In order to expand production activities, LEC Energy is currently implementing a plan to expand the material area – production forest. So what is production forest?

1. What is production forest?

According to Clause 4, Article 5 of the 2017 Forestry Law , production forest is a type of forest mainly used to supply forest products; combined production and business of forestry, agriculture and fishery; eco-tourism, convalescence and entertainment; providing forest environmental services.

2. Objects assigned and leased by the State for production forests 

* Allocating production forests without collecting forest use fees

Specifically, in Clause 3, Article 16 of the 2017 Forestry Law , the State allocates production forests without collection of forest use fees to the following subjects:

– Households, individuals and communities lawfully residing in the commune-level area where the forest area is located;

– Armed units;

– The special-use forest management board, the protection forest management board, for the area of ​​production forests interspersed with the area of ​​special-use forests and protection forests, shall be assigned to such forest management boards.

* Leasing production forest

The State leases natural production forests to economic organizations, households and individuals, or planted production forests with one-time or annual rental payment for forestry production; combined forestry, agriculture and fishery production; business eco-tourism, convalescence and entertainment.

(Article 17 Forest Law 2017 )

3. Regulations on the use of production forests

3.1. Exploiting forest products in natural production forests

According to Clause 1, Article 58 of the 2017 Forestry Law , conditions for exploitation of forest products in natural production forests are regulated as follows:

– Forest owners being organizations must have a sustainable forest management plan approved by a competent state agency;

– Forest owners being households, individuals or communities that harvest timber with their request and approved by the district-level People’s Committee.

In particular, the exploitation of forest products in production forests which are natural forests shall comply with the provisions of the Forest Law 2017 and the Regulations on forest management.

3.2. Exploiting forest products in planted production forests

The exploitation of forest products in planted production forests shall comply with the provisions of Article 59 of the 2017 Forestry Law , specifically as follows:

– Forest owners decide to exploit planted forests under their ownership.

– In case the forest is planted with the state budget capital, the forest owner must compile a dossier of forest product exploitation and submit it to a competent state agency for approval of the capital source for decision.

– The exploitation of forest products in planted production forests shall comply with the provisions of the 2017 Forestry Law and the Forest Management Regulations.

3.3. Other activities in production forest

For other exploitation activities such as combined forestry, agriculture and fishery production, scientific research, teaching, internship, ecotourism business, convalescence and entertainment in production forests, fish Individuals and organizations are allowed to do the following:

– To be intercropped with agricultural crops and non-timber forest products; livestock and aquaculture under the forest canopy, without degrading forest quality.

– To use the unforested land area for combined agricultural and fishery production without degrading or polluting the land; do not change the use purpose of forest land.

– To combine ecotourism business, convalescence, entertainment, scientific research, teaching, and internship.

– To self-organize, cooperate, joint venture, associate or lease forest or forest environment to organizations or individuals in accordance with the rights of forest owners for eco-tourism, convalescence and entertainment business.

– To build works in service of eco-tourism, convalescence and entertainment.

(Article 60 of the Law on Forestry 2017 )

By: thuvienphapluat