Improve the capacity of CSOs in forest change monitoring by using information from the forest change monitoring and updating system and Enhance the effectiveness of the Near-real-time Forest Change Independent Monitoring System ( FCIM) in Dakrong, Quang Tri province

Implementation Time: 2020 – 2022

Client: Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD)

Content

Forest degradation is one of the prominent problems in Vietnam. The main causes are inadequate enforcement of regulations on forest protection and development, incomplete information on forest cover, and gaps in forest monitoring. In addition, the forest information and data system has not been fully updated; social organizations and local communities have little opportunity to participate in decision making directly related to their lives, many guiding documents from management agencies at all levels overlap and constantly change.
The Dialogue for Sustainable Forest Development in Vietnam Project (Project number UDF-18-825-VIE) with the goal of strengthening dialogue between civil social organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs) and state management agencies for more transparency and accountability in the Forestry in Dakrong District, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The project is implemented in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam – a province with a high rate of forest degradation, and the project communes include Ba Nang, Dakrong and Huong Hiep in Dakrong District. Beneficiaries are civil social organizations (CSOs) in Quang Tri Province and Dakrong District, and Community groups are mainly from project communes. Local people in three selected communes also benefited from the project through awareness raising and information sharing activities.


Training people on how to use mobile apps to patrol and verify deforestation information

Goals of the project:

  • Capacity building for local CSOs and CBOs assigned to protect forests, participate in the network in Dakrong district on using Sentinel 2 satellite images and community-based forest patrol software (hereinafter referred to as: CFMS) in the Near Real-Time Forest Change Monitoring System;
  • Improve the effectiveness of the FCIM network in checking, detecting, validating, reporting on forest changes and realizing the benefits of using satellite images in forest management;
  • The results of using, analyzing and validating information on local forest changes from the CFMS system will serve as the basis for CSOs and CBOs to dialogue with State management agencies in charge of forestry, to increase transparency and accountability in solving and preventing deforestation.

Outcomes of consulting activities:

  • The near-real-time forest change monitoring system includes: i) 01 page to get forest loss warning information is built automatically; 01 mobile app was built to patrol and verify deforestation information from the warning system;
  • Training on using mobile apps and conducting monthly patrols for local people in 3 communes of Huong Hiep, Ba Nang and Dakrong.

The application will contribute to helping the local community detect information about forest loss early, and support the local forest rangers to take timely preventive measures.