From the current unsound status of forest management and protection in Central Highlands, it is essential to come up with solution to develop and protect forests associated with the sustainable livelihoods of local people (mostly ethnic minorities). In order to achieve the goal of forest resources plantation, ensure the wide participation of all economic sectors and social organizations in forestry development to increasingly contribute to economic – social development and ecological environment protection, it is necessary to have comprehensive adjustments to development orientation of the sector to meet innovation requirements and rising trend in global economic integration. It also creates favorable condition to mobilize synthesis capacity of society to accelerate the construction, development progress of forest resources and efficient use of natural resources.
Solutions to policies and management
In spites of the fact that most of the forest area has been allocated to state-owned enterprises as well as local households for management, many hectares of our country’s forest are being destroyed every year, forest resources are abused, the illegal trafficking of forest products occurs on a large scale, which is difficult to control. Deriving from the reality, it requires specific solutions to meet the requirements of sustainable development of forestry toward the development orientation of forestry strategy in the period of 2006 to 2020 proposed by the Government.
- Develop, supplement and a complete the system of related policies and laws to encourage and attract all members of society to participate in the forest protection and development. Encourage organizations and individuals to exploit the potential and advantages of each region. Besides, it is necessary to conduct a legal framework to establish national forest boundary for long-term sustainability and mark the demarcation in the field.
To improve the efficiency in the management of land use in general and forestry land in particular, it requires the strict implementation of the regulations on forest protection, preventing the improper use of forests or conversion of using purposes without following the approved land use planning.
For ethnic minorities, more emphasis should be placed on rational food security policy, forest benefit sharing policy, investment policy in accordance with the level of ability and practices of local people.
- Besides production function, forest also has protection function. In order to maintain the protection function of forest, it requires forestry to be united in management, synchronous the implementation of planning, schemes and policies on forest of the Government.
Economic solution
- Conduct the mechanism to ensure equity and fairness for all economic elements participating in forestry production to access to loans in accordance with the development cycle of forestry crops; ensure the state budget for the management, protection, development of protection forests and special-use forests.
- It is essential to construct forestry infrastructure in order to ensure the conservation, development of forest resources and integrated production of forestry, especially transport system, electricity network and schools to improve people's knowledge, strengthen economic and cultural exchanges, thereby enhancing the management capacity of natural resources, including forest protection and development.
- Apply appropriate production models:
+ Combined model of afforestation, forest protection and forest product processing
+ Widely applied production mode of agriculture combined with forestry to synthetically make use of the potential of natural and human resources
- Invest in business integrating forestry into natural resources, expand industry to fully exploit the strengths of each region, create economic attractiveness for community to participating in forest protection and development.
Social solutions
- It is necessary to educate to raise awareness of economic and ecological value of forest, encourage people to actively participate in the protection and development of forests and nature reserves.
- Strengthen and establish community organizations related to management, protection and development of forests and natural areas.
Promote the relationship between local authorities, forest ranger force and local community.
Although there are large areas of forest, forest management and protection in Central Highlands is not really effective, resulting in the consequences that many hectares of forest has been indiscriminately cut down every year. Ensuring food security and income of people, exploitation associated with protection of natural resources and preservation of ecological environment are considered as important factors for effective implementation of policies on forest protection and sustainable development. It also ensures the sustainable development of livelihoods for local people, as well as positively serves for the construction and defense of our homeland in long-term period.