ASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND PAYMENTS FOR FOREST ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FROM ECOTOURISM AND AQUACULTURE IN SON LA PROVINCE

Abstract

The study “Assessment of the potential to expand payments for forest environmental services from ecotourism and aquaculture in Son La province” was implemented in the context that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is cooperating with other ministries, sectors and consulting organizations in the development of the Draft Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Government's Decree 156/2018/ND-CP with the goal of specifying a number of provisions in a number of articles, clauses of the Law on Forestry, and amend a number of current regulations related to payment for forest environment, including those related to 2 areas: ecotourism business and aquaculture, to ensure that these regulations can be applied in the practice. The study result showed that despite a number of favorable factors, the expansion of PFES in the ecotourism and aquaculture in the province is still facing many difficulties in practice. The total potential PFES revenues in ecotourism business and aquaculture areas were estimated at VND 113 million and 410 million per year, respectively. The study results also showed that it’s critical to expand PFES in ecotourism and aquaculture following an appropriate roadmap, in which, indirect payment mode will be prioritized to applied in the period of 2023 - 2025 and indirect payment mode will be added from 2026 onwards when legal regulations for this payment mode shall be in place.