Phu Yen (VNA) – Bao ChauPrivate Enterprise, a forest manager in central Phu Yen province, on September13 joined the Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN), a World Wildlife Fund (WWF)initiative linking more than 300 companies worldwide that are committed toresponsible forestry.
The GFTN was launched in 2005 to combatillegal logging and improve forest management.
Bao Chau is Vietnam’s tenth company tobecome a GFTN member, said GFTNVietnam Coordinator Le Thien Duc.
According to Duc, GFTN membersin Vietnam will receive technical training and information about the timbermarket, new timber products-related requirements from Vietnam and buyingcountries, such as EU Timber Regulation and Forest Law Enforcement, Governanceand Trade for the EU, and the Lacey Act for the US.
The network also connectsresponsible buyers and suppliers, and provides technical support in purchasingcertified wood materials.
Firms must put effort into sustainableforest management and forest-related business following global standards, saidVice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Huu The.
He vowed to provide goodconditions for businesses to manage their woodland sustainably and to help themaccess markets like the US, EU, Japan, the Republic of Korea and more in thefuture.
Bao Chau manages more than 2,000 hectares offorest in Phu Yen. Under support from the GFTN, the company plans to increasearea of sustainably managed forest to 5,000 hectares by 2020. It has startedbuilding a wood processing factory for export.-VNA