Son La explores potential of over 1 million carbon credits from forests

On 29 March, the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment held a working session with the Provincial Forest Protection Department to review its organisational structure, operational model, and first-quarter performance. The meeting also outlined plans for the remaining nine months of 2025 and strategic directions for 2030, addressing key challenges and bottlenecks requiring resolution.

Significant potential for forest carbon credits

According to the Forest Protection Department’s report, in carrying out key assigned tasks, programmes, and projects, the department has advised the provincial People’s Committee to approve investment policies for four macadamia development projects covering over 3,600 hectares. To date, more than 1,600 hectares have been planted, with 915 hectares currently in harvest, yielding an estimated 822 tonnes of macadamia nuts.

The department has provided advisory support for the approval of land-use conversion for 14 projects, covering a total forest area of over 243 hectares. This includes more than 111 hectares allocated for the construction of the Hoa Binh – Moc Chau Expressway within the province and over 77 hectares designated for transport infrastructure projects under the National Target Programme for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas.

In terms of forest management, protection, and wildfire prevention, the department facilitated the signing of a commitment agreement between district, town, and city-level People's Committee Chairpersons and the Provincial People's Committee. This agreement focuses on forest management, protection, development, and the payment of forest environmental services for 2025.

During the first three months of the year, the department conducted inspections, detecting and handling 36 violations related to forestry regulations—a reduction of 15 cases compared to the same period last year.

Son La possesses vast forest resources, spanning over 671,000 hectares, with a forest coverage rate of 47.6% and a relatively low number of industrial emission sources. Preliminary estimates suggest that Son La has the potential to generate nearly 1.2 million forest carbon credits annually.

However, the legal framework governing greenhouse gas emission quotas and forest carbon credit trading is still under development by relevant ministries and agencies. As a result, the province has yet to engage in international forest carbon credit trading.

Proposal for establishing a grassroots forest protection unit model

At the meeting, Nguyen Huy Tuan, Chief of the Forest Protection Department, highlighted several challenges in forest management and protection in Son La. One key issue is the inconsistency between land-use certificates and forest land planning, where discrepancies exist in designated land-use purposes. Additionally, forest monitoring and statistical tracking are not fully synchronized with the annual land-use inventory, leading to gaps in data management and oversight.

To reach its 2030 target of 50% forest coverage, Son La will need to establish over 14,000 hectares of new forests between 2026 and 2030, requiring an estimated VND 832 billion to attain 48.5% coverage. Raising this figure to 50% would necessitate nearly VND 2 trillion, a significant investment that surpasses the province’s budgetary capacity.

As a result, the Forest Protection Department has proposed that the Department of Agriculture and Environment recommend to the Provincial People's Committee and the Provincial Party Executive Committee to maintain a stable forest coverage target of 48.5%. Additionally, it suggests the development of a project for afforestation and the restoration of special-use protective forests under the 2026–2030 medium-term investment plan.

In light of the planned abolition of district-level governance and the restructuring of commune-level administrative units, Nguyen Huy Tuan has proposed that the Forest Protection Department develop a restructuring plan for district-level Forest Protection Units. This proposal advocates for the establishment of a grassroots Forest Protection Unit model, aligned with the newly consolidated communes and wards. This approach is expected to enhance forest management, conservation, wildfire prevention, and the enforcement of forestry laws.

Grassroots forest management and protection, integrated with local communities

Speaking at the conference, Phung Kim Son, Director of the Son La Department of Agriculture and Environment, acknowledged and highly appreciated the dedication and determination of the forest protection forces at all levels in restructuring their organisation and operations and effectively carrying out their functions and responsibilities following the merger.

The Son La Forest Protection Department must prioritise effective forest management and strengthen wildfire prevention and control measures, particularly during the dry season from October to April. Efforts should be closely linked with local authorities, ensuring protection at the grassroots level.

According to Phung Kim Son, the department must develop targeted solutions to address overlapping responsibilities and management bottlenecks in forestry and land use. Key priorities include sustainable forest development, enhanced protection capacity, improved wildfire prevention, and integrating forest-based economic growth with local livelihoods.

For 2025, the department aims to plant 1,430 hectares of concentrated forests, one million scattered trees, and increase forest coverage to 48.5%. It will also continue implementing the National Target Programme for Sustainable Forestry Development (2021–2025) and draft the Sustainable Forestry Development Plan (2026–2030).

Additionally, Phung Kim Son instructed specialised departments to resolve land administration issues, support enterprises and cooperatives in macadamia cultivation, and establish a coordination mechanism between relevant agencies to streamline policy implementation.

* $1 = VND 25.670 - Source: Vietcombank.