2001年-世界发展银行全球_Lao_PDR_-_Production_Forestry_Policy___Status_and_Issues_for_Dialogue_Volume_2_Annexes_67页_476kb

Lao PDR Production Forestry Policy Summary

Core Content

The Lao PDR Production Forestry Policy document outlines the current status and challenges in the country's forestry sector, particularly in the areas of production forest management, allocation, and utilization. It was developed in collaboration with the World Bank, Sida, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, with the aim of promoting sustainable forestry practices and aligning policy with economic, environmental, and social goals.

The document includes a Forest Policy Matrix that details key issues, the existing situation, proposed strategies, government perspectives, and recommended actions. It highlights the need for improved governance, transparency, and technical capacity in managing production forests, as well as the importance of integrating sustainable practices into the sector.

Main Issues and Perspectives

1. Wood Industries Sector

• Existing Situation: The sector is characterized by unreliable and incomplete statistics, low efficiency, and a mismatch between industry capacity and sustainable forest resources.
• Government Perspective: The government has authorized provinces to streamline existing wood processing factories.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Impose a moratorium on new wood industry investments.
  • Establish an inter-ministerial mechanism for evaluating environmental, economic, and social viability.
  • Implement a registration and monitoring system within MAF/DOF.
  • Rationalize the sector to match sustainable raw material supply levels in target provinces.

2. Deforestation

• Existing Situation: Annual deforestation rates range from 0.3 to 2%, with shifting cultivation being a significant factor.
• Government Perspective: Historical issues such as chemical use and UXOs have hindered forest regeneration.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Review rural and infrastructure development projects to minimize forest conversion.
  • Introduce sustainable forest management planning.

3. Forest Degradation

• Existing Situation: Overharvesting of high-value species leads to degradation of forest composition and value.
• Government Perspective: Current projects focus on economic species without considering sustainable practices.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Promote the use of lesser-known species (LKS) and low-grade logs.
  • Introduce best practices guidelines for harvesting and landing processing.
  • Support technical assistance to PAFO, DAFO, and SOEs in target provinces.
  • Review penalties for forest resource abuses.

4. Production Forest Allocation

• Existing Situation: Allocation is not systematic, competitive, or transparent. It is often done for short-term revenue rather than long-term sustainability.
• Government Perspective: The government aims to promote community forestry for protection and sustainable use.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Establish competitive and transparent procedures for forest allocation.
  • Review sustainable forest management principles.
  • Provide technical assistance to PAFO, DAFO, and villages in target provinces.
  • Ensure long-term commitment through secure land-use rights and incentives.

5. Forest Management Planning

• Existing Situation: There is a lack of medium-term management planning and operational guidelines.
• Government Perspective: Agreed with the draft matrix.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Prepare management plan guidelines for concession and village forest management.
  • Review operational plan guidelines for annual operations.
  • Establish procedures and offices for management and operational planning.
  • Test these procedures in select sites.

6. Harvesting Management & Monitoring

• Existing Situation: Poor harvesting practices result in high waste and underpayment of revenues. There is a lack of codes, standards, and enforcement.
• Government Perspective: The government has collaborated with CIFOR and APFC to develop harvesting codes and low-impact logging training.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Develop a harvesting code of practice and detailed guidelines.
  • Introduce harsh penalties for abuses and dishonesty.
  • Provide technical assistance to support implementation in target provinces.

7. Low Impact Harvesting

• Existing Situation: FOMACOP and JFM projects have demonstrated the feasibility of sustainable, village-based forestry.
• Government Perspective: The government has initiated the development of a harvesting code with CIFOR.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Identify potential for low-impact logging in remnant forest areas near villages.
  • Transfer knowledge and technology to new PAFO and DAFO offices and villages.
  • Replicate successful models in select provinces.

8. Village Land-Forest Allocation

• Existing Situation: Allocation is not fully participatory, and villagers lack the capacity to manage forests sustainably.
• Government Perspective: The LSFP sub-programme has developed manuals for land use and allocation.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Conduct an independent audit of the land-forest allocation system.
  • Derive an allocation programme aligned with the capacity of local offices.
  • Ensure transparency and enforcement in land use designations.

9. Forest Plantations

• Existing Situation: Plantations focus on quantity over quality, with poor survival rates and limited use of GIS for planning.
• Government Perspective: A National Strategy for Sustainable Plantation Forestry has been developed.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Review legal and regulatory frameworks to encourage investment in plantations.
  • Use GIS and scientific data to calculate annual allowable cuts.
  • Explore applications of GIS in planning and monitoring for land-use designation.

Resource Mobilization

1. Land Use Allocation

• Existing Situation: Principles and guidelines for land allocation are unclear.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Develop more apparent procedures for land allocation.
  • Base decisions on the most beneficial activity within environmental and social constraints.
  • Strengthen local initiatives and ensure transparency and enforcement.

2. Forest Land Use Designation

• Existing Situation: GIS and inventory data are not used systematically for planning.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Evaluate and coordinate GIS planning tools for land use designation.
  • Ensure land use designations are respected and enforced at all levels.
  • Use GIS to calculate allowable cuts and review procedures.

3. Assignment of Management Responsibility and Rights

• Existing Situation: Allocation of responsibilities and benefits is unclear and inconsistent.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Align de jure and de facto management.
  • Clarify institutional mandates and responsibilities.
  • Audit regional development enterprises and separate development from commercial functions.

4. Annual Allowable Cut (AAC)

• Existing Situation: AAC estimates are inconsistent and lack reliable data.
• Key Recommendations:
  • Extend current PSP coverage to other forest types.
  • Use GIS to calculate AACs at different levels.
  • Adjust harvest quotas based on AACs and available data.

Conclusion

The Lao PDR Production Forestry Policy emphasizes the need for systematic, transparent, and scientifically based management practices. It calls for the decentralization of forest management, the promotion of sustainable practices, and the improvement of institutional capacity. Key areas for reform include the wood industry sector, deforestation and degradation, forest allocation and planning, and technical assistance and monitoring. The policy also advocates for the integration of community-based forestry, forest certification, and eco-labelling to ensure environmentally and socially responsible forestry.