025, Nghe An has initially achieved important results.

The province has concentratedly planted 62,725 hectares of forest, reaching 114% of the plan; exploited 4,912,118 ^m3 of planted forest wood, reaching 106% of the plan. The growth rate of forestry production value in the 2021-2023 period reached an average of 7.86%. The area of ​​large timber planted forests is estimated at more than 32,000 hectares, accounting for 20% of the province's planted forests; the area of ​​forest certified for sustainable forest management reached 24,826.39 hectares, reaching 50% of the Directive's target.

At the Conference, delegates from the districts made recommendations to overcome existing difficulties in large-scale timber plantation, forest product processing, forest seedlings, and output for raw acacia...

Forestry products processing at Song Hieu Agricultural and Forestry Products Processing Enterprise. Photo: Van Truong

Entering 2024, Nghe An Forestry Department has set a number of key tasks: Continue to direct the propaganda work of socializing forestry to protect and stabilize the existing natural forest area, effectively prevent acts of encroachment on forest resources. Actively plant forests, manage well the source of forestry seedlings, exploit planted forests reasonably, combine with processing technology to consume products to increase the added value of planted forest products.

Effectively implement forestry policies and mechanisms, improve employment and people's lives, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, and complete assigned socio-economic targets in the forestry sector.

Continue to strengthen forest protection plans

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee praised the achievements of the forestry sector in recent times; at the same time, he also pointed out the limitations, that is, there is a lack of policies and mechanisms to encourage people to respond to the conversion from small timber plantations to large timber plantations. Seedling nursery technology is still mainly manual; infrastructure serving forestry production is slow to be upgraded.

The progress of forest allocation associated with forestry land allocation and issuance of land use right certificates is generally still slow. Forest fire prevention and control, and illegal deforestation prevention have not ensured sustainability, and forest fires and illegal logging still occur.

To overcome the above shortcomings, comrade Nguyen Van De suggested that the forestry sector should strengthen the inspection and supervision of the implementation of forest protection and fire prevention plans in localities and forest owners. Timely detect violations of forest protection laws, strictly handle violators and cases of lack of responsibility, lax management, allowing forests to be exploited, cut down, and causing forest fires in the area.

Nghe An's forest coverage rate reached 58.33%. Illustrative photo: BNA document

Promote the development of high-quality intensive forest plantation material areas associated with the certification of sustainable forest management and forest product processing industry. Quickly complete the forest allocation plan associated with the allocation of forestry land to households, individuals and communities. Increase attraction and investment in processing; focus on completing the master plan for the construction of the high-tech forestry zone in the North Central region and submit it to the Prime Minister for timely approval.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate with the Department of Finance to deploy the plan to implement the Sustainable Forestry Development Program according to Decision No. 809/QD-TTg and support policies for forest owners according to Resolution No. 02/2023/NQ-HDND to effectively carry out forest management and protection in the province in 2024.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/ty-le-che-phu-rung-cua-nghe-an-dat-gan-60-post286883.html