Circular No. 87/2009/TT-BNNPTNT guiding the design for selective logging of natural forest timber

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for the Design of Selective Logging in Natural Forests

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Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2009/NĐ-CP dated September 10, 2009 of the Government amending Article 3 of Decree No. 01/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to the Law on Protection and Development of Forests;

Pursuant to Decision No. 186/2006/QĐ-TTg dated August 14, 2006 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Forest Management Regulations;

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hereby issues guidelines for the design of selective logging in natural forests as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. Scope of Application: This Circular stipulates the contents and procedures for designing and submitting the design documentation for selective logging of natural forest timber in production forests and protective forests throughout the country.

2. Applicability: Forestry farms, forestry companies, management boards of protective forests, forestry business enterprises, households, individuals, and village communities granted forests by the State (collectively referred to as forest owners) who primarily log natural forest timber; units with the function of designing logging and state management agencies in forestry at central and local levels.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

1. Timber Trunk: Is the section of wood from the cut stump to the cut height below the branch that meets the standard for round timber. The unit of measurement is cubic meters (abbreviated as m3).

2. Branch and Top Timber: Is the wood from branches and the top portion above the cut height below the branch that meets the standard for round timber. The unit of measurement is m3.

3. Firewood: Is the remaining part of the tree. The unit of measurement is m3.

4. Logging Intensity: Is the percentage (abbreviated as %) of the volume of felled trees in the plot compared to the total volume of the forest plot.

5. Class A Tree: Is a straight and beautiful tree with long sections of trunk.

6. Class B Tree: Is a tree with defects but still usable for 50 ÷ 70% of the volume of the trunk.

7. Class C Tree: Is a crooked, diseased, or stunted tree, hollow inside, only usable for less than 50% of the volume of the trunk.

Mother Tree: Are well-grown trees with commercial value selected to remain for natural regeneration in the forest area after logging.

Protective Tree: Are trees selected to remain for purposes of protection, soil conservation, water sources, erosion control, wildlife habitat during breeding seasons, and preservation of rare plant species' genetic resources at risk of extinction.

Retained Tree: Are commercially valuable trees capable of natural regeneration; commercially valuable trees not yet reaching the diameter for logging or have reached the logging diameter but must be retained for the next logging cycle.

Exclusion Area: Is the forest area not subject to logging with protective functions along rivers and streams, for soil conservation, erosion control, and protection of cultural, historical, and religious sites.

Restricted Logging: Is logging not exceeding 20% of the volume or 30% of the number of individuals of a species in the logging plot.

Pile-up Site: Is the location where forest products are concentrated within the logging area, serving as a transition point between the extraction phase and transportation phase, typically located at the intersection of the extraction road and the transport road.

Annual Logging Plot: Is the sub-area already planned in the forest regulation plan or sustainable forest management plan or approved logging plan by the competent authority.

Annual Logging Area: Is the actual logging area (excluding excluded areas) and may exceed the determined area by up to 20%, but the total over five years shall not exceed the determined logging area for the five-year period.

Article 3. Basis for exploitation design

1. Place name, area, annual production volume planned in the forest management plan or sustainable forest management plan or forest exploitation plan approved by the competent authority (hereinafter referred to as the plan).

2. Annual wood exploitation plan assigned by the competent authority.

Article 4. Design unit, responsibilities of the design unit

1. Units permitted to design exploitation

a) Central or local organizations with functions of forestry investigation, design, and planning;

b) Professional schools: universities, colleges, secondary vocational schools, technical forestry workers of central or local authorities with functions of forest exploitation design;

c) Forest owners are organizations with forestry design functions licensed by the competent authority with a Business Registration Certificate.

2. Responsibilities of the exploitation design unit

a) Organize exploitation design in accordance with the contents stipulated in this circular;

b) Manage and use the felling quota during the organization's exploitation design period according to the regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

c) The head of the exploitation design unit shall be responsible under the law and the immediate superior agency for the accuracy and quality of the exploitation design dossier prepared by their unit.

Article 5. Exploitation intensity

1. Exploitation intensity, excluding waste trees and broken trees, is a maximum of 35% for production forests and 20% for protective forests.

2. The above exploitation intensity is determined for areas with a slope of 15 degrees or less (abbreviated as 0). For production forests, for slopes over 15 degrees, every increase of 20 degrees reduces the exploitation intensity by 1%. For protective forests, for slopes over 15 degrees, every increase of 10 degrees reduces the exploitation intensity by 1%.

Article 6. Ratio of standing tree utilization

Depending on the species characteristics, terrain conditions, transport distance, consumption capacity, the utilization ratio is specified as follows:

a) Utilization ratio of trunk wood at 55% or more;

b) Utilization ratio of branch and top wood at 5% or more;

c) Utilization ratio of firewood at 5% or more.

Chapter II

FOREIGN FIELD DESIGN

Step 10. Product delivery.

1. Collect the approved plans, maps of three types of forest zoning, and related documents for the exploitation design area.

2. Topographic map with VN 2000 coordinate system at a scale of 1/10,000 or 1/25,000; transfer the boundaries and plot numbers from the cadastral map to the topographic map with VN 2000 coordinate system at a scale of 1/5,000 or 1/10,000.

3. Prepare technical equipment: GPS positioning device, handheld compass, tripod compass, measuring tape, clinometer, height gauge; office supplies: graph paper, pencil, eraser, ruler, various field survey forms; labor protection gear.

4. Develop a detailed schedule, prepare resources, number of participants, assign responsibilities, and unify training on technical methods for exploitation design.

Article 8. Determining the exploitation area and dividing plots.

1. Based on the place name planned in the plan, determine the location and boundary of the exploitation design area on-site. The exploitation area boundary extends 1.0 meter wide and marks an asterisk (x) at a position 1.3 meters up the tree trunk.

2. Based on the type of forest and terrain, proceed to divide the exploitation plots. The smallest plot area is 1.0 hectare (abbreviated as ha), and the largest does not exceed 15 ha. Plot names are indicated by lowercase Vietnamese letters (a, b, c, ...) and recorded according to the principle from north to south, west to east within the plot. The plot boundary, plot boundary (within the exploitation area), and small plot boundary extend from 0.5 to 1.0 meters wide and mark positions 1.3 meters up the tree trunk according to the following rules: plot boundary marked with one horizontal line, plot boundary marked with two parallel horizontal lines, small plot boundary marked with three parallel horizontal lines.

Article 9. Determining the location of the logging plot, measuring and marking boundaries

1. Equipment used: Determining coordinates with a GPS positioning device; measuring length with a three-legged transit and bamboo pole, or with a GPS positioning device, or with a tape measure and transit.

2. Measuring length: Conduct perimeter measurement of large units first, then small units to establish control lines.

3. Setting temporary boundary stakes: At the intersection points of logging plots, where logging plots intersect with compartments, sub-compartments, or the boundary of the logging area, set temporary boundary stakes made of wood. The stake dimensions are 100cm in length, with a diameter of 10÷15cm, buried 40÷50cm deep into the ground. On the stakes, mark the symbols for sub-compartment name, compartment, logging plot, and designed logging plot area.

Article 10. Surveying forest resources of the logging plot

If the plan is based on data from the initial survey of the area and volume of all forest land for the first five-year period, there is no need to survey the forest resources of the logging plot. However, if the plan is based on data that inherits current status and volume data from at least five years ago, the forest resources of the logging plot must be surveyed as follows:

1. For all designed logging plots, after dividing the plots and determining their areas, conduct a forest resource survey on standard plots of 500m2 (20 x 25m) using systematic sampling method.

2. The maximum sampling rate is 2% of the logging plot area. Standard plots are independently arranged for each logging plot. For logging plots smaller than 5.0 hectares, at least three standard plots must be established.

3. The number of standard plots is calculated according to the formula: N = S x sampling rate / 500m2 (where N is the number of standard plots, and S is the logging plot area in square meters).

4. Content of measurement and counting within the standard plot.

a) Measure the diameter at breast height (DBH) of all trees in the standard plot at the 1.3m position. The measuring tool is a caliper or tape measure. Diameter measurement starts from 8cm, in increments of 4cm. Identify tree species and quality into three grades: Grade A (good), Grade B (medium), Grade C (poor).

b) Measure top height. In each standard plot within a logging plot, measure the top height of at least 30 trees at different diameter classes. The measuring tool for height is a Blumleiss stick. The unit of measurement is meters (abbreviated as m), rounded to 0.5m.

c) Determine canopy density in the 500m2 standard plot using photogrammetry method.

Article 11. Determining Exclusion Areas

Protection zones for rivers and streams (exclusion areas) are defined as follows:

Class 1 rivers and streams (width over 20m): protection zone width of 30m on each side;

Class 2 rivers and streams (width from 10÷20m): protection zone width of 20m on each side;

Class 3 rivers and streams (width from 5÷10m): protection zone width of 10m on each side.

During the felling process, exclusion area areas must be marked. Trees shall not be felled within the river and stream protection zones.

Article 12. Determining Retained Trees and Protected Trees

1. Retained trees are mother trees prioritized for seed production, with a retention rate of 3-4 mother trees per hectare.

2. Protected trees are rare and valuable species listed in the Red Book, local people's medicinal plants, resin-producing trees, and those providing habitat for animals, trees growing on steep slopes prone to erosion, rock slides, and landslides, and scattered timber trees.

3. Retained trees and protected trees should be distributed relatively evenly across the logging area to make full use of sunlight and nutrient space, and they should be of Grades A and B quality.

Article 13. Determination of Harvestable Trees

Trees in exclusion zones shall not be harvested. Trees belonging to Group IA shall not be harvested, while harvesting of trees in Group IIA shall be restricted according to the Government's regulations on managing endangered and precious forest plants with high conservation value. Harvestable trees must be distributed relatively evenly across the plot area. Harvestable trees include:

1. Main harvestable trees: determined from the tree with the largest diameter downwards until the permissible harvesting intensity is reached.

2. Utilization harvestable trees:

a) Sanitation harvestable trees: these are harmful trees, trees that suppress, control, strangle other timber trees, and trees with broken tops, crooked trunks, diseases, and non-purpose trees that negatively affect regeneration.

b) Harvestable trees on production service facilities such as transport roads, export roads, wood storage areas, campsites...

Article 14. Marking and Measuring Harvestable Trees

1. Principles for marking harvestable trees:

a) Implement strip marking, dividing the entire harvesting plot into parallel strips, each strip having a uniform distance of 50m apart, designed parallel to contour lines.

b) For production forests, the minimum distance between marked harvestable trees is 7m; for protective forests, the minimum distance is 10m. If two trees are less than 2m apart, both can be marked for harvesting.

2. Tools for measuring and marking harvestable trees: measure diameter using calipers or tape measures, mark trees for harvesting using felling markers.

3. Techniques for measuring and marking harvestable trees

a) Diameter measurement: at the D1,3m position, use calipers to measure two perpendicular directions and take the average, or use a tape measure to measure the circumference of the tree trunk.

b) Marking main harvestable trees: place three marks, two opposite each other at a height of D1,3m (for flared trees, marking can be done at a convenient location for inspection and acceptance work), one mark at the base below the cutting line about 1/3 of the stump diameter above ground level, and record the tree number marked for each plot. Encourage the creation of a diagram for marking harvestable trees (each strip is divided into a grid of 50x50m squares, within each square all marked harvestable trees are positioned).

c) Marking utilization harvestable trees: place two marks, one above D1,3m and one at the base below the cutting line about 1/3 of the stump diameter above ground level.

d) Before hammering the felling marker, cut off all diseased bark into the wood by about 0.5cm wide, 10cm long, 20cm deep, and clearly hammer a mark in a consistent direction within the harvesting area.

Article 15. Design of Pile-up Areas

1. Pile-up areas must be located outside exclusion zones, placed where multiple transport routes converge and ensure the most reasonable transport distances. Pile-up areas must facilitate safe transportation, preservation, loading, and transportation of forest products. Construction costs for pile-up areas should be minimized, and earthwork for pile-up areas should be limited. Utilize vacant areas in the forest for pile-up areas, and limit deforestation for pile-up areas.

2. Pile-up areas must be situated at the junction of transport and movement routes. The area of the pile-up site must ensure sufficient space to store up to 70% of the forest product yield of one plot or group of plots during the waiting period for transportation (on average, 1m3 of wood requires approximately 4m2 of pile-up area). The size of the pile-up area depends on the harvesting, transport, and movement schedule but should not exceed 1,000m2.

3. Pile-up areas must be shown on maps, marked in the field, and recorded in the harvesting design documentation.

Article 16. Design of Logging Roads

1. Principles: Depending on topography, volume and size of harvested timber, technical equipment capacity to select appropriate plans and types of logging transportation that achieve high economic efficiency while minimizing negative impacts on soil erosion, regenerating trees, retained trees, and meeting the following requirements:

a) Logging roads may only be opened outside the boundaries defined for exclusion zones;

b) Prioritize building main roads along decommissioned routes to minimize environmental impact;

c) Route the logging road at an angle between 300 and 400 with contour lines;

d) Minimize the number of structures crossing waterways (bridges, culverts) and limit the cutting across water flows. In cases where it is necessary to cut across water flows, choose locations where the stream banks have a slope less than 100 and the stream bed is stable, with the intersection point perpendicular to the flow direction.

e) The logging road route must not pass through areas frequently flooded and with unstable ground such as ravines, swamps; it should not obstruct water flow and cause water accumulation within the harvesting area.

2. The width of the road base and suitable spacing for various types of logging roads are specified as follows:

3. The logging road system must be reflected on maps, marked in the field, and recorded in the design documentation and tables.

Article 17. Planning Transportation Roads

1. Based on existing roads, abandoned unused roads, and trails, plan transportation routes to reduce costs and minimize environmental impacts, water sources, and soil erosion.

2. According to the type of transportation equipment, plan an appropriate transportation network to ensure maximum economic efficiency, based on extending reasonable transportation routes, shortening transportation distances, and meeting the following requirements:

a) The transportation route must always ensure safety for people, livestock, machinery, and equipment during wood transportation and use;

b) It shall not cause harm to exclusion zones and water source protection areas;

c) The route must have the smallest amount of excavation and embankment work, construction costs, and related structures;

d) The transportation road must meet the minimum technical standards for forestry vehicle roads: Road base width from 4.5 to 5.0 meters, curve radius from 10 to 15 meters;

3. The planned transportation road system must be reflected on maps, marked in the field, and recorded in the exploitation design documentation.

4. The design of transportation roads shall be carried out by consulting firms specializing in bridge and road design.

Article 18. Determining the Location of Camps and Transfer Sites

1. Camps: The camp location should be arranged in the center of the harvesting area, adjacent to logging and transportation roads, near clean water sources, on flat land in open spaces within the forest. Do not build camps under large trees, in low-lying areas prone to flash floods and landslides. The size of the camp area depends on the volume and area of the harvesting zone, the number of people involved in harvesting, and the quantity of materials and vehicles serving the harvesting operation. The camp includes main facilities such as living quarters, cooking areas, storage for materials and vehicles, and sanitation facilities.

2. Transfer sites: Should be located conveniently for transportation and inspection by forest rangers.

3. The location of camps and transfer sites must be shown on maps, marked in the field, and recorded in the exploitation design documentation.

Chapter III

INTERNAL CALCULATIONS AND DOCUMENTATION PREPARATION

Article 19. Calculation of area, stock volume, and production volume

1. Calculation of area

The area is calculated from digital maps using specialized software (Mapinfor, Arcgis, Arcview...) or by calculating the area from maps using a grid of squares.

2. Calculation of forest stock volume, exploitable timber stock volume

a) Where there is a table: use the volume table in the forest survey and planning handbook to calculate the forest stock volume, exploitable timber stock volume;

b) Where there is no table: calculate the forest stock volume, exploitable timber stock volume using the formula V = G.H.F (F factor from 0.45 to 0.50). Based on specific local conditions, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall specify the F factor for application.

3. Calculation of wood and firewood yield

a) Where there are research results on the utilization rate of wood and firewood: multiply the exploitable timber stock volume by the locally determined utilization rate of wood and firewood;

b) Where there are no research results on the utilization rate of wood and firewood: multiply the exploitable timber stock volume by the utilization rate of wood and firewood specified in this circular.

Article 20. Construction of comprehensive design exploitation tables

1. Table 1: Resource table and forestry indicators;

2. Table 2: Exploitation product table;

a) Table 2a. Exploitation product table by tree species (Table 2a1. Large timber; Table 2a2. Utilizable timber; Table 2a3. Branches and tops...);

b) Table 2b. Exploitation product table by wood group, grade, and hardness (Table 2b1. Large timber; Table 2b2. Utilizable timber; Table 2b3. Branches and tops...);

3. Table 3: Production facility table;

4. Table 4: Economic and technical indicator application table;

5. Table 5: Investment cost calculation table (Table 5a. Large timber; Table 5b. Utilizable timber; Table 5c. Branches and tops...);

6. Table 6: Production cost calculation table (Table 6a. Large timber; Table 6b. Utilizable timber; Table 6c. Branches and tops...).

The form of the table for various products shall be prescribed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to suit the actual situation of the locality.

Article 21. Construction of exploitation design map

1. Construction of exploitation design map at a scale of 1/5,000 or 1/10,000, requiring the final map to show the following elements:

a) Natural elements: contour lines, rivers, streams, roads;

b) Name and boundaries of small compartments, plots; status; area; forest stock volume, exploitable timber production volume;

c) Production service facilities: planned transport routes, wood storage areas, transport routes, campsites;

d) Social elements: villages, water dams, irrigation, hydropower (if any).

2. On each sheet of the final map, there must be a location diagram, legend, two spaces for the design unit and the forest owner to sign and stamp.

Article 22. Write the exploitation design description

Based on collected data and calculations, synthesize, analyze, and write the exploitation design description.

The description must be complete, clear, concise. The description only mentions general points, while specific indicators are shown in the comprehensive tables.

Article 23. Exploitation design dossier

The exploitation design dossier is prepared in five copies including:

1. Exploitation design description accompanied by exploitation tables;

2. Exploitation design map;

3. Main felling plan diagram (if any).

Chapter IV

REVIEW, APPROVAL OF DOSSIER, HANDOVER OF SITE AND DESIGN EXPLOITATION RESULTS

Article 24. Review of exploitation design

1. Reviewing unit: The reviewing unit must have the function of forestry design recognized by competent authority and must be independent from the designing unit (the designing unit cannot review its own work).

2. Content of review: External and internal review and the results of the exploitation design dossier prepared by the designing unit, including: place name, area, forest stock volume, exploitable timber volume, transport route, planned transport route, wood storage area, campsite and the results of the exploitation design dossier.

3. Quantity of review:

a) For less than 5 lots designed, randomly select 1 lot for review;

b) For 5-10 lots designed, randomly select 2 lots for review;

c) For 11-20 lots designed, randomly select 3 lots for review;

d) For more than 20 lots designed, randomly select 4 lots for review.

4. Error between design and review:

a) Acceptable error for area: ±5%;

b) Acceptable error for forest stock volume, exploitable timber stock volume: ±10%.

Article 25. Approval of the exploitation design dossier

Based on the review results, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall approve the exploitation design dossier for forest owners who are organizations; the People's Committee of the district shall approve the exploitation design dossier for forest owners who are households.

Article 26. Transfer of the exploitation site and design outcomes

After the exploitation design dossier has been approved by the competent authority, the design unit shall be responsible for transferring the exploitation site and design outcomes to the forest owner, including:

1. Transfer of the exploitation design site: boundaries, area, markers, exclusion zones not to be exploited, production service facilities.

2. Transfer of design outcomes: Explanation of the exploitation design dossier, summary tables, exploitation design map, harvesting tree list, harvesting tree layout diagram (if available).

3. Prepare a handover record for the exploitation site and design outcomes.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 27. Implementation Provisions

1\. This Circular takes effect forty-five days from the date of issuance.

All previous regulations concerning the design of natural forest wood exploitation that conflict with the provisions of this circular are hereby abolished.

2. During implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, localities, organizations, and individuals are requested to promptly report and reflect them to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for consideration, revision, and supplementation./.