08/07/2016
Viet Nam hopes to collect a total of VND 1.3 trillion (US$ 60.4 million) from a programme titled Payments for Forest Environmental Services (PFES) in 2015. The amount charged by water-suppliers, hydro-power companies and tourist agencies is similar to that of last year, said Deputy director of Viet Nam Forest and Protection Fund, Pham Hong Luong at a meeting in late March to discuss payments for environmental services. On average, each household earns VND 1.8 million (US$ 83.6) per year from PFES.
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| Nghe An’s implemention on payments for environmental services |
37 of the country’s 63 provinces have established a forest-protection fund to look after nearly 6 million ha of trees. The programme was set up to provide incentives for individuals and communities to protect forests by compensating them for any costs incurred.
4 years after setting up, PFES had created positive changes in forest management. It not only altered awareness about protecting and developing forests, but provided a way to help eradicate hunger and poverty in mountainous areas.
However, the workshop was told that many problems existed in forest environmental services. Due to that environmental services regulates th, e water cycle, soil formation and forest growth to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and protect biodiversity Government agencies were often slow at doing things, leading to delays in PFES payments.
Director of the southern Lam Dong Province’s Forest Protection and Development Fund, Vo Dinh Tho said, a fixed payment of VND 492,000 (US$ 22) was paid to a forest owner for each ha looked after each year. He also suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant agencies work out ways to solve any difficulties.
HN
