Management boards of national parks will be handed more authority, in which buffer zone of the parks could be for rent to gain more benefit from forest. This is one of the stimulating policies on investing and developing special-use forest by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
There exists a paradox that localities of abundant special-use forest face poverty for localities are not only unbenefited from the forest but bear the cost burden of forest management activities.
Forest Management Department's Deputy Director Nguyen Huu Dung said, after the pilot programme, there are positive signs that areas rented for ecotourism have been under good protection. The area for building tourist infrastructure covers a small part of the total rented area. Some areas which were deforested before are now protected by tourist businesses and are recovering well.
Particularly, many local people in the national parks have been recruited to work for ecotourist areas. Tourist activities aslo boost the demand on local agricultural products and handicrafts.
Ecotourism development is paving the way for protecting and developing special-use forest, raising benefits for the management boards, local communities, hence securing the target of "Conservation for Development - Development for Conservation".
Translated by T.P (TITC)
Source: Tien phong