(baosonla.vn) - On November 13th, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, held a working meeting with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); the Forestry Project Management Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and the Vietnam Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation Management Board (VFBC), led by Ms. Hadas Kushnir - Head of the National Climate Solutions Division, USAID, to discuss support from the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation Project in Son La province.
The Provincial People's Committee held a working meeting with the delegation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Launched in 2021, the Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity Conservation Project has supported Son La province in developing plans and conventions for community forest management; implementing land and forest allocation and issuing land use right certificates for forestry land to 314 villages and sub-districts, covering an area of over 15,000 hectares, in the districts of Muong La, Moc Chau, and Van Ho, with completion expected in 2025.
Support the development and approval of sustainable forest management plans in four hydropower basins, comprising 12 small hydropower plants, connecting hydropower enterprises with local communities, minimizing conflicts, and promoting forest protection.
During the meeting, Son La province expressed its desire to continue receiving support from the VFBC Project to develop forest carbon credit business models. It requested that international organizations continue to support the province in developing tourism models linked to forest protection and biodiversity conservation; and provide financial and technical support for building and replicating community forest management models in the province in the future.
A representative from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) delegation speaks at the meeting.
The delegation requested that the specialized agencies of Son La province continue to closely coordinate and effectively implement the project components. Responding to the recommendations from Son La province, the project representatives committed to further research and develop practical support solutions in the future.
Comrade Nguyen Thanh Cong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, delivered a speech at the working session.
On behalf of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Cong highly appreciated the close coordination and guidance of the donor, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Forestry Projects Management Board, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Vietnam Forestry Conservation and Sustainable Forest Management Project Management Board (VFBC) in the implementation of the project in Son La province. The project has helped the province in managing, protecting, and developing forests and enhancing the capacity of forest rangers in enforcing forestry laws.
Source: Son La Newspaper