Forest rangers on a patrol (Photo: VNA) Tuyen Quang (VNA) – The northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang plans to have an additional 866 hectares of forest granted with sustainable forest management certificates in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards by the end of 2016.
Boasting nearly 446,000 hectares of forest, which accounts for 70 percent of the province’s natural land area, Tuyen Quang has great potential to develop its forest-based economy.
To improve forest production value and promote sustainable forest development, the local authorities have taken measures to accelerate the grant of certificates.
They have worked with Woodsland JSC and Research Institute for Sustainable Forest Management and Forest Certificate to organise training courses on sustainable forest management, and grant international sustainable forest management certificates to the staff of several State management agencies, forestry companies and forest owners.
Campaigns have been launched to raise public awareness of the certification, while attention have been paid to boosting investment links between businesses and forest growers.
Enterprises and forest owners have been assisted in building and performing their forest management plans, and households have been encouraged to supervise each other in forestation and exploitation under sustainable forest management plans.
Tuyen Quang launched the issuance of forest management certificates in January 2015. To date, a total of 14,962 hectares of forest have received FSC certificates.
The certified forest areas have brought practical benefits. The prices of wood produced in certified forest areas are 10-15 percent higher than those from non-certified areas.-VNA
