Laws and the Mission of Preserving Green Forests

Forests – the green lungs and invaluable resources of the nation – are being safeguarded and developed daily thanks to an increasingly comprehensive legal system. On the occasion of Vietnam Law Day 9/11, let's look back at the past journey with the Vietnam Forest Resources Museum and affirm the role of law in the cause of the nation's "golden forests and silver seas".
Law: A Solid Shield for Green Forests:
"Golden forests and silver seas" – a phrase from our ancestors that highlights the importance of forests to the nation's development. Recognizing this, from its early days, the government has continuously established and improved the legal framework for forest protection and development. From the Law on Forest Protection and Development in 1991 to the Forestry Law in 2017 and other related legal documents, a robust legal "fortress" has been built and fortified to safeguard the nation's green lungs.
Encouraging Outcomes and Current Wondering
Thanks to the decisive involvement of authorities and the collective efforts of the people, forest management, protection, and development have seen many positive results in recent years. Forest coverage has increased, and many degraded forests have been restored. Forests contribute significantly to environmental protection, climate change adaptation, and improving livelihoods, thereby promoting socio-economic development.
However, alongside these achievements, issues like deforestation, illegal logging, and forest fires remain complicated challenges in some areas, posing significant difficulties for current forest management and protection efforts.
Toward a Green and Sustainable Future: Forest Development Associated with People's Benefits
To further enhance the role of laws in forest protection and development, the following key solutions should be prioritized:
Improving the Legal System: Update, supplement, and refine laws related to forest protection and development to align with current realities and international practices.
Enhancing Law Enforcement Effectiveness: Strengthen efforts to disseminate, educate, and promote awareness of forest protection and development laws among all citizens. Impose strict penalties on violations of forest-related laws.
Applying Science and Technology: Promote the use of information technology, remote sensing, and other scientific advancements in forest management, protection, and development.
In addition, policies that link forest development with people's benefits should be promoted, encouraging public participation in forest protection and development through initiatives such as:
Forest Environmental Service Payments: Provide financial compensation to individuals for protecting and developing forests, contributing to sustainable livelihoods from forests.
Developing the Carbon Market: Finalize the legal framework to facilitate participation in carbon credit trading markets and attract investments in forest protection and development activities.
Protecting and developing forests is the responsibility of every citizen and the shared mission of the entire nation. Let us join hands with the community to coexist harmoniously with nature for a green, clean, beautiful, and sustainable Vietnam.