Training on monitoring forest changes in Binh Thuan province in 2024

Implementing plan No. 1290/KH-CCKL dated October 31, 2024 of the Binh Thuan Provincial Forest Protection Department, a training course on forest monitoring and updating in 2024 took place from November 11, 2024 to November 15, 2024. The purpose of the training course is to improve forest monitoring skills and proficiently use FRMS 4.0.89 software (upgraded version of FRMS 4.0), forest monitoring software, and equipment (FMS Binh Thuan, FMS mobile Binh Thuan, Drones) to serve the work of monitoring and updating forest developments in 2024 according to the provisions of Circular 33/2018/TT-BNNPTNT and Circular No. 16/2023/TT-BNNPTNT amending and supplementing several articles of Circular No. 33/2018/TT-BNNPTNT.

The first training course was held on November 11, 2024, at Binh Minh Hotel, Phan Thiet City. Participants were leaders and officers of the Forest Protection Department, Forest Protection Districts, forest owners, and related units. The second training course was held from November 12, 2024 to November 15, 2024, at the Binh Thuan Provincial Forest Protection Department conference hall. Participants are officers from the Forest Protection Department, Forest Protection Districts, Phu Quy Agricultural Technical and Service Center. The lecturers of the training course are MSc. Vu Van Thai and BSc. Nguyen Ngoc Duy from Green Field Consulting and Development Co., Ltd.

Binh Thuan is one of the pioneering provinces in deploying remote sensing technology applications, using satellite images to build a forest monitoring system (FMS Binh Thuan) since 2019 and officially put into operation in 2020. In 2023 and 2024, the Binh Thuan Forest Protection Department continued to be approved by the Binh Thuan Provincial People’s Committee to build an application for patrolling and monitoring forests using mobile devices. FMS Binh Thuan has been effective in detecting early forest change cases such as detecting illegal cannabis plantations in Ham Tan district in 2021, illegal deforestation in Ham Tan district in 2024, and illegal leveling on Phu Quy island. The results of this early detection of forest changes have supported the forest rangers and forest owners to promptly handle and prevent further deforestation, and minimize forest damage. The effectiveness of applying technology in forest monitoring and management is also demonstrated through the reception of other provinces to visit and learn from experiences such as Quang Ngai Forest Protection Department in 2021, Ben Tre Forest Protection Department, Ninh Thuan Province in 2022, Quang Binh province in 2024. In addition, some provinces through the press have contacted Binh Thuan Forest Protection Department to learn and consult to build similar systems to the Forest Protection Departments of Vinh Phuc, Lang Son, Tuyen Quang provinces, and a number of other units in the Forestry sector.