What is the protection forest? How many types of protection forests are there? What are the criteria for distinguishing protection forests in Vietnam?
What is the protection forest?
Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 3, Article 5 of the 2017 Law on Forestry in Vietnam, protection forests shall be mainly used to protect water resources and soil, prevent erosion/landslides/floods, combat desertification, limit disasters, regulate climate, contribute to protect the environment and national security associated with ecotourism, hospitality and entertainment; provide forest environmental services.
What is the protection forest? How many types of protection forests are there? What are the criteria for distinguishing protection forests in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)
How many types of protection forests are there?
Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 3, Article 5 of the 2017 Law on Forestry in Vietnam, the types of protection forests include:
- Watershed protection forests;
- Forests protecting water resources for communities;
- Bordering protection forests;
- Wind/sand shielding protection forests;
- Protection forests for tide shielding or sea encroachment prevention.
What are the criteria for distinguishing protection forests in Vietnam?
Pursuant to the provisions of Article 7 of Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP on the criteria applied for protection forests as follows:
Headwater protection forests
Headwater protection forests are forests in the basin of rivers or reservoirs that satisfy the following criteria:
- In terms of topography: hilly and rocky area with at least 15 degrees slope;
- In terms of precipitation: the average annual precipitation is at least 2,000 mm or at least 1,000 mm for precipitation concentrated in 2 to 3 months;
- In terms of soil texture and soil density: sandy soil or medium sandy loam of density of less than 70 cm of less than 30 cm for fine or medium loam.
Forests used for protection of water sources of the community
Forests providing daily water for production by forest-dependent community which are associated with customs and traditions of the community and are protected and used by such community.
Bordering protection forests
Protection forests in bordering areas associated with mandatory regions for national defense and security formed under the request of border management authorities.
Wind/sand shielding protection forests
Wind/sand shielding protection forests satisfying the following criteria:
- Coastal wind/sand shielding protection forests stretch at least 300 m or 200 m measured from the annual highest sea level to the mainland for eroded seashore and uneroded seashore, respectively;
- Wind/sand shielding protection forests behind the protection forests specified in Point a this Clause stretch at least 40 m in case of the sandy region of least 100-ha area or active sand dune or sand area of slope of at least 15 degrees. The width of each forest stretch is at least 30 m in case of sand area of less than 100 ha or inactive sand area or sand area of 15 -degree slope.
Protection forests for tide shielding or sea encroachment prevention
Protection forests for tide shielding or sea encroachment prevention satisfying the following criteria:
- The width of forest stretch is from 300 to 1000 m according to each ecosystem in case of coastal aggradations or coastal stability;
- The minimum width of forest stretch is 150 m in case of coastal erosion;
- The width of forest stretch is at least 20 m measured from the dike footing with at least 2 stretches of forest trees for river mouth;
- The width of forest stretch is at least 100 m (dike available) and 250 m (without dike) for coastal lagoons.
What criteria does the protection of protection forests comply with?
Pursuant to the provisions of Article 19 of Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP stipulating the protection of protection forests as follows:
Protection of protection forests
1. Protecting forest ecosystem
a) Protection of forest ecosystem shall comply with regulations in Article 37 of the Forestry Law;
b) The following actions taken in the protection forest shall be prohibited: actions causing changes to natural scenery of the forest; illegal exploitation of creature resources and other natural resources; environmental pollution-causing actions; carrying hazardous chemicals, explosive or flammable substances against law provisions into the forest; grazing cattle or poultry or pets in the currently planted forest area during nurturing process.
2. Protecting forest animals and forest plants
a) Protection of forest animals and forest plants shall comply with regulations in Article 38 of the Forestry Law; Government’s regulations on management of endangered and rare forest animals and forest plants in conformity with the convention on international trading of endangered wildlife animals and plants.
b) All forest animals living in the protection forest must be protected from actions that lead to negative effects on their habitat and sources of feed.
3. Complying with forest fire safety regulations specified in Chapter IV hereof.
4. Complying with regulations on prevention and elimination of organisms harmful to forests as prescribed in Article 40 of the Forestry Law.
According to the above regulations, the protection of protection forests shall comply with the following four criteria:
- Protecting forest ecosystem
- Protecting forest animals and forest plants
- Complying with forest fire safety regulations
- Complying with regulations on prevention and elimination of organisms harmful to forests
Nguyễn Thị Hồng Nhung
