Linking Trade Demand and Sustainable Forest Management (LTDSFM)

Vietnam

Vietnam’s wood processing sector is rapidly developing. One of the main driving forces is Vietnam’s export oriented outdoor furniture industry, which became Vietnam’s 4th largest export earner in 2007. On the other hand, the sector largely depends on timber imports. The shortage of domestic timber supply also lead to unsustainable use of forest resources in the Mekong Region, especially in Lao PDR.

As a response to the high public awareness about unsustainable management practices and forest destruction in the Mekong Region, international buyers of outdoor furniture increasingly demand credibly certified products. By taking advantage of market opportunities created by this trend, WWF launched the Vietnam Forest and Trade Network (GFTN-Vietnam) in 2005, supporting Vietnamese wood processing companies to clean up their supply chains and link them to responsible buyers of timber products worldwide. However, today FSC certified timber in Vietnam today is entirely met by imports from as far as e.g. South Africa or Brazil.

LTDSFM will be implemented in the period from 2007 to 2010 and support forest management operations and private businesses in Vietnam and Lao PDR to improve their management practices. This will generate an enabling environment for FSC certification as a market based tool for sustainable forest management in the Mekong Region. The project is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by WWF Greater Mekong Programme in cooperation with the Department of Forestry (DoF) under the Vietnam Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

Promotion of Lesser Known Timber Species in Vietnam (LKTS)

The exploitation of a broad range of different species including LKTS is an important element of sustainable forests management. The use of LKTS, in combination with higher value processing, certification and access to high value export markets, can make sustainable forest management happen.

The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN)- Vietnam

Being one of the 34 countries that GFTN work with, the Global & Forest Trade Network Vietnam (GFTN-Vietnam) facilitates trade linls with a global network of responsible buyers, helping to simultate a vibrant Vietnamese forest industry.

Documentation

Schrader S. 2009: Linking Trade Demand and Sustainable Forest Management (LTDSFM), Project Outline, 3 p.

WWF; SECO; SNV 2009: FSC Certification of small forest owners in Vietnam, Leaflet, 6 p.

SECO; GTZ; WWF; MARD; GFTN-Vietnam; USAID; GFA 2009: Promotion of Lesser Known Timber Species in Vietnam, Project Description, 3p.

GFTN-Vietnam; GTZ 2009: Promotion of Lesser Known Timber Species in Vietnam, Leaflet, 4 p.

GFTN-Vietnam 2009: Participation to the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN)- Vietnam, Leaflet, 4 p.

SECO 2008: Swiss economic development cooperation with Vietnam, Country Strategy Note, 19 p.

SECO 2003: Promotion of Sustainable Forest Management, Project Description, 2 p.