Criteria for the functional sub-zone of national parks, natural reserves, and species and habitat reserves in Vietnam

Criteria for the functional sub-zones of national parks, natural reserves, and species and habitat reserves in Vietnam (Image from the internet)

On July 18, 2024, the Government of Vietnam issued Decree 91/2024/ND-CP amending a number of articles of Decree 156/2018/ND-CP detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Forestry.

Criteria for the functional sub-zones of national parks, natural reserves, and species and habitat reserves in Vietnam

According to Clause 9, Article 9 of Decree 156/2018/ND-CP (as amended and supplemented in Decree 91/2024/ND-CP), the criteria for functional sub-zones of national parks, natural reserves, and species and habitat reserves are stipulated as follows:

(1) Strict protection sub-zone meets one of the following criteria:

- Contains preserved intact natural ecosystems or natural ecosystems that ensure the natural development rules of forest ecosystems.- Has natural distribution and serves as habitats for endemic, endangered, precious, and rare wildlife species.- For special-use forests with components of wetland and coastal ecosystems, the location, scope, and scale of the strict protection sub-zone are determined based on the current status of the natural ecosystem and conditions of topography, hydrology, and inundation policies; serves as habitats for endemic, endangered, precious, and rare wildlife species.

(2) Ecological restoration sub-zone meets one of the following criteria:

- Contains forest ecosystems that require restoration using silvicultural techniques to achieve the characteristic natural state of the forest ecosystem.- Contains natural ecosystems and habitats that serve as food sources and regular routes for wildlife species.- For special-use forests with components of wetland and coastal ecosystems, the location, scope, and scale of the ecological restoration sub-zone are determined based on the current status of the natural ecosystem and conditions of topography, hydrology, and inundation policies; serves as routes for wildlife species for maintaining food sources.

(3) Service-administrative sub-zone meets the following criteria:

- Primarily established to build technical infrastructure, including: working, living, research, scientific experimentation, species rescue and development facilities of the special-use forest management board; facilities serving for eco-tourism, resort, recreation, and implementing other functions as prescribed by law.- The area of the service-administrative sub-zone should be concentrated, minimizing fragmented areas, in accordance with the scale of the special-use forest management board, the current status of the forest, and the total natural area of the special-use forest.

Adjustments to functional sub-zones of national parks, natural reserves, and species and habitat reserves in Vietnam

- The forest owner shall prepare a plan for adjusting the functional sub-zones with the following main contents:

+ Legal, scientific, and practical basis;

+ Assessment of the current status of the forest, natural ecosystems; values of biodiversity, genetic resources; scientific, experimental, environmental education values, and forest environmental services provisioning that meet the criteria of the functional sub-zone for the adjusted area;

+ Determination of the scope, boundaries of the functional sub-zones after adjustment on the map and field position points;

+ Identification of implementation and management organization measures after adjustment of the functional sub-zones.

- The dossier for appraisal of the adjustment of functional sub-zones includes:

+ The proposal for adjustment of the functional sub-zones by the forest owner (original);

+ The functional sub-zone adjustment plan for the special-use forest as prescribed (original);

+ The map of the forest status before adjustment and the projected forest status map after adjustment showing clearly the scope, boundaries, and functional sub-zones (original).

Depending on the area size of the special-use forest, the forest owner shall select appropriate maps with a consistent scale of 1/5,000 or 1/10,000 or 1/25,000 according to the VN2000 coordinate system.

(Clause 10, Article 9 of Decree 156/2018/ND-CP (amended and supplemented in Decree 91/2024/ND-CP))

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE