To improve and enhance the capacity of forest dependent communities, FLEGT Project – Central Region in collaboration with Consultative and Research Centre for Natural Resource Management (CORENARM) and Forest Protection Department (FPD) of Thua Thien Hue Province built 01 pilot “Model for community based sustainable forest Management – SFM” in Hong Bac commune, A Luoi District – Thua Thien Hue Province.
One of the European Union (EU)’s strategies which launched in FLEGT program is to improve livelihoods of forest dependent communities and reduce illegal logging, and improve forest management efficiency in localities as well. However, the current status of forest governance in Vietnam, especially in the Central region is very limited, local people lack techniques and strategies to build and develop economy from forest resource and forest land.
On January 8, 2014, under the support of Hong Bac commune’s local government and Forest Protection Unit of A Luoi district, FLEGT Project – Central Region in collaboration with CORENARM deployed a Planning Workshop “Building Model for Community-based Sustainable Forest Management” to support community biulding a plan for forest management protection, operation regulations and livelihoods development based on forest resources with participation of more than 15 key members of two forest dependent communities in Tan Hoi hamlet, Hong Bac commune.
Forest management communities in Tan Hoi hamlet, Hong Bac commune are 100% Paco ethnic minority people, their income primarily depends on forest and agricultural production. In 2011, A Luoi DPC, Hong Bac CPC and Forest Protection Unit (FPU) of A Luoi district allocated forest with an area of more 157ha to communities of Tan Hoi hamlet to manage and protect, however, they are mostly poor forest. The efforts of hamlet communities with commune government and FPU of A Luoi district, the groups established a management board with 29 households and divided into 02 groups to patrol and protect forest. According to a preliminary evaluation of FPU of A Luoi district, the communities of Tan Hoi hamlet have done well forest management and protection, members were aware of benefits from forest. To implement the activity of forest management and protection at localities effectively, it needs technical support, guidance, method of relevant functional agencies to help their forest protection patrol and livelihood development.
The objective of this activity aimed to: (1) Provide information about the rights, duties and responsibilities of forest dependent communities to solve the cases of invasion, forest logging under community management; (2) Provide information, basis to guide people plan, design and implement forest management and protection, build the regulations for forest management and protection, establish and build a fund of community forest protection and (3) Provide skills and knowledge about the forest protection, management, natural forest construction and enrichment; Support people in forest-based economic development through livelihoods activities such as (cultivation, animal husbandry, agroforestry).
PhD. Tran Nam Thang – Deputy Director of the CORENARM, introduced goals and significances of model building activity
Speaking at a meeting with the relevant agencies and local governments, PhD. Tran Nam Thang – Deputy Director, CORENARM introduced goals and significance of model building activity in phase 2014-2017 through contents: Unifying how to organize, implement and coordinate with the relevant authorities; Choosing the models according to criteria; Implementing field trips at local level; Surveying of socio-economic status to determine support needs; Building the regulations and operational plans of the model; Building plans for forest management and protection; Training activities and capacity building; Building community livelihood models; The sustainability of the model (PES, REDD +, Ecotourism, …) and sharing lessons learned about the effectiveness of community forest governance, … and plans for maintaining the livelihood activities after project closure.
Through the plan for sustainable management, Mr. Tran Dinh Thien – Vice heads of FPU of A Luoi district, introduced the goals, content, methods to support people setting annual and 5-years plan forest management and protection. He added it was necessary to reunify the allocated forest boundary via forest allocation maps, and divide them into lots depending on purpose of use of each area.
Mr. Tran Dinh Thien – Vice heads of FPU of A Luoi district, introduced the goals, content, methods to support people planning out annual forest management and protection and in 5 years.
Besides the purpose of improving the effectiveness of sustainable forest management and protection, FLEGT Project – Central Region has supported community developing their livelihoods through building the funds for forest protection and development. To manage the funds effectively, sustainably and support the livelihood development for community, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang – CORENARM, introduced the methods to build the management regulations, use the funds and other relevant conventions in the community and how to use the funds appropriately.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang – CORENARM, introduced the methods to build the management regulations and use the funds
In the end of the work day, 02 community groups had built up the annual and 5-years plans for forest management and protection, and the regulations of management and use the funds for forest development and protection. The commune and district governments would approve the plans and regulations before deploying next activities of the model in coming time.
FLEGT
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