1

Policybriefs

Drivers of forest changes in Bac Kan Province

Reforestation policies

Land allocation policies, population increase

Proximity to urban areas

Access to planting materials

Household income

32

http://www.asb.cgiar.org

Implications

• Expansion of plantation forest should go hand in hand with regeneration of natural forest.

• Better control of non-allocated forest or community land is needed to prevent encroachment.

• Government reforestation programs should focus in remote areas where people have no access to planting materials and markets.

• Forest plantation should be facilitated or expanded in areas where households have either less income from paddy rice production or more income from non-farm sources.

Forest cover in Vietnam has significantly increased since mid1990s, reportedly as a result of numerous policies and programs that support forest land allocation, protection and development. However, little has been understood about how such policies and programs affected local forests. In addition, there are concerns that forest plantation has been a threat to natural forest at the national level.

1

What drives reforestation in Viet Nam?

22

What drives reforestation in Viet Nam?

2

The study focused in Ngan Son and Pac Nam districts, Bac Kan province (Figure 1), where net reforestation has been found from 2000. A variety of research tools including GIS, focus group discussion and household surveys, followed by correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of forest changes, and the drivers behind those changes.

Key findingsThe spatial data in Bac Kan province (Table1) indicated an overall increase in both natural forest and plantation forest during 2000-2012. Spatial distribution of natural forest and plantation forest in Bac Kan Province in 2000 and 2010 are indicated in Figure 1 and 2 respectively.

At the household level, there was conversion from natural forest to plantation forest, agroforestry and shifting cultivation. These areas were eventually converted to plantation forest (Figure 3).

In general, increased forest cover was facilitated by the implementation of government policies and programs on forest protection, reforestation and land allocation, increasing population, and proximity to urban areas and access to sources of planting materials.

Household income as a driver of forest changes has two sides of the coin---low income households from paddy cultivation invest in forest plantation as an alternative income source; whereas, increases in income from paddy rice production tend to discourage expansion of forest plantation. Households with higher earnings from paddy rice invest more on other things than in forest plantation; this could run the risk of forest encroachment for paddy expansion.

Table 1. Natural and plantation forest area in Bac Kan province by 2000 and 2010

2000 (ha) 2010 (ha)

Natural forest 235,605 237,605

Plantation forest 10,638 38,537

Total land area 485,941

BA BE

NA RI

CHO MOI

PAC NAM

Cho Don

LANG SON

CAO BANG

NGAN SON

BACH THONG

THAI NGUYEN

TUYEN QUANG

TX. BAC KAN

Cu Le

Ha Vi

Kim Lu

Kim Hy

Nhu Co

Yen Cu

Cao Ky

Yªn My

Ra Ban

Tu Tri

Boc Bo

Nam Mau

Cao Tri

Ha Hieu

Vu Loan

Van Hoc

An Tinh

Lam Son

Dong Xa

Duc Van

Coc Dan

Yun Han

Nong Ha

Mai Lap

Hoa Muc

Tan Son

Dai Xao

Yen Thi

Ban Thi

Tan LapSi Binh

Vu Muon

Cao Son

Cao Tan

Xuan La

Co Linh

Dia Linh

Phuc Loc

Luong HaLang San

Van Minh

Huu ThacCon Minh

Xuat Hoa

Van Tung

Huong Ne

Bang Van

Binh VanYen §inh

Nghia Ta

§ong Lac

Xuan Lac

Vi Huong

Tan Tien

My Thanh

Luc Binh

An Thang

Nhan Mon

Hoang TriDong Phuc

Quang Khe

Chu Huong

Yen Duong

My Phuong

Cuong Loi

Hao Nghia

Duong Son

Liem Thuy

Trung Hoa

Thuong An

Lang Ngam

Quang Chu

Thanh Mai

Thanh Van

Yªn Nhuan

Dong Vien

Bang Lang

Ngoc Phai

Bang Phuc

Nam Cuong

Cam Giang

Quan Binh

Don Phong

Cong Bang

Giao Hieu

Khang Ninh

Cao Thuong

Banh Trach

Xuan Duong

Huyen Tung

Thuan Mang

Thanh Binh

Nong Thinh

Binh Trung

Phong Huan

Luong Bang

Yen Thuong

Quang Bach

Bang Thanh

Thuong Giao

T.T. Cho Ra

T.T Yen Lac

Quang Phong

P. Duc XuanP. Song Cau

Duong Quang

Thuong QuanTT. Na Phac

Phuong Vien

Phuong Linh

Nguyen Phuc

Quang ThuanDuong Phong

Nghien Loan

Luong Thuong

P. Minh Khai

TT. Choî Moi

TT. Bang Lung

P. Phung Chi Kien

Land use map of Bac Kan province - 2010

LegendAgroforestry landAnnual cropsBareland with grass and shrubsNatural forestPlanted forestRocky mountain without forestSettlement & Sepcial use landWater surface

Figure 2: Land use map of Bac Kan province in 2010Figure 1: Land use map of Bac Kan province in 2000

BA BE

NA RI

CHO MOI

PAC NAM

Cho Don

LANG SON

CAO BANG

NGAN SON

BACH THONG

THAI NGUYEN

TUYEN QUANG

TX. BAC KAN

Cu Le

Ha Vi

Kim Lu

Kim Hy

Nhu Co

Yen Cu

Cao Ky

Yªn My

Ra Ban

Tu Tri

Boc Bo

Nam Mau

Cao Tri

Ha Hieu

Vu Loan

Van Hoc

An Tinh

Lam Son

Dong Xa

Duc Van

Coc Dan

Yun Han

Nong Ha

Mai Lap

Hoa Muc

Tan Son

Dai Xao

Yen Thi

Ban Thi

Tan LapSi Binh

Vu Muon

Cao Son

Cao Tan

Xuan La

Co Linh

Dia Linh

Phuc Loc

Luong HaLang San

Van Minh

Huu ThacCon Minh

Xuat Hoa

Van Tung

Huong Ne

Bang Van

Binh VanYen §inh

Nghia Ta

§ong Lac

Xuan Lac

Vi Huong

Tan Tien

My Thanh

Luc Binh

An Thang

Nhan Mon

Hoang TriDong Phuc

Quang Khe

Chu Huong

Yen Duong

My Phuong

Cuong Loi

Hao Nghia

Duong Son

Liem Thuy

Trung Hoa

Thuong An

Lang Ngam

Quang Chu

Thanh Mai

Thanh Van

Yªn Nhuan

Dong Vien

Bang Lang

Ngoc Phai

Bang Phuc

Nam Cuong

Cam Giang

Quan Binh

Don Phong

Cong Bang

Giao Hieu

Khang Ninh

Cao Thuong

Banh Trach

Huyen Tung

Thuan Mang

Thanh Binh

Nong Thinh

Binh Trung

Phong Huan

Luong Bang

Yen Thuong

Quang Bach

Bang Thanh

Thuong Giao

T.T. Cho Ra

T.T Yen Lac

Quang Phong

P. Duc XuanP. Song Cau

Duong Quang

Thuong QuanTT. Na Phac

Phuong Vien

Phuong Linh

Nguyen Phuc

Quang ThuanDuong Phong

Nghien Loan

Luong Thuong

P. Minh Khai

TT. Choî Moi

TT. Bang Lung

P. Phung Chi Kien

Land use map of Bac Kan province -2000

LegendAgroforestry land

Annual crops

Bareland with grass and shrubs

Natural forest

Planted forest

Rocky mountain without forest

Settlement & Special use land

Water surface 1:500,000

33

1. Government reforestation programsOn one hand, financial and seedling support from the government promoted rapid expansion of forest plantations, but also facilitated natural forest loss on the other hand. The area of forest established by households was strongly influenced by both the amount of cash and number of seedlings provided by the government. As a result, forest plantations spread not only in shifting cultivation and scattered tree-based areas, but also in allocated forest lands.

2. Land allocation, population growth Household size and increasing population also influenced expansion of forest plantation from 2000 to 2012. This is because the lands allocated under the Land Allocation policy were proportional to the size of households that was increasing over the 12-year period. However, bigger households had also encroached into non-allocated forests to meet their demand for more land and food, which they could later convert into agriculture or forest plantation.

3. Proximity to urban areas and access to sources of planting materialsBoth government-supported and privately-owned forest plantations were found to be mostly located in areas close to urban centers with good access to private seed and seedling sources.

4. Household income By 2012, low-income households from paddy cultivation obtained additional income from forest plantations that were established during 2000-2012. Households earning less income from paddy fields considered forest plantation as a complimentary source of livelihood. Lower paddy-households also managed to earn off-farm incomes, which they invested in forest plantations.

Household size 2000 (+)

Paddy income 2000 (-)

Distance to urban centres (-)

Indirect drivers

Area of poor natural forest to plantation

forest (+)

Direct drivers

Total land owned by household (+)

Seedlings of forest tree species provided (+)

Cash incentives for forest plantation (+)

Distance to nursery (-)

Household size 2012 (+)

Paddy income 2012 (-)

Spurious relationships between di�erent drivers of factors

Decision 147, which allows conversion ofpoor natural

forest toplantation forest

Forest landallocation policy

Government reforestation

programs

Infrastructure development

Household socio-economic conditions

Natural forest (-)

Agroforestry

Shifting cultivation

Plantation forest (+)

Change and impacts

Figure 3: Drivers of forest changes in Bac Kan province

World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Viet Nam No.8, Lot 13A Trung Hoa StreetYen Hoa Ward, Cau Giay DistrictHanoi, Viet NamTel and Fax: +84 4 3783 4644/45Email: icraf-vientnam@cgiar.orghttp://www.worldagroforestry.org/regions/southeast_asia/vietnam

References Castella, J.C., Erout, A., 2002. Montane paddy rice: the cornerstone of agricultural production systems

in Bac Kan Province Vietnam. In: Castella, J.C., Quang, D.D. (Eds.), Doi Moi in the Mountains. Land Use Changes and Farmers’ Livelihood Strategies in Bac Kan Province Vietnam. The Agricultural Publishing House, Ha Noi, pp. 175–195.

FAO (2009). Vietnam forestry outlook study. Working paper series, Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II. Bangkok. Thailand.

Jong, W.D.; Do, D.S. and Trieu, V.H. (2006). Forest rehabilitation in Vietnam: Histories, realities and future. Center for International Forestry Research. Jakarta. Indonesia.

Meyfroidt, P. and Lambin, E.F. (2008). The causes of the reforestation in Vietnam. Land Use Policy 25: 182-197.

AcknowledgementsDam Viet Bac, Doan Thi Luyen, Dang Thi Thu Thuy, Nguyen Thi Toan and Pham Thanh Loan.

Correct citationNguyen, T.H., Catacutan, D.C., Do, T.H. and Nguyen, M.P., 2013. What drives reforestation in Viet Nam.

Hanoi: World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Vietnam.

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Implications

1. Forest plantation development should go hand in hand with assisted natural forest regeneration. The government must impose strict regulations that ensure plantation forest development only in shifting cultivation areas and bare lands. Allocated natural forest should be left/or assisted to regenerate than being converted to forest plantation.

2. A better control of non-allocated forest lands or community forests is needed to prevent encroachment and conversion into agriculture or forest plantation. Natural population growth within allocated forest areas exerts pressure in non-allocated forest lands or community forests that are perceived to be a common pool resource.

3. Government reforestation programs should focus in remote areas where people have no access to planting materials and financial capital compared to their urban counterparts where seed and seedling systems, as well as market for timber products are well developed.

4. Forest plantation should be facilitated or expanded in areas where households have either less income from paddy fields or more income from non-farm sources.