Need adopt a new strategy for promoting the multiple-use value of forest ecosystems

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan hosted a meeting to collect feedback on the "Scheme for Developing Multi-Use Values of Forest Ecosystem" 

Instead of focusing solely on wood and hydropower, the Minister suggested that we consider the value of forests from a broader range of perspectives, including multiple uses and values. 

Minister Le Minh Hoan stated, "No sooner had we changed our perspective than we began promoting the values of forests, leading to the creation of millions of works, bringing sustainable livelihoods to many people, and contributing more effectively to forest preservation." 

Utilization of indirect values

According to Tran Quang Bao, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), forest ecology in Vietnam has contributed significantly to the economy and the well-being of humans through services such as wood, timber, water regulation, and greenhouse gas absorption. 

According to the assessment of the Forest Protection Department, forest resources have been exploited in a manner disproportionate to the potential of the forest ecosystem, without integrating the values of the forest, and forest environment services have not yet been effectively exploited. 

Therefore, the forest ecosystem has not been fully utilized to create or improve the livelihoods of people who depend on forests, including ethnic minority communities living near forests, and to generate financial resources to reinvest in forest management, protection, and development activities.

According to some research findings, the direct values from timber, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and hydropower account for only about 15% of the value of the forest ecosystem. The remaining 85% comes from indirect values such as providing non-forest products and services.

The director of the Forest Protection Department, Bui Chinh Nghia, stated that the forest is home to a variety of resources that can be used for more than just timber and non-timber forest products.

To better exploit these values, Nghia advised the forestry sector to learn from the experiences of other nations, such as educating children about the significance and value of forests at an early age.

The head of the Forest Protection Department proposed promoting the reinvestment of forces from corporations and significant companies into the forest. 

From a tourism perspective, a representative of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism stated that Vietnam has been successful in marine tourism, but forest tourism remains untouched. The current concepts of ecotourism and community-based tourism must be replaced with a more precise understanding of forest tourism. 

In addition, a list of programs and projects must be compiled to implement the project's solution. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism should work together to devise a comprehensive plan for tourist areas across the country.

In addition to tourism, the values of cultural heritage or indigenous knowledge should be emphasized, as there are numerous cultural areas of ethnic groups that are closely connected to the value of the forest ecosystem and are therefore attractive to tourists. 

Multi-goal, multi-value

Assessing the current state of forest value exploitation, Deputy Minister Nguyen Quoc Tri stated that when developing the project, the Forestry Department must have a multi-objective mindset, and it is necessary to sit down with forest owners and related communities to determine the most effective strategy for increasing the forest's value. importance of the environment.

Minister Le Minh Hoan concluded the meeting by emphasizing that the discussion preceding the formulation of the project is an essential stage of preparation and that it is necessary to receive numerous opinions and ideas, including critical opinions, in order to obtain the most valuable initiatives for the project. 

"It is necessary to establish a project drafting committee and to work with an open mind from the outset," the minister remarked, adding that it is essential to establish objectives that are both more specific and more general.

According to the Minister, the mobilization of resources from the system of businesses is crucial, and this is not to increase the danger of environmental destruction, but rather to care for and enhance the quality of the forest.

Risk management should be incorporated into the project, as Minister Le Minh Hoan remarked, "How will this activity affect, and what solution will that require?"