FGM Workshop Background Paper - REDD - VietNam

design and development relating to changing land use purposes, including
forest land. It can be understood that though districts and communes are
greatly associated with forest management within their area, they did not play
a role in the decision making process. They did not have a budget for carrying
out activities and lacked staff to carry out assignments. In general, Decision
245 failed to bring its effect and significance of decentralization of forest
management into life. However, it has been ten years since the the Decision
was issued, and no official evaluation has been made to figure out the effect
of this Decision.
• In order to carry out all the above-mentioned assignments (ranging from” a” to
“h”), there must be enough permanent staff members at CPC. However, most
of those assignments were not implemented at the communal level. The
reason being that only forested communes where a “ forest team’’ was set
up were able to perform the tasks. The team members included a vicechairman/chairwoman
of CPC, who often took the position of team leader,
head of commune public security force, and some other members from army
groups. Still, the team leader was often the only person to receive a monthly
allowance of around VND 80,000. Though the CPC had to carry out the state
management of forests in its area, they did not receive salary, and could not
make decisions if any problems arose. For instance, if the commune forest
team established a forest patrol and discovered a case of illegal logging, they
would confiscate the tools and illegal timber, and bring them all to CPC’s
venue. However, all the illegal timber would be sold by another authorized
district agency (District Section of Forest Protection and District Department of
Finance). The profit gained from selling the illegal timber was out of the
control of the CPC and the CPD was left to pay the forest patrol fees and
collect the illegally logged timber. This left the CPC unmotivated to protect the
forests because they did not make any profit.
What is monitored/ measured already?
• Number hectares of forest and land allocated to the state forest companies,
local people and communities and its existing land use.
• The roles and responsibilities for forest management at all levels province,
district and commune indicated in Decision 245/TTg.
• The volumes of timber logged yearly based on the demand of the province
which approved by People Council Committee and MARD at central level.
• The total area of new plantation made from government funding sources
(normally from state forest companies for production forest, and state budget
for protection forest), and the number of tress planted scatter of the year.
• Number hectares of deforestation and forest fire around the year in the
province.
What needs to monitored/measured in the future?
• Information on amounts obtained by selling illegally logged timber.
• The effectiveness of forest and land used by state forest companies.
• Number of state forest companies got land certificate (red book), and how
many of them can mortgaged it for loan from the bank.
• Information from assessment of allocated forestland to the local people and
communities.
• The area of new plantation made by the private sector and individuals.
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