http://www.medee.mn/main.php?eid=86650
NEW MANAGEMENT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE MONGOLIAN FORESTRY
Event theme: “Let’s listen to our forest researchers and academia” meeting and consultation
Date: 09.12.2016
Venue: Best Western Premier
Organizers: Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Applied Sciences and Engineering School of National University of Mongolia and UN-REDD
“Let’s listen to our forest researchers and academia” meeting and consultation
This meeting was organized aiming to listen to the ideas and concerns of the academia about the proper use of forest resources and wealth, its protection and regeneration, expecting it will serve as important impulse for appropriate planning and implementation of state policy in line with the scientific findings.
The event was attended by Minister of Environment and Tourism Ms. D. Oyunkhorol, Director of Forest Policy and Coordination Department Ms. M. Tungalag and over 50 researchers and academia from NUM, MULS, Institute of General and Testing Biology under Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Geo-ecological Institute and UN-REDD Program.
Ms. M. Tungalag: This meeting is special as all academia and scientists are gathered in one place
Q: What is the importance of today’s meeting?
A: Professional government is working. So it’s very important to listen to the words of professionals. Upon the initiatives by the MET Ms. D. Oyunkhorol, series of academic meetings are being organized sector by sector. This time is for forest academia and experts, gathering to tell their comments and ideas. Previously, academia and scientist met categorized by its specific areas. For example, prior to starting the work to fight with the forest pests and insects, scientists specialized on this field were gathered and jointly formulated the tactics and methodology and fire experts are gathered during forest fire etc. For this time, it’s specific as all academia and scientists are gathered in one place. We will share our ideas and concerns with each other and the Minister herself promised to support and pay attention to the resulting proposals on what shall be done. This meeting is organized at the time when 2017 State Budget is under its way, which means which policy and how it will be implemented in next year.
Q: Is there any big action which planned in near future?
A: Next week there is going to be a very big meeting. With the German financial and professionals’ support, the Government is officially going to get the “Multipurpose National Forest Inventory Report”, which is organized by the Government of Mongolia. This is the official complete forest inventory count that being made 40 years later. So this has high importance. This is the first-ever inventory count conducted using the internationally recognized methodology.
Q: How current situation of the forest being assessed?
A: The Mongolian forest is seen at 3 levels. It draw conclusion that first, forest is aging; second, not enough resources; and third, Mongolian forest hasn’t been used much. Following this, so many goals will be set in the policy. After getting the forest inventory document, the team of scientists who will do the policy analysis is very important. We are facing with the situation which requires us to improve and amend the forest policy documents, even to revisit to the overall policies on forest sector adopted at state level, draw conclusion and amend it.
Q: What is the forest policy that we used to adopt?
A: It is directly visible that it’s not effective management to adopt the forest protection policy for many years. This can be seen from that we have been expending the forest resources all the time. For the country like ours, forestry has to be contributing a lot for the nation’s economy, not expending it wastefully. From which, we can see that internationally recognized sustainable forest management model is not in place. Thus, after receiving the documents and materials of “Multipurpose national forest Inventory report”, we need to change the economic activities of forest on principle. Of course, transition into new model will require workforce and financial planning. It’s not easy work, however, in accordance with the MDG, we have to keep our forest area sustainably, upon quality and healthy considerations. Thus, there is no other way than following this way. The Government of Mongolia joined to UN-REDD Program in 2010 and signed on it, which means we have a responsibility to implement this management. I envision that 13th of this month will be day to newly understand our forest nationwide and start such work.