Many difficulties in forest certification

Implementing the policy of the Government, in recent years, Yen Bai province has issued many decisions related to the content of sustainable forestry development. Accordingly, the locality has decided to allow a number of businesses to develop sustainable forest management plans and issue forest certificates in the districts of Yen Binh, Tran Yen, Luc Yen and Van Chan. 

Producing sustainable certified forests (FSCs) along the value chain is of great significance to farmers who are directly attached to the forest. Farmers have professional and sustainable access to the market. The value of wood is increased, increasing the income per unit area. 

The progress of forest certification has not yet reached the plan

Yen Binh is one of the localities with the fastest implementation and highest results in issuing FSC forest certification in Yen Bai province. Starting from 2021, up to now, the whole district has granted forest certificates for 10,786.1 ha/12,000 ha, reaching 89.9% of the plan. 

Currently, in Yen Binh district, there are 3 companies and cooperatives participating in this program, including: Hoa Phat Forestry Joint Stock Company with an area of more than 9,000 ha with 1,149 representative householders who have obtained FSC forest certificates in the communes of Dai Dong, Phu Thinh, Tan Huong, Thinh Hung, Yen Binh town, Bao Ai, Cam An, Tan Nguyen.

In addition, on the basis of an area of 3,437.37 ha, a dossier for issuance of FSC certificate in 2020 has been made in Xuan Long, Ngoc Chan, Cam Nhan, Yen Thanh, Vinh Kien, Han Da communes, Hoa Phat Forestry Joint Stock Company cooperated with FSC groups of communes and local rangers to review the entire area above to grant FSC forest certification in 2023.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dinh, Head of the Forest Protection Department, Deputy Head of the FSC Forest Certification Committee in Yen Binh district added: “In order for the forest certification program to be effective, we have strengthened information and propaganda on the State's mechanisms and policies on forestry. This is to raise people's awareness of the implementation of large timber afforestation, sustainable forest management and FSC certification. In addition, accessing and attracting domestic and foreign investment capital to invest in forest development in the area, in order to effectively use forest resources and forestry land, contribute to stable economic development, increase income, reduce hunger and reduce poverty for upland people. And more importantly, people living near the forest and doing forest work will be able to live and benefit from the forest”.

Tran Yen district is one of the localities that implemented the FSC forest certification program early in Yen Bai province, but so far it has not achieved the expected results. The district's goal by 2023 is to grant forest certification to reach 3,000 ha, but so far it has only reached more than 1,700 ha.

In 2020, the Tran Yen District Forest Protection Department coordinated with localities and An Viet Phat Forestry Cooperative to inspect, review and evaluate to grant forest certification in 4 communes Viet Cuong, Luong Thinh, Y Can, Quy Mong with the planned area: 2,000 ha. Through inspection and assessment, 1,731 ha of 464 households met the criteria. By 2022, An Viet Phat Forestry Cooperative has invited the international assessment organization SGS to organize a direct assessment and assessment of the forest area of 1,731 ha/464 forest owners. By 2022, An Viet Phat Forestry Cooperative has invited the international assessment organization SGS to organize a direct assessment and assessment of the forest area of 1,731 ha/464 forest owners. Thereby, the FSC forest certificate has been granted over an area of 1,730,3 ha.

Mr Do Van Hung, Head of the Tran Yen District Forest Protection Department said: “Since being granted the FSC certificate in the area of 4 communes: Viet Cuong; Quy Mong; Luong Thinh; Y Can, up to now, An Viet Phat Cooperative has not made any move to continue to coordinate, review and invite international assessment organizations to continue to assess and issue certificates for the remaining area. Although the Forest Protection Department, the District People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have repeatedly urged and reminded in writing and by phone directly to An Viet Phat Cooperative, the issue of sustainable forest management certificates (FSC) in the district is still slow and has not reached the progress.”

The FSC forest certification program in Yen Bai province is also implemented in Luc Yen and Van Chan districts. Overall, the plan has not been achieved so far. In Luc Yen district, there are 309.85 ha of 86 households who have obtained VFCS/PEFC forest certificates in 2021 in Trung Commune, which is implemented by Hoa Phat Forestry Joint Stock Company, reaching 15.5%. In the Van Chan district, only the steps of field investigation have been carried out, and the field survey has been completed, with a total planted forest area of 5,500 ha. For the internal work, the calculation of forest reserves has been completed for each tree species, age class; Synthesize information collected in communes...

Many difficulties in forest certification

The essence of forest certification is to better implement sustainable forest management. Having a large source of timber for export increases the economic value of the planted forest area. However, in practice, the implementation of forest certification faces many difficulties and obstacles. Specifically, the level of forest governance of forest owners in Vietnam in general and Yen Bai province, in particular, is very low compared to international sustainable forest management standards. Many forest owners are not fully aware of sustainable forest management associated with forest certification.

Most of the planted forest area of households and individuals is still small and fragmented, leading to low economic value when participating in FSC, people are not interested in participating in the development of sustainable forest management plans and forest certification. At the same time, achieving FSC certification requires a large investment, the cost of hiring experts to organize the assessment and issuance of FSC certificates on an annual basis is quite high, exceeding the ability of small-scale forest growers. Therefore, there is a need for investment and support from enterprises participating in forest certification, but some businesses are facing financial difficulties. 

Mr. Kieu Tu Giang, Director of Yen Bai Provincial Forest Protection Department added: “FSC is a forest certification process that has quite strict principles and criteria for forest management and exploitation. In which there are criteria that are problems that Yen Bai province has not yet solved, which are: Most of the forest area of households and individuals has not been granted land use right certificates, so the legality in terms of documents is not complete according to regulations. The forest area is still small, and fragmented, many types of trees are grown in one forest plot (acacia, cinnamon, bodhi,...), and many households register to participate in sustainable forest management and forest certification but arbitrarily exploit ahead of time, changing plant species...making it difficult to review and evaluate records (redo records, maps...), and incur additional costs during the implementation of forest certification.”

Given solutions

The forest certification program received close attention and direction from the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee of Yen Bai province. The content of sustainable forest management and forest certification has been included in the Resolution, and action programs, and is identified as an indicator of the socio-economic development of localities. 

From the beginning of 2023 until now, the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have had 2 working sessions with localities, businesses and related industries to accelerate progress and solve difficulties and obstacles in the process of forest certification. 

In the coming time, Yen Bai province directs districts that have been implementing programs to coordinate with businesses in implementing forest certification and review the area of planted forests in the eligible areas to introduce to enterprises to implement forest certification. In addition, promoting propaganda and guidance on sustainable forest management and forest certification to households and individuals in the area. 

For businesses that are doing such as Hoa Phat Forestry Joint Stock Company, Thuan Nhien Forestry Cooperative, and Hoang Gia Yen Bai Co., Ltd.: Continue to review and organize an annual assessment of the area of planted forests that have been granted forest certificates in the districts of Yen Binh, Tran Yen, and Luc Yen to maintain and expand the certified forest area in 2023. To strictly comply with the committed contents when participating in the issuance of forest certificates; organize the plan to purchase and consume all wood products for people with forest areas participating in the granting of certificates. Not allowing people to sell FSC-certified timber for the reason that businesses do not purchase, affects people's psychology, and damages the capital of enterprises when implementing FSC certification. 

Urgently increase human resources and resources to coordinate with consulting units and relevant units in organizing the implementation of forest certification in localities; In 2023, complete the issuance of FSC certification for the area of ​​new records 2023 in Van Chan, Tran Yen, Yen Binh, Luc Yen, Van Yen districts according to the plan. 

The criteria of FSC are the basis for farmers to comply with the exploitation and harvesting of forests in parallel with the development and protection of forest resources and ecosystems in the forest. Farmers can participate in effective production, business and forest management systems in the form of a collective economy such as: household groups, cooperative groups, and cooperatives, and are recognized and trusted by partners.

Although there are still many difficulties and challenges, Yen Bai province has directed relevant units to be determined to well implement the sustainable forestry development project. In which, focus on integrating resources from the state budget; from socialization capital to support businesses, individuals and households in implementing forest certification.

According to statistics from the Yen Bai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, up to now, the province has 13,051.6 ha of certified planted forests, reaching 65.3% (the plan is to strive for 20,000 hectares). Particularly in 2023, the area to be granted a new forest certificate is 2,335 ha / 8,960 ha of the newly issued plan, reaching 26.1%. In which, a new FSC forest certificate has been issued for an area of 1,779.8 ha of planted forest in Yen Binh district; conducting annual assessment and expanding the Tran Yen-Thuan Nhien certificate (formerly Tran Yen - Viet Phat), the newly granted area of Yen Bai City is 555.2 ha.