Policy dialogue on conversion of forest use purpose and training workshop on skills to work with local authorities and stakeholders for Community Forests Management Board of Khe Tran village

In the morning August 23, the policy dialogue was held to facilitate the meeting of 16 members of the board of CFM with guests Mr. Nguyen Van Hung – vice head of Forest Protection Unit of Phong Dien district and Mr. Pham Ngoc Dung – member of Thua Thien Hue Forestry Science and Technology Association on the policy on renovation of poor and exhausted natural forest is production forest under the Circular 23/2013/TT-BNNPTNT dated 4 May 2013 of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the procedure of allocating the forest land to the community.

 

After the most outstanding points of the Circular 23 and Khe Tran forest issues were introduced, a variety of questions were raised and then answered and commented carefully by the guests. As the result, the dialogue clarified some issues below:

         Until now, almost people taking part in forest management and protection have not benefited economically as their wish. This is because people cannot fully implemented, effectively of their rights and benefits as the legal regulation; while the State is only stop at planning and allocation for people that lack of support for models of management, protection and enrichment to both protect and develop and bring economic benefits to the people.

        The community forest of Khe Tran village is the poor forest (consisting of protection forest and production forest) but is not in the object under Circular 23 therefore not been renovated. Thus, Khe Tran Boad of CFM hopes that the competent authorities as People Committee of Phong My commune, People Committee of Phong Dien district, Forest Protection Unit, Nature Resources and Environment Unit, Agriculture unit have strategies and plans to develop sustainable forest ensure people`s rights protection.

        The Circular 23 has given way to Khe Tran Boad of CFM to impact upon the forest and ensure the benefits for the people participating in forest management and protection in accordance with the guideline of the State.

        Land solution for the people who live along or near natural forest is legitimate demand because they do not have enough land for producing. This is the implicit reason for deforestation and encroachment if the authority does not care and issue the cultivable land for the people.

        Regarding the policy of allocating forest to the people: Due to the forest border land of Khe Tran village which doesn’t belong to Khe Tran community forest. In addition, this is conflicted land between Tan My and Khe Tran, therefore no effect should put in this land.

        Regarding the intervention in community forest: Forest enrichment is the only way for Khe Tran CFM Boad at this moment: keeping the forest status, planting trees bringing economic effectiveness to enrich the forest and supporting the management, protection and development of the community forest.

        Thua Thien Hue FSTA and C&E will continue to look for other supports to help Khe Tran CFM Boad do the best the forest protection missions and build models of forest enrichment. Then they would have sufficient budget serving the forest patrol, protection and enrichment.

 In August 24, a training course was organized for 16 members of Khe Tran CFM Board working with local authorities and stakeholders. Within one day, these 16 people learnt both theoretically and practically. They are trained how to work in group, discuss, present of the content as prepare a proposal, dispatch, minute and report. Then they reviewed the Regulation of Forest Protection and Development of Khe Tran village in order to amend and complete.

 

 

By the training skill and experience, lecturers introduced and analyzed the way to write a proposal, dispatch, minute and report to work with the authorities and related agencies in the management of community forest and other rights of the people.

 The learners appreciated this training course for its meaningfulness and applicability for Khe Tran CFM Board because in the past they just worked with the local authorities and related agencies by word, not by written forms such as dispatches, proposals, minutes and reports. Almost all of the learners have understood well how to write of administrative documents. The learners applied proficiently the structures of forms of writing, specifically, they made documents by themselves such as the official dispatch of requesting the land for the forest development and forest enrichment models; or writings sent to Agricultural and Forestry Extension Unit to request a training course on disease prevention techniques for rubber trees; write the minute of the monthly meeting properly and formally; make a report of the first 8 months and a plan of the next 4 months of Khe Tran CFM Board in 2013.

 

From this training, Khe Tran CFM Board would work actively and confidently with local authorities and related offices. The Regulation of Forest Protection and Development of Khe Tran village was completed after reviewing, adding, amending the last time in the training course. Khe Tran CFM Board will make an official dispatch to ask the People Committee of commune and district to approve it. Then the regulation will become the legal ground to enhance the activities of forest protection and management for the Board quality and more efficient.

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