Directive No. 286/TTg on Strengthening Urgent Measures to Protect and Develop Forests

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening Urgent Measures to Protect and Develop Forests 

The Prime Minister has issued Decision No. 656/TTg on September 13, 1996 regarding the development of the Central Highlands economy and society and Decision No. 960/TTg on December 24, 1996 concerning the development of the northern mountainous provinces' economy and society. The aforementioned decisions have identified the stabilization of population and the protection of forests as two important contents.

The implementation of the above decisions of the Prime Minister has yielded some initial results. However, the situation of deforestation in our country continues to spread widely, particularly seriously affecting primary forests, special-use forests, and headwater protective forests which are being heavily destroyed. The area of newly planted forests does not compensate for the lost old forest areas, leading to a much lower forest density and coverage rate compared to other countries in the Mekong region. The reasons for the current deforestation situation are:

The specific forest owners have not been determined, and local authorities from commune, district, and provincial levels have not taken responsibility for state management in managing, caring for, and protecting the forests. State-owned Forest Farms assigned as forest owners have not fulfilled their responsibilities, and in some cases, they collude with bad elements to exploit timber and destroy forests. Some localities have not firmly grasped the law, exploiting timber without following plans for their own short-term benefits. Management of people entering and leaving the forest is lax, leading to serious free migration and deforestation.

There is insufficient force to protect forest resources. The Forest Rangers have not been fully organized and have not performed all their functions, focusing more on inspections at forest gates rather than regular patrols throughout the forest areas, thus only discovering forest fires and destruction after they occur. Equipment for the Forest Rangers to perform their duties is still lacking, making it difficult to suppress illegal logging groups, and in some places, forest rangers have retreated or turned a blind eye to those who destroy forests. Some parts of the Forest Ranger force have degenerated and compromised with bad elements to illegally exploit timber.

Relevant departments and levels have not fully implemented their responsibilities according to their functions and tasks, and their directives have not been specific enough to concentrate human and material resources on forest protection. Therefore, it is necessary to address these issues and immediately implement the following policy: Strictly organize the protection of remaining forest areas, encircle and regenerate damaged forests. It is essential to conserve natural timber usage, create conditions for importing timber to meet domestic consumption and export processing needs. Vigorously promote new forest planting to ensure sufficient raw materials for artificial board production, wood pillars, and paper production...

To implement this policy, the Prime Minister instructs relevant levels, sectors, and localities to strictly implement the following measures:

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the People's Committees of the provinces, must urgently carry out the demarcation and determination of boundaries of special-use forests, protective forests, and natural forests. Strictly prohibit the cutting and exploitation of these types of forests, and severely handle any violations.

2. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall be responsible for state management of each type of forest within the province's territory, directing district and commune-level authorities to fully perform comprehensive state management functions within their jurisdiction. Immediately eliminate and stop the indiscriminate deforestation. Prohibit unauthorized migrants from entering the forest to cut, burn, and clear land for cultivation and settlement.

Direct closely the inspection by county and commune-level authorities to promptly detect any illegal entry into the forest, prevent before the forest is destroyed. Resolutely remove all short-cycle crops currently planted in special-use forests, protective forests, and primary forests. Prevent the "leopard skin" pattern of forest burning, ensuring it does not spread further. In areas already burned, mandatory encirclement must be enforced to allow forest regeneration and replanting to restore the original forest cover.

3. Provinces with forests must organize a strong force to protect the forest, dismantle violent logging gangs. Military and police forces should coordinate with forest rangers and forestry sector personnel to inspect and forcibly relocate all unauthorized migrants deep into primary forests, special-use forests, and headwater protective forests, concentrating them in designated areas and allocating land for them to live and work. Those who refuse to follow the overall planning will be returned to their original homes by the respective province.

Those who oppose and continue to destroy forests are acts of destroying national resources and the community's environment and must be resolutely and strictly dealt with according to the law. Good cooperation between forces in the area is needed, combining propaganda, mobilization, detection, and handling of elements deliberately violating forest protection and development laws.

4. Export of timber and timber products is prohibited except for handcrafted goods. Encourage the import of timber, use alternative materials instead of timber, and conserve timber usage in production and consumption. Plan timber harvesting from planted forests to meet domestic production and consumption needs (wood pillars, paper raw materials, artificial boards...).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall compile reports and submit to the Prime Minister for guidance on the disposal of timber that was permitted for export in 1996 but remains unsold, and the pine timber specified in Decision No. 821/TTg dated November 6, 1996; report to the Prime Minister for decision on the allocation of quotas for timber harvesting, import, consumption, processing, and strict management of implementation; develop a plan to organize the import of timber to meet domestic needs and export processing.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and related agencies, to propose policies to encourage wood processing and manufacturing enterprises for export to shift towards producing handicrafts and furniture for domestic consumption. For joint ventures investing in forest plantations (including 100% foreign investment), continue to implement according to the agreed investment permits.

The Chair of the People's Committee of each province shall direct the collection of all illegally felled forest wood without permission, coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to report to the Prime Minister on the direction for handling. Strictly inspect and deal with the buying and selling, consumption of illegally harvested wood. Vigorously implement afforestation projects and promptly complete procedures to submit to the Prime Minister for approval of projects prioritizing investment in Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) factories processing planted timber instead of natural wood.

5. The Ministry of Industry shall take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant sectors to propose solutions to replace firewood from natural forests for industrial production, such as eliminating traditional brick kilns that burn wood and replacing them with ceramic bricks, using alternative fuels in ceramic production. Encourage the use of liquefied gas, electricity, and coal instead of wood for urban household consumption. Promote propaganda and encourage rural residents (delta, midland, mountainous regions) to intensify scattered tree planting to meet fuelwood and domestic timber needs instead of natural forest wood.

6. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries and provincial People's Committees to establish a project and direct the following tasks:

Inventory all types of forests nationwide, prioritizing the Central Highlands area to determine, classify, plan, and develop protection and cultivation schemes, especially protective and special-use forests. For extremely depleted areas with no economic value, replace them with industrial crops, particularly rubber.

Study crop and livestock groups suitable for the climate and soil conditions of mountainous regions, especially the Central Highlands, to arrange production for high economic efficiency. Plan and clearly define forest land and land converted to agriculture for rational and effective use.

Develop a plan to fundamentally reorganize state-owned forestry enterprises towards operating as public utility enterprises, mainly performing forest management, service, supply of materials, scientific and technological support, seedlings, forestry training, and extension services.

7. Assign the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:

To take the lead in coordinating with the Government Organizational Department and related agencies to study plans for reforming and improving the forest protection system. Strengthen centralized management at the central level regarding operations and direct guidance at the provincial level. Establish mechanisms for cooperation between forest rangers and military forces and legal protection agencies in the area; equip forest ranger forces with supporting tools and weapons to effectively perform inspection and forest protection functions.

Guide, urge, and inspect the vigorous implementation of land allocation and forest assignment to households.

Study and propose to the Government to issue benefit distribution mechanisms for land allocation and forest assignment to households, so that when receiving land and forests, households sign agreements committing to forest protection and care responsibilities while enjoying a reasonable share of the value of forest products when harvesting. Publicly announce and democratically discuss with the people about the content of land and forest allocation, responsibilities, and benefits to ensure households are confident in accepting land and forests and truly becoming forest owners.

Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and provincial People's Committees to develop recruitment plans for selective labor through defense units to plant and protect forests in sparsely populated areas. Plan for these workers to settle permanently and be closely tied to the forests.

8. The Ministers of the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Planning and Investment, Finance, National Defense, Home Affairs, Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall, within their respective functions, develop plans to implement and direct provincial People's Committees to carry out the contents of this directive, and report to the Prime Minister./.

PRIME MINISTER

(Signed)


Vo Van Kiet