DECISION

APPROVING STRATEGY FOR MANAGEMENT OF SPECIAL-USE FORESTS, MARINE PROTECTED AREAS AND INLAND WATER PROTECTED AREAS IN VIETNAM UNTIL 2020 AND VISION TO 2030

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on organization of Government;

Pursuant to the December 26, 2003 Law on fisheries;

Pursuant to the December 03, 2004 Law on forest protection and development;

At the proposal of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

DECIDES:

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1. Viewpoints

a) The special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas are national assets, places to store, conserve special values involving natural conservation, the ecology standard sample, biological genetic resources, protection of historical, cultural relics, beauty spots, places for scientific research, in serve of national benefits; Strategy on managing special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas until 2020 inherits and further develops achievements of Strategy on managing natural conservation zones of Vietnam during 2003-2010.

b) Strategy on managing special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas until 2020 must be consistent to Strategies on national economic-social development, Strategy on forest protection and development till 2020 and be integrated with Strategies of sectors and localities, with Strategy on national target in response to climate changes.

c) State encourages various investment forms aiming to attract organizations, individuals, scientists, international organizations, and encourages the participation in management of population communities at buffer areas of special-use forests, protective belt of marine protected areas and inland water protected areas in order to manage sustainably and consistently with legislations.

d) Management of special-use forests, protective belt of marine protected areas and inland water protected areas must be researched and gradually have access to new management method, in line with international criteria, actual conditions of Vietnam and each locality.   To increase the international integration and cooperation in special-use forests, protective belt of marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

2. Objectives till 2020

a) By 2020, to put area of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas attain to 9% of area of terrestrial territory and 0.24% of area of Vietnam sea areas.

b) By 2020, the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas will be accessed with new management method such as co-management, share of benefits.

c) Control the endangered, precious and rare species of Wild Fauna and Flora in special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; conservation and development of quantity of precious and rare species being decreased and threatened extinction.

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3. Vision till 2030

By 2030, special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected area will be consolidated and developed to manage and conserve effectively the important natural the ecology, biological species and genetic resources; conservation and promotion of natural landscape, historical-cultural relics, beauty spots; to become important factor contributing in adaption with climate changes and natural disasters; push up economic-social sustainable development of country, increase the international integration and coordination.

4. Tasks

a) To plan special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- System of special-use forests: In 2014, complete planning of special-use forests nationwide and submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval as prescribed in Government’s Decree No. 117/2010/ND-CP dated December 24, 2010, on organization and management of special-use forests.

- System of marine protected areas: Further implement the planning of marine protected areas in Vietnam till 2020 under Decision No. 742/QD-TTg dated May 26, 2010, of the Prime Minister.

- System of inland water protected areas: Further implement the planning of inland water protected areas in Vietnam till 2020 under Decision No. 1479/QD-TTg dated October 13, 2008, of the Prime Minister.

- To adjust the planning of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas to ensure the uniformity, according to new criteria of classification and planning for the establishment, removal and change of names of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas in accordance with targets and conservation forms.

- To finish the determination and making landmarks as boundaries of zones, functional sub-zones and buffer zones, on map; to organize the making landmarks/put buoys on the field; to propagate people on boundaries of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas, functional sub-zones and buffer zones.

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- To review, provide for functions, tasks and powers of management boards of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas in accordance with current law.

- Further implement policies of the Prime Minister on pilot sharing benefits in management, protection and sustainable development of special-use forests at Decision No. 126/QD-TTg.

- To formulate and submit to competent authorities in promulgating regulations on scientific research, ecological tourist in the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To promulgate regulations on positions in public non-business units; formulate incentive policies for officers working in the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas, including the following works: Reviewing and assessing conditions of positions and incentive policies for officers in management board.

- To promulgate regulations on information management on database of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; formulate system of database information management software of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To supplement, complete, promulgate new system of criteria for classification, division of functional zones in the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

c) To protect species of wild fauna and flora

- To implement effectively the targets and tasks of Conservation Overall scheme during 2013-2020 already been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 763/QD-TTg dated May 21, 2013.

- To formulate action program for conservation of the endangered, precious and rare species of Wild Fauna and Flora, specially prioritize for precious and rare big animals in terrestrial, undersea and inland water living.

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d) To complete the organizational system

- To consolidate the management apparatus of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas in accordance with current law; to review, complete functions, tasks and operational organization and improve capability of management board; upgrade necessary infrastructures directly supporting the work of conservation management; ensure all the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas have the management plans.

- To review, assess, allocate full force source of cadres, civil servants, public employees working at management boards of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

dd) Strengthen human and financial resources

- To formulate scheme on increasing capability in managing conservation zones under Decision No. 1250/QD-TTg dated July 31, 2013 of the Prime Minister. Program on training and improving capability for cadres, civil servants, public employees of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas and submit it to competent authorities for approval in period till 2020.

- To review, assess activities of training, programs of training and documents of training, coaching for officers of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; compose and promulgate reference documents and handbook of professional operations for officers of special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; formulate and promulgate programs on training and improving capability for cadres, civil servants, public employees in line with their qualification and professional tasks.

- Socialization of activities in the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas aiming to mobilize maximally force sources from all social sectors, especially local communities.

- To formulate and promulgate policies to attract investment and mobilize out-state force sources for conservation activities at the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

e) Inspection and supervision

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- To formulate forms in periodical general report on supervision and assessment for the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas in order to implement.

g) Coordination in natural conservation

- To strengthen international cooperation in inter-border conservation and set up conservation zones adjacent to neighboring countries on land and on sea; strengthen scientific coordination, investigation, and supervision of species variety through activities of research coordination at inter-border zones.

- To support research to formulate regulations on estimate of economic values of natural ecology, ensure the effective use of natural resources aiming to manage effectively the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To research, assess impacts and limit affects of climate changes; integrate content of adoption and limit affects of climate changes in plan on managing the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To research, formulate programs or projects on coordination in inter-border conservation, to implement effectively international commitments on managing the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

h) The priority programs, schemes and projects

To approve in principle 08 national-level priority programs, schemes and projects to implement Strategy (the detailed Annex enclosed with this Decision).

5. Implementation solutions

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- To accelerate implementation of detailed planning of marine protected areas to ensure to be completed by 2015, to make dossier to submit to competent authorities for establishment and putting into operation of 11 marine protected areas; to review and adjust the detailed planning of 05 existing marine protective areas: Nha Trang bay, Cham islet, Phu Quoc, Con Co, Chua Mountain.

- To concentrate on planning of inland water protected areas, to ensure to be completed detailed planning by 2015 and formulate dossiers to submit to competent authorities for approval to establish additionally 25 inland water protected areas; period till 2020, to further make detailed planning of aqua areas and remaining protected areas; complete detailed planning and formulate dossiers to submit to competent authorities for approving to establish additionally 15 inland water protected areas.

- In period till 2020, to finish the work of research, survey, exploration, and proposal for planning to develop, expand the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; to formulate detailed planning, to make dossiers to submit to competent authorities for establishment and putting into operation of some new protected areas.

b) To complete regimes, policies, to strengthen the execution according to law

- To research, formulate, amend, supplement, promulgate timely legal documents on the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; to assess and define the coincided or overlapping matters, to formulate a roadmap for amendment, to propose appropriate activities of amendment ensuring the uniformity and effectiveness.

- To formulate and promulgate the unified systems of criteria, classification, division of functional zones suitable to each form of forest, sea, inland water conservation.

- To organize assessment, completion and promulgate general regulations on policy to share benefits from services in the protected areas. To ensure to conduct final review of pilot model between forest owners and local population communities by 2015. In period till 2020, the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas will be accessed with new management method to conduct final review, learn by experiences and do as basis for completion of new policies and submission to authorities for approval.

- To promulgate provisions to guide the patrol, supervision over effectiveness of law execution, implement effective preventive measures against forest destruction, illegal exploitation of aquatic species so as to protect the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

c) To strengthen sustainable financial resources

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- To encourage, mobilize the participation of community and enterprises in financial investment in the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas, scientific research and ecological tourist. To prioritize in formulating regimes to create a stable financial source, to allow the calling of various financial sources, especially from forest-environmental services in the protected areas, contributions of enterprises and relevant parties in direction of socializing revenue sources to implement successfully strategy till 2020.

- State invest in infrastructure, training of human sources, support for activities of international cooperation, scientific survey and research. To strive to decrease gradually the dependence to budget source of Government, increase gradually the initiative in management of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

d) To strengthen human sources for management

- After competent authorities confirm, set up the management apparatus, the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas must be prioritized in full supply of force sources, equipment, infrastructure to ensure effective operation, contribute in successful implementation of strategy on national target in response to climate changes.

- To consolidate and strengthen professional capability, skills in law execution of management boards of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; raise awareness of responsibilities, the coordination of local authorities in managing the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

dd) To push up the propagation

- To organize the compilation and publication of books propagating on strategy and importance of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas with the aim to create the basic changes in awareness of entire society about role of the work at the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To formulate and popularize widely “Newsletters of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas in Vietnam” to timely provide and share information of activities at the protected areas nationwide as well as international lessons in management of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To push up integration of contents about the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas, ecological tourist, environmental education in teaching programs, especially extracurricular activity of common education levels appropriately.

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- To strengthen international cooperation with the aim to call sponsorships, financial and technical helps for scientific survey and research, training staff; expand the scientific exchange and cooperation  with other countries, firstly neighboring countries to exchange, learn experiences in management, protection of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To implement effectively international commitments on natural conservation, biodiversity through activities of cooperation, research, training and coaching to improve capability of management boards of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To strengthen international cooperation in inter-border conservation and set up the important inter-border protected areas; to formulate regulations on instructing activities of inter-border conservation for the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas adjacent to neighboring countries on land and on sea; strengthen scientific coordination, investigation, and supervision of biodiversity through activities of research coordination at inter-border zones.

- To increase effectiveness of implementation of international treaties and commitments through integration of international contents and rules in national policies and law on the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

g) To strengthen inspection and supervision over implementation of Strategy.

- To formulate set of indicators and carry out regular supervision to assess properly and timely the extent of implementation of strategy till 2020 at central level, provinces/cities affiliated central level and the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- To conduct periodical inspection with focused contents about extent of implementation of strategy at all levels. Periodically report to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to have grounds for handling and report to the Prime Minister about implementation of strategy.

6. Organization of implementation

a) Ministries and central sectors

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- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall: Balance investment capital for implementation of Strategy under annual plans; to allocate investment capital for implementation of contents in priority activities of Strategy; to mobilize international sponsorships for the work of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas, biodiversity conservation in the protected areas.

- The Ministry of Finance shall allocate funding for non-business expenditure to implement Strategy under annual plans; guide mechanism of allocation, use management, payment and final settlement of funding for implementation of contents of prioritized activities in accordance with Law on state budget.

- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall closely coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and relevant Ministries and sectors in implementation of tasks within their duties and powers; to integrate with implementation of national strategy on biodiversity till 2020, vision till 2030, not let tasks and activities be overlapped.

- Ministries, sectors and agencies at central level shall, under their functions and tasks, coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in organizing the effective implementation of this Strategy.

b) Localities:

- To organize implementation of Strategy on localities managed by them according to guides of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

- To mobilize, allocate the local force sources and use the force sources allocated for implementation of Strategy by Central level in proper purpose and effectively.

- To organize propagation and education on the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas; to strengthen the work of inspection, supervision over execution of law in domain of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

- Periodically report on status and result of strategy implementation to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in order to sum up and report to the Prime Minister.

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Article 3. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, and heads of relevant agencies shall implement this Decision.

FOR THE PRIME MINISTER
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER



Hoang Trung Hai

LIST OF

PRIORITY PROGRAMS, SCHEMES AND PROJECTS
(Promulgated together with Decision No. 218/QD-TTg dated February 07, 2014 of the Prime Minister)

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Time

Agencies presiding over formulation and submission

The coordinating agencies

1.

Program on formulating new legal documents:

Circular providing for scientific research and activities of investment in ecological tourist development in the protected areas

2015

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

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To conduct final reviews and assess the policy on pilot sharing benefits to formulate new policies for the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

2015

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

3.

To make detailed planning and dossier of new establishment of the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas

2016

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

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To formulate plan on emergency action to protect endangered, precious and rare species

2017

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

5.

To formulate project on strengthening cooperation in inter-border conservation and setting up the important inter-border protected areas

2018

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the provincial People’s Committees, and international organizations

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To build system of database information management for the special-use forests, marine protected areas and inland water protected areas.

2018

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment