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The Forestry Law consists of 12 chapters, 108 articles, institutionalizing the state's principles, directions, and policies on forestry, contributing to the sustainable management, protection, and development of forests. Mytour invites readers to learn the detailed content in the following article.
The 2017 Forestry Law, exploring the content of Law No. 16/2017/QH14 dated November 15, 2017 by the Government
1. Introduction to the Forestry Law.
2. Key highlights of the Forestry Law.
2.1. Expansion of regulatory scope, new definitions of forests.
2.2. Supplementing regulations on forest classification.
2.3. Institutionalizing forest ownership provisions.
2.4. Regulations on forest environmental services.
2.5. Afforestation as replacement when converting forest use purposes to other purposes.
* Download the latest Forestry Law Here
1. Introduction to the Forestry Law
- The latest Forestry Law currently in effect is the 2017 Forestry Law. This document replaces the 2004 Law on Forest Protection and Development.
- The Forestry Law comprises 12 chapters and 108 articles, detailed as follows:
+ Chapter I: General provisions
+ Chapter II: Forestry planning
+ Chapter III: Forest management
+ Chapter IV: Forest Protection
+ Chapter V: Forest Development
+ Chapter VI: Forest Utilization
+ Chapter VII: Processing and Trading of Forest Products
+ Chapter VIII: Rights and Responsibilities of Forest Owners
+ Chapter IX: Forest Valuation, Investment, and Finance
+ Chapter X: Science and Technology, International Cooperation in Forestry
+ Chapter XI: State Management of Forestry and Forest Inspection
+ Chapter XII: Implementation Provisions
- Scope of Regulation: Issues of forest management, protection, development, utilization; processing and trading of forest products.
2. Highlights of the Forestry Law
The 2017 Forestry Law replaces the 2004 Forest Protection and Development Law with many new provisions added. Here are some highlights:
2.1. Expansion of Regulatory Scope, New Definitions of Forests
- Section 1 of Article 2 of the Forestry Law defines 'forestry as the economic-technical sector encompassing forest management, protection, development, utilization; processing and trading of forest products.' Compared to the previous regulations, it expands the regulatory scope.
- According to Article 2 of this Law, forests are defined based on criteria such as (1) area, (2) tree height, and (3) tree canopy density. Meanwhile, the old Law did not specify criteria for tree height and area.
What is the Forestry Law? Understand the content of the Forestry Law according to current legislation.
2.2. Supplementing Regulations on Forest Classification
- The Forestry Law supplements additional categories such as religious forests, urban environmental protection forests, industrial parks, export processing zones, economic zones, high-tech zones (for specialized forests); adds community-based water protection forests; border protection forests for border protection.
2.3. Institutionalizing Forest Ownership Regulations
- According to Article 7 of the Forestry Law, the state represents the owner of forests belonging to the entire people, including: natural forests, state-invested planted forests, state-reclaimed planted forests, gifted forests, or cases of transferring ownership of other planted forests.
- Individuals, households, organizations, and communities are only allowed to own productive forests, including:
+ Forests invested in by organizations, households, individuals, and communities;
+ Forests received through transfer, donation, or inheritance from other forest owners as stipulated by the law.
2.4. Regulations on Forest Environmental Services
This is the new content stipulated by the Forestry Law from Article 61 to Article 65. These provisions will establish the legal basis for forest exploitation, from timber and non-timber forest products to non-wood products, thereby creating additional sustainable financial resources for direct investment in forests.
2.5. Afforestation as Replacement when Changing Forest Use Purposes to Other Purposes
This is an entirely new provision compared to the old law. Accordingly, afforestation as replacement will create conditions to ensure that forests are always maintained and developed. Additionally, afforestation as replacement must be three times the area of forest converted for natural forests.
Thus, the Forestry Law with many new provisions will contribute to establishing the legal basis for forest management, exploitation, and protection. Through specific provisions, individuals and related organizations will have more responsibility in forest protection and development.
Readers can also explore other legal documents such as the Economic Law, Securities Law, Mineral Law, etc.
