Decision No. 78/2002/QĐ-BNN Issuing Technical Regulations for Monitoring Forest and Timberland Conditions in the Forest Protection Force

Pursuant to …;

Issuing Technical Regulations on Monitoring Forest Conditions and Timber Land in the Forest Protection Force 

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to Decree No. 73/CP dated November 1, 1995 of the Government regarding functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Ministry Pursuant to Directive No. 32/2000/CT-BNN-KL dated March 27, 2002 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on entrusting the forest protection force with organizing monitoring of forest conditions and timber land nationwide; Upon consideration of the proposal of the Director of the Ministry’s Office,

At the proposal of the Director of the Forest Protection Department, Ministry of Science and Technology Now hereby promulgates this Decision the Technical Regulations on Monitoring Forest Conditions and Timber Land in the Forest Protection Force.

The Heads of the Ministry's Office, Heads of Departments, Institutes, Directors of Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chiefs of Provincial Forest Protection Services under central cities and related units are responsible for implementing this Decision./.

DECISION:

Article 1. DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Article 2. This Decision takes effect fifteen days after the date of signature.

Article 3. Nguyen Van Dang

 

These regulations stipulate basic contents; technical solutions; organization of implementation and reporting systems for monitoring forest conditions and timber land in the forest protection force.

The purpose of monitoring forest conditions and timber land is: To annually grasp the areas of various types of forests and timber land currently existing; changes in the areas of various types of forests and lands planned for forestry production within territorial boundaries to assist in formulating forestry policies at local and central levels to serve the tasks of protecting and developing forests.

of the Minister B||| the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development)

 

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.Principles for monitoring forest conditions and timber land are as follows:

Article 21. Updating the areas of various types of forests and timber land based on the classification of forests and forest land according to the Forest Business Design Technical Regulations QPN 6-84 issued together with Decision No. 682/BLLKT dated August 1, 1984 of the Minister of Forestry (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development); initial base data are the results of the forest inventory published in Decision No. 03/2001/QĐ-TTg dated January 5, 2001 of the Prime Minister approving the results of the national comprehensive forest inventory (hereinafter referred to collectively as Decision No. 08/2001/QĐ-TTg).

Article 32. The basic unit for monitoring and updating is the status plot. Statistical units are sections, sub-districts, communes, districts, provinces, and the entire country.

3. Monitoring of forest conditions and timber land is organized on-site based on the application of database processing software, map processing technology, and remote sensing image processing technology which must be uniformly managed and used throughout the country.

Investing in equipment and computer network systems serving the monitoring of forest conditions and timber land from the Forest Protection Department down to the district level connected with existing Forest Protection Stations.

Training technical staff at all levels to monitor forest conditions and timber land, especially grassroots forest rangers, to have sufficient professional knowledge and skills and mastery of information technology to manage database on computers and monitor forest conditions and timber land in the field.

Article 4Using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to process maps on computers and apply remote sensing technology to check, correct forest species, forest land, and determine boundaries up to forest plots.

Article 5.Results of monitoring forest conditions and timber land are published annually, including:

Article 6. 1. Current status maps of forests:

, Clause 1, Clause 2 Article 7a of this Regulation.a) Commune level: Maps at a scale of 1/25,000 or 1/10,000,

b) District level: Maps at a scale of 1/50,000 (town districts use maps at a scale of 1/25,000),

c) Provincial level: Maps at a scale of 1/100,000,

d) National level: Maps at a scale of 1/1,000,000.

2. Summary tables of areas of various types of land and forests by forest management units (sub-districts), administrative units (communes, districts, provinces, and the entire country):

Table 1. Area of forests and timber land by type of forest.

Table 2. Area of forests and timber land by function of forest use.

Table 3. Area of forests and timber land by managing authority.

Table 4. Area of planted forests by tree species and age class.

Table 5. Changes in area of forests and timber land by causes.

The above data on the dynamics of forests and timber land are stored on specialized computer networks.

CONTENTS AND TECHNICAL PROVISIONS

The original database for monitoring the dynamics of forests and timber land includes data and results of the forest inventory published in Decision No. 3/2001/QĐ-TTg.

 

PART II

1. Digitizing the standard topographic map with commune administrative boundary lines according to Directive No. 364/CT dated November 6, 1991 of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now the Prime Minister) on resolving land disputes related to administrative boundaries between provinces, districts, and communes.

Article 82. Digitizing the inventory result maps at various administrative levels (communes, districts, provinces) from inventory documentation, particularly Form 02 for calculating areas.

3. Creating an original database corresponding to the end point of the inventory to monitor the annual dynamics of forests and timber land. The database manages both maps and data simultaneously.

The forest protection force regularly collects information on changes in forest and timber land areas in the field; updates changes in forests and timber land, including both data and maps, into the database.

Updating the dynamics of forests and timber land is carried out by delineating on maps to meet both levels:

Article 91. Level 1: Plots larger than or equal to 0.5 hectares (corresponding to 0.5 cm on a 1/10,000 scale map) are delineated on the map.

2. Level 2: Plots smaller than 0.5 hectares or scattered trees only require recording data on update forms without necessarily delineating on the map.

In cases where a plot has multiple statuses and cannot be separated into individual statuses for delineation on the map, it is accepted that the plot has multiple statuses and must calculate the area and determine corresponding attributes such as the managing authority, three types of forests for each separate status.²Plot delineation methods: Using opposite slope plot delineation, linear plot delineation, measurement-based plot delineation, and GPS-based plot delineation. The details of these methods are specified in the Technical Procedures for Monitoring Forest Dynamics and Timber Land.

2. Level 2: For plots smaller than 0.5 hectares or scattered trees, it is only necessary to record data on the update form without necessarily delineating on the map.

Inthe case of a plot having multiple statuses and being unable to separate eachdistinct status for delineation on the map, the plot with multiple statuses willbe accepted and the area must be calculated, along with determining thecorresponding attributes such as the type of management authority, the threecategories of forest for each distinct status.

Plotdelineation methods: Use the opposite slope plot delineation method, the linemethod, the measurement method, and the GPS positioning machine method. Thecontents of these methods are specified in detail in the Technical Procedure forMonitoring Forest and Timber Land Use Changes.

Article 10.The Forest Protection Division shall regularly compile and report to the Provincial People's Committee for publication the current status data on forests and forestry lands at the local level; the Forest Protection Department shall advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to publish the current status data on forests and forestry lands nationwide.

Article 11.Types and scales of maps.

1.Use topographic maps with the same scale and projection as the current forest status maps; commune scale 1/25,000 or 1/10,000, district scale 1/50,000 and provincial scale 1/100,000.

2.Maps used for delineating changes in forests and forestry lands outside the field must have a minimum scale of 1/10,000.

Article 12:The current forest status map shall include the following contents:

1.Contour lines,

2.Rivers, lakes, seas,

3.Water systems,

4.Roads,

5.Population points,

6.Objects such as industry, agriculture, cultural and social facilities like forest farms, factories, power transmission lines...,

7.Administrative boundaries of provinces, districts, communes,

8.Boundaries of three types of forests and sub-district boundaries,

9.Current status of forests and forestry lands.

Maps must show the scale bar and conventional direction (North).

Article 13:Classification of forests and forestry lands as follows:

1.Forested land.

1.1.Natural forests:

Timber forests,

Coniferous forests,

Bamboo and rattan forests,

Mixed forests of timber and bamboo and rattan,

Forests on flooded land (mangrove and saline forests),

Rocky mountain forests.

1.2.Planted forests, classified according to species and age class:

Forests with standing volume,

Forests without standing volume,

Bamboo and rattan forests,

Special product forests.

2.Unforested land: vacant land capable of being managed for forestry such as states Ia, Ib, and Ic.

3.Other land, which does not belong to the above categories such as agricultural land, lakes, rivers, streams, roads...

Article 14.Monitor and update changes in forests and forestry lands due to the following causes:

1.Forest planting,

2.Forest harvesting,

3.Forest fires,

4.Forest pests and diseases,

5.Clearing forests for shifting cultivation,

6.Change of land use purpose,

7.Increase or decrease in forests due to enclosure protection or natural regeneration,

8.Changes due to other causes.

Article 15.Monitor and update changes in forests and forestry lands according to management entities:

1.State-owned enterprises (forest farms, agro-forestry farms,...),

2.Specialized Forest Management Board,

3.Protective Forest Management Board,

4.Joint ventures,

5.Family households, individuals,

6.Cooperatives,

7.Military forces,

8.District People's Committees (for areas of forests and forestry lands that have not been assigned, contracted, or leased),

9.Other management entities.

Article 16:Monitor and update changes in forest area and forestry land according to functions: protective forests, specialized forests, and production forests.

Article 17:Technical procedures; software applications and database creation; map processing technology and remote sensing image processing technology for monitoring forest and forestry land changes throughout the forest protection force shall be issued by the Forest Protection Department.

 

CHAPTER III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 18:The Forest Protection Division has the responsibility:

1.To take the lead in organizing the monitoring of forest and forestry land changes throughout the province.

2.To direct and provide professional guidance to Forest Protection Stations, forest protection officers responsible for commune areas, and forest owners to organize the collection of information on external changes; update information into the database.

3.To collect data and current forest status maps from Forest Protection Stations and forest owners to build the provincial database.

4.To advise the Provincial People's Committee to publish the previous year's forest status of the locality and send the results report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development before March 31 each year.

Article 19. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has the responsibility:

1.To coordinate with the Forest Protection Division to implement the monitoring of forest and forestry land changes.

For provinces without a forest protection organization, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall organize the implementation of this work.

2.To provide the Forest Protection Division with data and maps on annual forest plantation design, forest harvesting design, and shifting cultivation production zones.

Article 20:The Forest Protection Station has the responsibility:

1.To take the lead in implementing the monitoring of forest and forestry land changes within its jurisdiction.

2.To organize the collection of information on external changes, update forest status data and maps into the county-level database according to the professional guidance of the Forest Protection Division.

Article 21:The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has the responsibility:

1.To coordinate with the Forest Protection Station to monitor forest and forestry land changes.

2.To provide the Forest Protection Station with data and maps on annual forest plantation design, forest harvesting design, and shifting cultivation production zones within its jurisdiction.

Article 22:Forest owners have the responsibility:

1.To organize the monitoring of forest and forestry land changes on assigned areas according to the guidance of the Forest Protection Division or the Forest Protection Station.

2.To report forest status data and maps according to the guidance of the Forest Protection Division or the Forest Protection Station.

Article 23:The Forest Protection Department has the responsibility:

a)To coordinate with the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute to guide the implementation of these regulations.

b)Before June 30 each year, to advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to publish the previous year's forest status data nationwide./.