Project News

In November, SUSFORM-NOW together with local authorities started the land and forest allocation (LFA) work in Muong Phang Commune, which will be an important foundation for the future PFES* payment to the villages. A commune-based forest ranger, a staff of Muong Phang Spefial-Use Forest Management Board (MPSUFMB), and a commune land officer were deployed as facilitators to undertake village meetings and field survey under the overall supervision and technical backstopping of SUSFROM-NOW.

In village meetings, the facilitators explained the purposes and provide technical and legal guidance related to the LFA. Villagers were then facilitated to verify the current forest status and village boundaries using satellite maps prepared by SUSFROM-NOW.

After the village meetings, field survey was conducted in villages by the team of the facilitators and villagers including village heads. In field survey, the team members visited existing forest plots one by one as well as village boundaries. After confirmation by the team, these key locations were recorded by Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and digital cameras for verification.

In this process, the team sometimes faced difficulties in drawing boundaries for forest plots asthey had been used by several villages for a long time. In such cases, LFA work was be suspended until all parties come to a solution.

All the LFA work in Muong Phang Commune is expected to be completed by Tet holidays, though there might be some delays.Upon the completion fo the work, SUSFORM-NOW will assist each village on forest protection contract making with the MPSUFMB.

* Payment for Forest Environmental Services