Hanoi (VNA) – A project to promote sustainable forestationmanagement and responsible timber trade was launched in Hanoi on January 6.
The “Responsible Asia Forestry & Trade Partnership” project, launched bythe Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the World Wide Fund forNature (WWF), TRAFFIC and RECOFTC, is funded by the Australian Governmentthrough The Nature Conservancy and runs until March 2018.
The project focuses on supporting Vietnam to strengthen the implementation oflegal and responsible timber trade, directing sustainable plantation forestmanagement activities into regular operation.
It is divided into two main components focused on promoting sustainableplantation management based on international standards and strengthening theimplementation of responsible and legal timber trade.
With most people thought to be unaware of definition of sustainable andresponsible timber products, the project will seek to create basic awarenessamong the public, manufacturers and businesses to create a market forresponsible timber products in Vietnam.
This approach will not only bring permanent benefits to the environment andsociety, but also help combat illegal trade in timber, boost investment inenvironmental protection and generally enhance the reputation of the Vietnamesemarket.
According to Le Thien Duc, forest programme coordinator of WWF Vietnam, the Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development has set a target that by 2020 at least 500,000 ha of forestsshould be certified, but only 219,245ha have been certified so far.
To help achieve the target, the project aims to get at least 3,000 ha of forestcertified as sustainable, he said.
In addition, at least one significant policy for promoting sustainable forestmanagement will be developed or modified, legal timber trade and transparencywill be enhance, and a domestic market for certified forest products will becreated.
To achieve the ambition, the project will identify forest areas that have thepotential for certification for other programmes or the Government to get themcertified, build capacity of forest owners by creating a manual for forestcertification and sustainable forest management, and support a review andmodification of policies to promote sustainable forest management.
The activities are expected to bring social and environmental benefits topeople living near forests and forestry workers by reducing illegal logging andhelping conserve forests.-VNA
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Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
