Vietnam: Establishment of reserve forest zones

According to Decree No. 156/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government, principles for establishment of reserve forest zones include:

- Have a project on establishment of reserve forest zones in consistent with national forestry planning;

- Satisfy criteria applied for each type of reserve forests specified in Article 6 herein.

Contents of the project on establishment of reserve forest zone are specified as follows:

- Assessment of natural conditions, forest conditions in reality and natural ecosystems; values to biodiversity and genetic resources and significance to history, culture, landscape, ecotourism, hospitality and entertainment services, science, experiments environmental education and forest environmental service provision;

- Assessment of management and use of forests, lands and water surface included in the project in reality;

- Assessment of living conditions and social-economic conditions;

- Determination of objectives of reserve forest zone establishment meeting criteria applied for reserve forests;

- Determination of boundaries and area of the reserve forest and buffer zones thereof on the map;

- Activity programs and plans for settlement of living of the community in buffer zones, methods for implementation and management;

- Determination of general estimate of investment capital, investment separation; funding for recurrent forest protection, conservation and improvement of living conditions and investment quality;

- Project implementation.

Procedures for establishing the reserve forest zone are as follows:

- In cases where the reserve forest zone is located in 2 or more than 2 provinces or centrally-affiliated cities:

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and organize the formulation of, establishment projects; collect opinions from ministries, ministerial-level agencies and provincial-level People's Committees, relevant organizations and individuals; organize project appraisal; submit to the Prime Minister for promulgation decision on establishment.

- In cases where the reserve forest zone is not located in 2 or more than 2 provinces or centrally-affiliated cities:

Provincial People's Committees shall assume the prime responsibility for, and organize the construction of, establishment projects; collect opinions from relevant agencies, organizations and individuals; organize project appraisal; issue the decision to establish.

Dossiers for submission and appraisal of projects on establishment of special-use forests, including: Statement; project (original and summary); maps and other relevant records.

The time to complete the appraisal is not more than 30 working days from the date of receiving the valid dossier. In case the dossier is invalid, within 03 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier, the dossier-receiving agency must notify the dossier-submitting unit for completion.

View details at Decree No. 156/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government, effective from January 01, 2019.

-Thao Uyen-

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE