FLEGT Project Planning Workshop

On 22 and 23 of March 2016 at Hue City, the FLEGT Project in the Central Region in collaboration with Centre for Rural Development in Central Vietnam (CRD) and Consultative and Research Center on Natural Resources Management (CORENARM) hold a workshop to summarize the project activities in Year 2 and to plan for Year 3.

More than 50 participants attending the workshop

The workshop attracted 50 representatives from Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, ICCO Cooperation – the Netherlands, organization members of VNGO – FLEGT Network, civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), wood processing enterprises, and officials and agencies working in forestry sector in 04 provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam.

Mr. Truong Quang Hoang, Director of CRD, gave the workshop opening speech

At the workshop, Mr. Truong Si Hoai Nhan, Manager of FLEGT Project in Central Region, presented the activities and achievements of the project from April 2014 to March 2016, serving as basic information for the participants to propose activities for Year 3 of the project.

The on-going negotiations between EU and Vietnam on VPA-FLEGT were updated by Mr. Duong Quoc Hung – Expert on VPA – FLEGT from Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam presented at the workshop. As revealed by Mr. Hung, the two parties were holding high-level meetings and the negotiations were expected to be concluded by the end of 2016. In addition, the role of CSOs in the VPA – FLEGT negotiation process was also made clear to participants via the presentation by Ms Vu Thi Bich Hop, the representative of VNGO-FLEGT Network.

Mr. Truong Si Hoai Nhan presenting the activities and achievements of the project in Year 1 & 2

Besides the updates on VPA-FLEGT, many experience and lesson learnt were also shared at the workshop via the presentations on building model of effective community-based forest management by Mr. Ngo Tri Dung, Director of CORENAM; building model of wood processing enterprises in compliance with Timber Legal Assurance System (TLAS) by Mr. Truong Quang Hoang, Director of CRD; and evaluation of initial results of Behavior Change Communication and education on VPA-FLEGT of FLEGT Project in Central Region by Ms. Dang Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of Capacity Development Center for Environment and Natural Resources.

Mr. Truong Quang Hoang, Director of CRD introducing the model of wood processing enterprises

The participants asking questions after the presentations A heated discussion.

In order to have a comprehensive view and inputs for comments on the planning for Year 3 of the project, on March 23, the project held field trip to visit the model of effective community-based forest management in Tan Hoi Village, Hong Bac Commune, A Luoi Disrict, Thua Thien Hue Province, and model of wood processing enterprises in compliance with Timber Legal Assurance System in VPA-FLEGT process in Ai Tu Town, Trieu Phong District, Quang Tri Province; which clearly reflected the positive impacts of FLEGT Project to the communities and enterprises.

The participants visiting the livelihood model in Tan Hoi Village were impressed by the activities the project had implemented in the area and suggested that more livelihood developing activities be developed in order to improve the income of the people.

The model of wood processing enterprises, despite only being deployed since 2015, has changed the awareness and attitude of the people towards ensuring legal origin of timber via communication and facilitating activities. Thanks to the trip, relationships among representatives from local management agencies, officials working in forestry sector and forest growing communities have been established in order to form a legal timber value chain, serving as a basis for the formulation of market connecting activities in Year 3.

Tham quan mô hình doanh nghiệp chế biến gỗ hợp pháp trong tiến trình VPA - FLEGT ở Ái Tử, Triệu Phong, Quảng Trị

Visiting model of effective community-based forest management in Tan Hoi Village

After the 02-day workshop, the Project has collected various valuable comments and recommendations for the Work Plan in Year 3 (4/2016 – 4/2017) with a lot of activities close to the needs and expectations of the stakeholders, making way to get ready for global integration towards sustainable forest management and protection, and reduction of legal timber exploitation and utilization in compliance with the EU Action Plan on FLEGT.

Group discussion