Consolidated Document number 03/VBHN-BNNPTNT stipulates measures for forest management.

CIRCULAR

Provisions on forest reproductive measures

^{_______________}

Circular No. 29/2018/TT-BNNPTNT dated November 16, 2018, issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, concerning forest reproductive measures, took effect from February 15, 2023, amended and supplemented by:

Circular No. 22/2023/TT-BNNPTNT dated December 15, 2023, issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, amending and supplementing certain articles of circulars in the forestry sector, effective from February 1, 2024.

Pursuant to Decree No. 15/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 17, 2017 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to the Forestry Law dated November 15, 2017;

At the proposal of the Director General of the Forest Administration;

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues this Circular to provide for forest reproductive measures.

Chapter I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular provides for forest reproductive measures, including:

1. Encircling and nurturing to promote natural regeneration; encircling and nurturing to promote natural regeneration with supplementary planting;

2. Forest tending and enrichment;

3. Natural forest improvement;

4. New forest planting, replanting forests; caring for and nurturing planted forests.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to organizations, households, individuals, and community residents involved in the forest reproductive measures specified herein. Article 1 of this Circular.

Article 3. Explanation of Terms

1. Encircling and nurturing to promote natural regeneration is a forest reproductive measure that maximizes the natural regenerative capacity and succession to restore forests through protective measures against cutting, fire prevention and firefighting, clearing vines and shrubs to promote forest formation within a defined period.

2. Encircling and nurturing to promote natural regeneration with supplementary planting is a forest reproductive measure that maximizes the natural regenerative capacity and succession to restore forests through protective measures against cutting, fire prevention and firefighting, clearing vines and shrubs, combined with supplementary planting of a certain number of trees in areas lacking natural regeneration to promote forest formation within a defined period.

3. Forest tending is a forest reproductive measure that adjusts density and species composition by removing non-target trees, low-quality trees, and nutrient-competing vines, retaining high-quality target trees to enhance productivity, quality, and value of the forest.

4. Forest enrichment is a forest reproductive measure that combines forest tending with supplementary planting of a certain number of target trees while retaining existing target trees in the forest.

5. Natural forest improvement is a forest reproductive measure that replaces depleted natural forests with planted forests having higher productivity, quality, and economic efficiency.

6. New forest planting is a forest reproductive measure that establishes forests for the first time on land without existing forests.

7. Replanting forests is a forest reproductive measure that establishes forests on land previously logged or damaged by natural disasters or other causes.

8. Caring for planted forests is a forest reproductive measure that promotes the growth and development of planted trees through grass removal, soil cultivation, fertilization, and other activities.

9. Large timber planted forest is a forest where at least 70% of standing trees on a unit area have a diameter at breast height of 1.3 meters of 20 cm or more for fast-growing species or 30 cm or more for slow-growing species at the main harvesting age.

10. Small timber planted forest is a forest where less than 70% of standing trees have a diameter at breast height of 1.3 meters of 20 cm or more for fast-growing species or 30 cm or more for slow-growing species at the main harvesting age.

11. Conversion of small timber planted forest to large timber planted forest is the application of technical forest tending measures to change the purpose of small timber production to large timber production.

12. Companion tree is a tree planted alongside the target tree for a certain period to promote the growth and development of the target tree.

13. Non-target tree is a tree that does not meet the purpose of forest use.

14. Target tree is a tree that meets the purpose of forest use.

15. Fast-growing tree species is a tree species that achieves an average annual increase in diameter of 2 cm/year or more or a yield of 10 m³/ha/year or more.

16. Slow-growing tree species is a tree species that achieves an average annual increase in diameter of less than 2 cm/year or a yield of less than 10 m³/ha/year.

17. Recovered forest is a forest formed by natural regeneration on land that has lost its forest cover due to shifting cultivation, forest fires, or over-exploitation.

18. Land without forest is vacant land or land with ground vegetation consisting of reeds, sedge, shrubs, scattered trees, bamboo, and natural regenerants but not meeting the criteria for a forest.

19. Regeneration tree is a naturally grown seedling or sprout from the root or stem of a tree.

Chapter II. SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Section 1. NATURAL REGENERATION ENCLOSURE; NATURAL REGENERATION ENCLOSURE WITH SUPPLEMENTARY PLANTING

Article 4. Natural regeneration enclosure

1. Objectives:

a) Areas that have not met the criteria for becoming forests due to over-exploitation;

Abandoned farmland, land with grasslands, shrubs mixed with trees, and river mouths and coastal areas with a density of natural regeneration target trees exceeding 500 trees/ha at a height of more than 0.5 meters. The distribution of natural regeneration target trees is relatively even across the entire area or has gaps less than 1000 meters.²;

b) Areas of bamboo, reed, rattan, pine, lotus... (hereinafter referred to collectively as bamboo and rattan) after harvesting with coverage from 20% to below 60% and capable of naturally regenerating to form forests;

c) Rocky mountains with tree regeneration but not meeting the criteria for becoming forests.

2. Content of measures:

a) For the objects specified in point a, Clause 1 of this Article, the following measures shall be implemented:

Protecting and preventing the cutting of existing natural regeneration trees and forest fire prevention and extinguishing;

Clearing vines, shrubs, and cutting diseased, deformed, and non-target trees;

Pruning shoots and leaving no more than two shoots per stump and conducting forest sanitation;

b) For the objects specified in point b, Clause 1 of this Article, diseased, broken, and top-cut trees shall be cut down, and no bamboo shoots shall be harvested during the enclosure period;

c) Objects specified in points a and b, Clause 1 of this Article within strict protection zones of special-use forests and point c, Clause 1 of this Article shall only implement protective measures against the cutting of existing natural regeneration trees and forest fire prevention and extinguishing;

d) The duration of impact on protective forests and special-use forests is six years; for production forests, it ranges from six to eight years; in the first two years, there must be at least two impacts per year, and one impact per year in subsequent years.

Article 5. Natural regeneration enclosure with supplementary planting

1. Objectives:

a) Areas that have not met the criteria for becoming forests due to over-exploitation;

Abandoned farmland, land with grasslands, shrubs mixed with trees, and river mouths and coastal areas with a density of natural regeneration target trees at a height of more than 0.5 meters ranging from 300 trees/ha to under 500 trees/ha for protective forests and production forests, or from 100 trees/ha to under 500 trees/ha for special-use forests (excluding strict protection zones), unevenly distributed, with gaps from 1000 meters² to under 3000 meters²;

b) Areas of bamboo and rattan after harvesting with coverage below 20%, capable of naturally regenerating to form forests for protective forests and special-use forests (excluding strict protection zones).

2. Content of measures:

a) For the objects specified in point a, Clause 1 of this Article, they shall be implemented according to the provisions of point a, Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular; for the objects specified in point b, Clause 1 of this Article, they shall be implemented according to the provisions of point b, Clause 2, Article 4 of this Circular;

b) Supplementary planting species are timber trees, multi-purpose trees, and non-timber forest products:

For special-use forests, they are native trees distributed in the ecosystem of such special-use forests;

For protective forests, they are native trees distributed in the region or similar ecosystems;

For production forests, they are native trees with economic value, meeting production and business purposes;

c) Seedling standards: planting with containerized seedlings for special-use and protective forests, with seedling height of 0.5 meters or more;

d) Based on the current density of natural regeneration, the supplementary planting density should be determined, ensuring it does not exceed 800 trees/ha;

đ) Planting in bands for areas with unevenly distributed natural regeneration or planting in patches for large gaps; planting holes are square-shaped, with dimensions of 30 cm on each side and a depth of 30 cm or more (hereinafter referred to as 30 x 30 x 30 cm);

e) Caring for natural regeneration target trees and supplementary planted trees, replanting dead supplementary planted trees; weeding and mulching around the base of supplementary planted trees in a circular shape with a diameter of 0.6 meters or more;

f) Care period for protective forests and special-use forests is six years, for production forests it ranges from six to eight years; in the first three years after planting, care must be provided at least twice a year, and once a year in subsequent years;

||| Section 2. FOREST MANAGEMENT, ENRICHMENT, AND NATURAL FOREST IMPROVEMENT

Article 6. Natural Forest Nurture

1. Objectives:

a) For protective forests and special-use forests (excluding strictly protected zones), they are recovering forests with timber trees reaching canopy height with a quantity of at least 400 trees/ha or purposeful regenerating trees over 1 meter in height with a quantity of at least 500 trees/ha. Timber trees and purposeful regenerating trees are relatively evenly distributed across the entire area;

Bamboo forests have a coverage rate of over 60% and at least 200 clumps/ha, relatively evenly distributed across the entire area;

b) For production forests, they are recovering forests meeting production and business purposes with a quantity of high-quality timber trees of at least 500 trees/ha or purposeful regenerating trees over 1 meter in height with a quantity of more than 1000 trees/ha. Timber trees and purposeful regenerating trees are relatively evenly distributed across the entire area;

Bamboo forests have a coverage rate of over 70%, with more than 200 clumps/ha, relatively evenly distributed across the entire area.

2. Content of measures:

a) For timber trees in protective forests and special-use forests: carry out vine removal, do not remove shrubs and fresh vegetation; cut crooked, diseased, broken, and stump-cut trees, retain healthy growing trees, ensuring a minimum canopy density of 0.6;

The number of cuts ranges from once to twice, with intervals between cuts ranging from three to seven years;

b) For timber trees in production forests: carry out vine removal of non-economic value and shrubs that suppress regenerating trees; cut crooked, diseased, broken, and stump-cut trees, retain healthy growing and disease-free trees;

The number of cuts ranges from once to three times, with intervals between cuts ranging from three to seven years, within half to two-thirds of the harvesting rotation period; ensure a minimum canopy density of 0.4;

c) For bamboo forests, carry out vine removal and shrub removal that encroaches on bamboo; cut bamboo trees that are stump-cut, damaged, and old; do not harvest shoots during the nurturing period.

Article 7. Enrichment of Natural Forests

1. Objectives:

a) For protective forests and special-use forests (excluding strictly protected zones), they are recovering forests with timber trees reaching canopy height with a quantity below 400 trees/ha or purposeful regenerating trees over 1 meter in height with a quantity below 500 trees/ha. Timber trees and purposeful regenerating trees are unevenly distributed across the entire area;

Bamboo forests have a coverage rate of over 60% and less than 200 clumps/ha;

b) For production forests, they are naturally recovering forests meeting production and business purposes with a quantity of high-quality timber trees below 500 trees/ha or purposeful regenerating trees over 1 meter in height below 1000 trees/ha. Timber trees and purposeful regenerating trees are unevenly distributed across the entire area;

Bamboo forests have a coverage rate of over 70% and less than 200 clumps/ha.

2. Content of forest enrichment measures by strip:

a) Species of planted trees:

For special-use forests, they are native trees distributed in the ecosystem of such special-use forests;

For protective forests, they are native trees distributed in the region or similar ecosystems;

For production forests, they are native trees with economic value, meeting production and business purposes;

b) Planting standards: Planted using seedlings grown from seeds, with pots for special-use forests and protective forests, seedling height of at least 0.5 meters;

c) Establish planting strips (cut strips): carried out in gaps with an area under 1000 square meters² or areas where forest trees are unevenly distributed;

Arrange planting strips along contour lines in places with a slope greater than 25 degrees; in places below 25 degrees, arrange strips in an east-west direction;

Based on the shade tolerance of planted trees and the height of trees in retained strips, determine the appropriate width of planting strips, the minimum width of planting strips being two-thirds of the canopy width of retained strips;

Clear vegetation in cutting strips but leave purposeful trees;

d) Retained strips: strip width from 06 meters to 12 meters, within strips implement measures such as vine removal, shrub removal, cutting crooked, diseased trees, without breaking the canopy layer of retained strips;

đ) Planting season: northern provinces plant in spring, spring-summer, or summer-autumn seasons; other provinces plant at the beginning of the rainy season or choose planting seasons suitable for local climates;

e) Planting density: maximum 500 trees/ha, each planting strip must have at least one row of trees;

g) Planting pit size from 30 x 30 x 30 cm or larger;

h) Forest care: carry out forest care for the first three years after planting, with at least two care sessions per year. Work content includes replanting, vine and weed removal on planting strips, and soil cultivation around the base of planted trees in a circular shape with a diameter of at least 0.6 meters;

From the fourth year onwards until planted trees reach a height of at least 08 meters, carry out care at least once a year, including tasks such as pruning sprouts and invasive regenerating weeds on planting strips and non-purpose trees in retained strips.

3. Content of forest enrichment measures by patch:

a) Implement forest enrichment by patches in areas with gaps of 1000 square meters² to under 3000 meters²;

b) Technical measures implemented according to the provisions of points a, b, đ, e, g, and h of Clause 2 of this Article;

c) Planting density: maximum 500 trees/ha; planted trees should be located 03 meters to 04 meters away from the edge of the forest and at appropriate distances from existing purposeful regenerating trees to ensure good growth of planted trees.

Article 8. Reclamation of natural forests

1. Objectives:

a) Broadleaf evergreen forests and semi-deciduous evergreen forests with canopy structure disrupted, canopy cover below 0.3, and lacking the ability to develop into economically valuable forests, having the following indicators: less than 50 high-quality timber trees per hectare, standing volume of purpose timber trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) of 6 cm or more below 30 cubic meters/hectare, and less than 800 high-quality regeneration purpose trees with height over 1 meter per hectare, unevenly distributed across the entire area;³with a number of natural regenerating trees for good quality purposes, height over 01 meter under 800 trees per hectare, unevenly distributed throughout the area;

b) Coniferous forests: less than 80 trees with DBH of 6 cm or more per hectare, unevenly distributed across the area; forest canopy cover below 0.3;

c) Mangrove forest with canopy cover below 0.3 and having the following indices: density under 5000 trees per hectare, among which the number of trees with average diameter at breast height (1.3 meters) greater than 06 cm under 2500 trees per hectare;

c) Mangrove forests with canopy cover below 0.3 and the following indicators: density below 5,000 trees per hectare, of which less than 2,500 trees with average DBH of 6 cm or more per hectare;

d) Mixed bamboo and wood forest without the ability to recover into economically valuable forests, having the following indices: wood stock with diameter at breast height (1.3 meters) from 06 cm upwards under 15 cubic meters;³d) Bamboo and rattan forests: coverage exceeding 70%, unable to recover into economically valuable forests. For bamboo forests, number of trees with trunk diameter of 6 cm or more below 1,000 trees per hectare (for lò ô below 2,000 trees per hectare); for rattan forests, number of trees with trunk diameter smaller than 3 cm or 3 cm or more below 6,000 trees per hectare and below 20 clumps per hectare.

2. Content of measures:

a) Comprehensive rehabilitation: applicable to forest lots with a slope less than 25°, implementing clear-cutting measures across the entire area of the forest lot, retaining purposeful timber and natural regenerating trees; afforestation according to the provisions at a) Comprehensive reclamation: applicable to forest lots with slope under 25°, implementing clear-cutting measures across the entire lot area, retaining timber trees and purpose regeneration trees; afforestation according to Clause 2, Article 11 of this Circular;

b) Localized strip rehabilitation: applicable to forest lots with a slope of 25° or more, implementing localized clear-cutting measures along strips, the width of the cut and retained strips from 08 meters to 12 meters; retaining purposeful timber and natural regenerating trees on the cut strips; afforestation according to the provisions at a) Comprehensive reclamation: applicable to forest lots with slope under 25°, implementing clear-cutting measures across the entire lot area, retaining timber trees and purpose regeneration trees; afforestation according to Clause 2, Article 11 of this Circular;

b) Strip partial reclamation: applicable to forest lots with slope of 25° or more, implementing strip clear-cutting measures with cutting and leaving bands width from 8 m to 12 m; retaining timber trees and purpose regeneration trees on the cutting band; afforestation according to² up to 5000 meters²; retaining purposeful timber and natural regenerating trees; afforestation according to the provisions at a) Comprehensive reclamation: applicable to forest lots with slope under 25°, implementing clear-cutting measures across the entire lot area, retaining timber trees and purpose regeneration trees; afforestation according to Clause 2, Article 11 of this Circular;

c) Spot partial reclamation: applicable to forest lots with slope of 25° or more, spot clear-cutting with area from 3,000 square meters to 5,000 square meters; retaining timber trees and purpose regeneration trees; afforestation according to

Section 3. PLANTING NEW FORESTS, REAFFORESTATION, CARE AND NURTURE OF PLANTED FORESTS

Article 9. New planting of special-use forests

1. Objectives:

Land without forests within national parks, nature reserves, species and habitat conservation areas (excluding strictly protected zones), scenic protection areas:

Open land; land with sparse grass and reed vegetation;

Land with scattered shrubs and trees, purpose regeneration trees with height over 0.5 meters and quantity below 100 trees per hectare for hills and mountains, below 300 trees per hectare for river mouths and coastal areas, or below 1,000 trees per hectare for flooded and acid-sulfate soils that cannot naturally regenerate into forests.

2. Content of measures:

a) Selecting tree species for planting:

For national parks, nature reserves, and species and habitat conservation areas, native tree species distributed within the special-use forest area;

For scenic protection areas, select native tree species suitable for local conditions;

b) Clearing ground vegetation: clearing ground vegetation in strips or patches, piling up cleared vegetation along contour lines without burning. When clearing ground vegetation, retain existing timber trees and purpose regeneration trees;

c) Digging holes and fertilizing: digging holes in rows, planting hole size from 30x30x30 cm or larger, filling holes combined with pre-planting fertilization on hills and mountains;

For river mouth and coastal areas and beach sand plains, choose appropriate hole sizes and digging methods based on specific conditions;

d) Seedling standards for planting must be seedlings grown from seeds with root balls; for tree species listed in the main forestry planting species directory issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, they must meet national seedling standards;

For mangrove forests, depending on specific conditions, fruit or seed can be used for planting;

e) Planting method: mixed planting of at least two tree species in strips or patches; pure planting for places with special site conditions or light-loving species; minimum planting density of 500 trees per hectare;

f) For national parks, nature reserves, species and habitat conservation areas, and scenic protection areas, implement technical measures as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article, and other specific technical measures shall be carried out according to the technical guidance of each species.

3. For research and experimental scientific forests, national seedling forests, and national botanical gardens, follow scientific and technological tasks decided by the forest owner or competent state authorities.

Article 10. Planting new protective forests

1. Objectives:

a) The area of land without forest belonging to upstream protective forests, border protective forests, and community water source protection forests includes:

Bare land; land with ground cover of reeds and rush;

Land with scattered shrubs and trees, regenerating purpose plants over 0.5 meters in height with less than 300 plants per hectare, which do not have the natural ability to regenerate into a forest;

b) The area of land without forest belonging to windbreak and sand-fixing protective forests includes: bare land on sandy soil or saline-affected land along the coast;

c) The area of land without forest belonging to wave-breaking and land-reclamation protective forests includes: bare land on river delta areas, coastal areas, or regenerating purpose plants over 0.5 meters in height with less than 300 plants per hectare;

2. Content of measures:

a) Selecting tree species for planting:

The subject specified in point a, Clause 1 of this Article shall select tree species suitable for site conditions: prioritizing native trees, evergreen trees with dense foliage, well-developed root systems, long-lived trees; selecting complementary trees to intercrop with main crops but not adversely affecting the main crops, including fast-growing trees that improve soil quality or food crops, forest specialties, medicinal herbs, non-timber forest products;

The subject specified in point b, Clause 1 of this Article shall select tree species with deep roots that firmly anchor the soil, prioritizing native trees that can grow under harsh site conditions and have good resistance to typhoons, pests, and diseases;

The subject specified in point c, Clause 1 of this Article shall select tree species that can adapt to brackish and saline environments; prioritizing native trees and introduced species that have successfully been planted in river delta areas, coastal areas, and other harsh site conditions;

b) The subjects specified in points a and b, Clause 1 of this Article shall implement clearing of ground cover in strips or patches. Ground cover shall be gathered into strips along contour lines and shall not be burned; white clearing of ground cover shall be carried out in areas with a slope of less than 15 degrees, but a green belt must be left at the top of ridges, along stream banks, riverbanks, and lake shores. When handling ground cover, all existing timber and regenerating purpose plants must be retained; in areas with a slope greater than 15 degrees, only partial pits should be dug in a staggered pattern along contour lines or perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction, with planting pit sizes of 30 x 30 x 30 cm or larger, filled in combination with fertilization;

c) The subject specified in point c, Clause 1 of this Article shall plant forests in areas with large waves, requiring stakes to secure trees; creating trash barriers or wave reduction barriers in flooded delta areas near river mouths and coastal areas;

d) Seedling standards for planting shall be implemented according to point d, Clause 2, Article 9 of this Circular;

đ) Planting density: depending on the specific conditions of each type of protective forest and the selected tree species to determine an appropriate planting density, ensuring that the planting density of the main tree species is 400 trees per hectare or more;

e) Planting method: monoculture planting for sun-loving species or mixed planting of multiple species in strips or patches; intercropping with native and complementary trees to improve soil quality and increase income may be allowed; in poor site conditions with low nutrient levels, monoculture planting of fast-growing species for soil improvement during one harvesting cycle and replanting the forest according to point b, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular;

g) Other specific technical measures shall be implemented according to the technical guidance for planting each species.

Article 11. Planting new production forests

1. Objectives:

a) Areas without forests that are bare land or have grasses such as reeds, sedge;

b) Areas without forests where the ground cover consists of scattered shrubs and trees with a height over 0.5 meters and a density below 500 trees/hectare, lacking the ability to regenerate into economically valuable forests;

c) Areas of bamboo and rattan with a coverage rate under 20%, lacking the ability to regenerate into economically valuable forests; areas of mangrove, lalang grass, and lemongrass at all densities and coverage rates.

2. Content of measures:

a) Selecting tree species: choose main tree species suitable for production purposes, business operations, and local conditions; supplementary crops (food grains, foodstuffs, non-timber forest products, industrial crops, fruit trees) may be planted intercropped to improve soil quality and support the growth and development of the main tree species;

b) Ground cover treatment: clear the ground cover comprehensively, in strips, or in patches according to local conditions and the ecological characteristics of the selected tree species. Collected ground cover should be piled up in strips, minimizing burning. If burning is necessary, it must be done in strips or patches under controlled conditions;

c) Soil preparation: conduct comprehensive soil preparation using machinery or manual labor, or partial soil preparation in strips or patches. Measures to prevent soil erosion on slopes over 25 degrees, such as terracing along contour lines, should be implemented. Ditches can be dug, ridges raised, and leveling performed to create a flat surface for planting forests in special locations;

d) Seedling standards: ensure seedlings meet the specified standards and quality requirements;

đ) Planting density: select appropriate planting density based on the tree species, local conditions, planting method, and business objectives;

e) Planting methods: choose monoculture or mixed planting methods based on local conditions and business objectives, including intercropping with food grains, foodstuffs, and non-timber forest products;

g) For fire-prone forests, establish firebreaks and implement fire prevention measures as prescribed by law;

h) Other specific technical measures shall be carried out according to the technical guidelines for planting forests for each species;

Article 12. Replanting forests

1. Objectives:

a) Areas of forest land after clear-cutting;

b) Areas of forest damaged by natural disasters and other causes that cannot naturally regenerate into forests;

c) Areas of protective forests and special-use forests (excluding strictly protected zones) after harvesting intercropped species and fast-growing species for soil improvement;

2. Content of measures:

a) Objects specified in point a and point b, Clause 1 of this Article, which belong to special-use forests, shall implement technical measures for planting forests as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 9 of this Circular;

Objects belonging to protective forests shall implement technical measures for planting forests as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 10 of this Circular;

Objects belonging to production forests shall implement technical measures for planting forests as stipulated in a) Comprehensive reclamation: applicable to forest lots with slope under 25°, implementing clear-cutting measures across the entire lot area, retaining timber trees and purpose regeneration trees; afforestation according to Clause 2, Article 11 of this Circular and after three or more harvesting cycles, the planted tree species should be changed to another suitable forestry crop to limit the occurrence of pests and diseases or a decline in productivity and quality of the planted forest;

b) Objects specified in point c, Clause 1 of this Article shall implement strip harvesting methods when the forest trees show signs of aging and poor growth; the width of the harvested strip and the retained strip should be two-thirds the height of the forest trees;

Other technical measures shall be carried out according to point a, point b, point đ, point e, point g, point h, Clause 2, Article 7 of this Circular;

When the planted trees reach a height of eight meters or more, strip harvesting and replanting shall be conducted as with the harvested strip.

Article 13. Care for planted forests

1. Objectives:

a) Forests from planting until three years old for fast-growing trees;

b) Forests from planting until five years old for slow-growing trees and coastal planted forests.

2. Content of measures:

a) Remove shrubs, vines, and invasive weeds; loosen soil and mound around the base of the trees; protect regenerating trees for intended purposes;

Number of care sessions: depend on the degree of invasion of ground vegetation affecting the growth of planted trees to implement an appropriate number of care sessions; on average, care is performed twice a year;

c) Top-dressing: depending on the characteristics of growth and development of the forest to determine the timing, frequency, type, and quantity of fertilizer; top-dressing is carried out together with loosening soil and mounding around the base of the trees;

d) Replanting: one month after planting, check the survival rate; if the survival rate is below 85% compared to the initial planting density, replanting must be done;

đ) In addition to the provisions in Clause 2 of this Article, specific technical measures for caring for planted forests on land and for mangrove planted forests shall be implemented according to the technical guidance for each species;

Article 14. Nurture of planted forests

1. Objectives:

a) Planted production forests during the stage from young closed-canopy forests to before the main harvesting period, from two to four years for fast-growing tree species and from six to ten years for slow-growing tree species;

b) Planted production forests of fast-growing tree species, pure stands, uniform age, on good site conditions, with a soil layer thickness over 50 cm, in areas without or with cyclones but under Category 6; planting density over 1000 trees/hectare to convert small timber plantations to large timber plantations within a specified timeframe;

2. Content of measures:

a) Clear vines, shrubs, and invasive weeds;

b) Thinning includes crooked, diseased, suppressed, topped trees that do not meet business objectives, and some normally growing trees but with excessive density; retain healthy trees with balanced canopy, straight trunks, and even diameters;

The intensity of thinning is divided into four different levels: low level is the distance between retained trees less than one-third of the canopy diameter at the main harvesting age; medium level is the distance between retained trees from one-third to less than half of the canopy diameter at the main harvesting age; high level is the distance between retained trees from half to nearly equal to the canopy diameter at the main harvesting age; very high level is the distance between retained trees equal to or greater than the canopy diameter at the main harvesting age;

The number of thinning sessions ranges from one to three times; the interval period is from three to six years depending on the tree species, site conditions, age of the trees, and thinning intensity; thinning should be conducted after the forest has closed its canopy following the previous thinning session;

Timing of thinning: during the dry season or months with little rain (before or after the growing season);

Technique for thinning: the height of the stump cut does not exceed two-thirds of the trunk diameter of the cut tree, choose the direction of the tree fall to avoid affecting the retained trees; do not cut more than three consecutive trees and ensure the retained trees are evenly distributed in the forest;

c) Sanitation and care of the forest after thinning: carry out forest sanitation, collect large tree trunks and branches outside the forest area; gather small branches, chop them into sections and spread them in bands, do not burn; take fire prevention and firefighting measures;

d) Pruning: prune branches for intended purposes, cut off lateral branches and overly large branches located below the canopy (old branches below one-third of the tree height); cut close to the trunk, avoiding damaging the bark;

e) Tree density retained until the main harvesting period ranges from 400 trees/hectare to 800 trees/hectare for fast-growing tree species with a large wood business cycle of 10 to 15 years; from 300 trees/hectare to 700 trees/hectare for slow-growing tree species with a large wood business cycle over 15 years;

g) For the objects specified in point b, Clause 1 of this Article, in addition to applying the technical measures in Clause 2 of this Article, depending on the site conditions and cultivation intensity, fertilization after thinning may be applied. The timing of fertilization is at the beginning of the rainy season. The type and quantity of fertilizer depend on the site conditions and the characteristics of the tree species;

h) Specific technical measures shall be implemented according to the technical guidance for each species;

Chapter III. IMPLEMENTATION[2]

Article 15. Responsibilities of State Management Agencies.[3]

1. The Forestry Department

a) Organize the implementation and guide the application of this Circular throughout the country;

b) Develop and submit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for issuance technical guidelines for planting forests for major forestry tree species;

c) Conduct inspections and evaluations of the implementation situation in localities.

Article 16. Responsibilities of organizations, households, individuals, and community residents

1. Organizations, households, individuals, and community residents shall implement forest management measures in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

2. The forest owner has the responsibility to organize, inspect, and supervise the implementation of forest management measures as prescribed in this Circular.

Article 17. Transitional Provisions

Programs and projects that have forest management measures approved before the effective date of this Circular and are currently being implemented shall continue until completion and acceptance.

Article 18. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from January 1, 2019.

2. The following documents shall cease to be in force from the date this Circular takes effect: Circular No. 23/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated May 4, 2013 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the Improvement of Poor Natural Forests for Production Purposes; Decision No. 175/1998/QĐ-BNN-KHCN dated November 4, 1998 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development promulgating the Technical Regulations on Forest Restoration through Encirclement Cultivation and Promoted Regeneration with Supplementary Planting (QPN 21-98); Decision No. 200/QĐ-KT dated March 31, 1993 of the Ministry of Forestry promulgating the Technical Regulations on Forest Management Measures for Timber and Bamboo Production Forests (QPN 14-92); Decision No. 184/QĐ-KT dated April 4, 1991 of the Ministry of Forestry promulgating the Technical Regulations on Construction of Protective Forests at Watershed Areas (QPN 13-91).

3. During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties, agencies, organizations, households, and individuals shall promptly report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for guidance and research on amendments and supplements.

[1] Circular No. 22/2023/TT-BNNPTNT dated December 15, 2023 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of Circulars in the Forestry Sector is hereby issued as follows:

Pursuant to Decree No. 105/2022/NĐ-CP dated December 22, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to the Forestry Law dated November 15, 2017;

At the proposal of the Director of the Forest Management Department;

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues this Circular amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circulars in the forestry sector.

[2] This Chapter is amended and supplemented pursuant to Article 14 of Circular No. 22/2023/TT-BNNPTNT dated December 15, 2023 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of Circulars in the Forestry Sector, which takes effect from February 1, 2024.

[3] This Article is amended and supplemented pursuant to Article 4 of Circular No. 22/2023/TT-BNNPTNT dated December 15, 2023 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of Circulars in the Forestry Sector, which takes effect from February 1, 2024.