From December 19 to 20, 2024, the Central Vietnam Climate Change Research Center (CCCSC), under the AIN8748 Project Management Board, organized a training workshop on “Low-Impact Harvesting” as part of the 2024 implementation plan for Project AIN8748. The workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of cooperative members from the Nghe An Cooperative Alliance and the Thua Thien Hue Cooperative Alliance in applying low-impact harvesting techniques.
Key Details:
- Trainer: Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung, an independent forestry expert and consultant.
- Participants: Over 17 attendees from the Nghe An Cooperative Alliance, the Thua Thien Hue Cooperative Alliance, and various member cooperatives:
- Nghe An Province: Thanh Thuy Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative, Minh Thanh Agricultural Service and Construction Cooperative, Tien Ky Agricultural Service Cooperative, and Quynh Tam Agricultural Cooperative.
- Thua Thien Hue Province: Thuy Phuong Cooperative, Thuy Duong Cooperative, Hoa My Cooperative, A Roang Agricultural and Medicinal Cooperative, Phu Bai Cooperative, and Thuy Phu Cooperative.
Workshop Content
The training workshop focused on:
- Identifying common mistakes in using harvesting monitoring templates (pre-harvest, during harvest, and post-harvest).
- Techniques for low-impact harvesting.
- Occupational safety when using field equipment such as grass cutters, chainsaws, and machetes.
The workshop was divided into two sessions:
- Morning Session: Theory-based training at the Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University.
- Field Practice: Practical training on labor safety at a plantation forest managed by Thuy Phuong Cooperative.
Workshop Objectives
The training sought to:
- Enhance the capacity of cooperative members in applying low-impact harvesting techniques.
- Promote labor safety during harvesting activities.
- Minimize environmental and ecological impacts caused by harvesting.
- Optimize wood volume harvested by applying proper techniques and maximizing product utilization.
Workshop Results
Participants gained valuable knowledge and skills in:
- Ensuring occupational safety.
- Reducing environmental and ecological impacts.
- Preparing for harvesting (e.g., submitting harvesting applications for FSC-certified forests, preparing tools, forest sanitation, contract procedures, and post-harvest forest cleanup).
- Using and applying harvesting monitoring templates (pre-harvest, during harvest, and post-harvest).
This training helps cooperatives improve their capacity to monitor and manage plantation forest harvesting activities, particularly for members involved in FSC forest certification, fostering sustainable forestry practices.