Project News

From 27 February to 6 March 2023, the KCCP program "Sustainable Forest Management and Forest Certification" was held, and ten officers from Viet Nam visited Japan.

In this KCCP, two officers from the Management Board of Forestry Projects (MBFP), the counterpart agency of the Project, and two officers each from the target provinces (Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai, and Tuyen Quang) participated. They visited Hita city of Oita prefecture and Oguni-machi of Kumamoto prefecture, where the municipalities are known for advanced forest certification. Their knowledge and experience in forest certification were shared with the participants.

Before the KCCP, each participant looked back on the challenges in their organizations and joined the program, keeping them in mind. Thus, the participants raised many questions at each visiting site, especially on the cost, such as certification costs, cutting and afforestation costs, and organizational management costs. They were a little surprised to know the low profit that forest owners can receive after cutting 50-year cedar forests. At Aso-Kuju National Park, they learned the maintenance of grassland scenery could contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and water source protection and the prevention of global warming.

On the final day of the KCCP, the participants developed an action plan and presented it, considering what they learned in Japan and also thinking about how to apply it to Viet Nam.

After coming back to their organizations, it is expected that the participants tackle sustainable forest management and forest certification, utilizing the knowledge acquired in Japan.

Cutting field at Hita city

Wood chips for wood biomass power generation

Green Power Generation Oita

Wood market at Hita district forest cooperative

Sawmill in Hita city

Try-wood company (utilising unused materials)

Lecture on National Park management

Action plan presentation