The Prime Minister has approved a scheme to improve management of logging in natural forests for the 2014-2020 period, with the goal of increasing coverage to meet domestic demand for timber.

Under the plan, forest logging will only be allowed in two areas in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum and the central province of Quang Binh.

Local authorities will keep closer tabs on forests and timber trading while rangers will have opportunities to hone their skills.

Wood processing facilities will undergo inspections to stop unlicensed and illegal facilities from operating, making it easier for relevant agencies to control legitimate sources of timber. New processors will also face more restrictive licensing procedures.

Households will not be allowed to exploit more than 10cu.m of timber for family use at a time.

About 600ha of forest was destroyed in the first ten months of this year, roughly 50ha less than the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The country aims to plant an additional 731,000ha of forest in the 2011-15 period and replant 100,000-200,000ha of forest annually until 2020, with the aim of increasing forest coverage to 47 per cent from the current level of 39.1 per cent.

VNS/VNN