According to law on forestry, what are forests in Vietnam?

1. According to law on forestry, what are forests in Vietnam?

Article 2 of the Law on Forestry 2017 stipulates:

1. “forestry” is the economy and technology including management, protection, development and use of forests; forest products processing and trade.

2. “forestry operations” include one or some activities related to management, protection, development and use of forests; forest products processing and trade.

3. “forest” is an ecosystem including forest flora and fauna, fungi, microorganisms, forestland and other environmental factors in which the main component is one or some species of trees, bamboo or arecaceae whose height is determined according to the flora of the soil or rocky mountain, submerged land, sandy land or other typical flora; with inter-regional area of ​​at least 0.3 ha; canopy of at least 0.1.

2. What are rules for forestry operations in Vietnam? 

According to Article 3 of the Law on Forestry 2017 stipulates rules for forestry operations, specifically as follows:

1. Manage forest area and quality sustainably to ensure the harmony with targets for socio-economic development, national security, biodiversity conservation, to enhance the forest canopy and forest service value and preparedness to climate change.

2. Have private sectors involved in forestry operations in order to ensure the compliance of the state interests with interests of forest owners and entities involving in forestry operations.

3. Ensure connection of chains from forest protection, development and use to forest products processing and trade to enhance the forest value.

4. Ensure publicity, transparency and participation of organizations, households, individuals and communities involving in forestry operations.

5. Comply with international agreements related to forestry to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory; or conform to other international agreements to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory unless otherwise stated herein or if legislative documents have not specified.

Thus, forestry activities are conducted with the above rules in accordance with the law in Vietnam.

3. What are prohibited acts in forestry operations in Vietnam? 

Pursuant to Article 9 of the 2017 Forestry Law stipulating prohibited acts in forestry operations, according to which:

1. Illegally felling, deforesting, exploiting or encroaching forests.

2. Illegally discharging sewage or bringing toxic chemicals, explosives, flammable substances, tools or vehicles into forests; grazing cattle or livestock in strictly protected sub-zones of reserve forests or newly planted forests.

3. Illegally hunting, shooting, catching, caging, slaughtering, transporting or trading in forest animals; illegally collecting specimens of forest plant or animal species.

4. Destroying forest resources, ecosystems or works used for forest protection and development.

5. Violating regulations on fire safety in forests; prevention and elimination of organisms harmful to forests; management of harmful allochthonous species; provision of forest environmental services.

6. Storing, trading in, transporting, processing, advertising, displaying, exporting, importing, temporarily importing, temporarily exporting or transiting forest products against regulations of Vietnam law and international agreements to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory.

7. Exploiting natural resources, mineral resources or forest environment; building, digging, damming, stopping natural flows or other activities against regulations of law that lead to change in the natural landscape structure of forest ecosystems.

8. Illegally allocating, leasing out or appropriating forests, converting types of forests, repurposing of forests; illegally exploiting or transporting forest products; illegally changing forest area, transferring, inheriting, gifting, mortgaging or contributing capital with the value of forest use rights or planted production forest ownership; discriminating against religions, beliefs or genders when allocating or leasing out forests.

9. Illegally using materials for forest products processing.

According to this regulation, individuals who commit one of the above acts are considered prohibited acts in forestry operations in Vietnam.

Best Regards!