On March 26, 2014, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued the Circular No. 10/2014/TT-BNNPTNT on criteria for defining buffer zones of special-use forests and protection belt of marine protected areas.
Within that, the buffer zone of marine protected area has the width not exceeding 1,000 m (one thousand) from the boundaries of marine protected area outwards with the activities of fishery, aquaculture, boat docks, tourist attractions and other activities of the people directly affected the conservation of marine protected areas; and the marine protected areas adjacent to land, islands, the buffer zones also include the area of land, coastal water with hamlet communities and residential groups living and operating their business and production and traditional living activities.
The definition of internal buffer zones must meet the criteria as areas with hamlet communities and residential groups stably living before establishment of special-use forests; having no conditions for immigrant resettlement out of special-use forests; having long-term plan for stabilizing inhabitants in place in accordance with planning of special-use forest; the area inside the buffer zone shall be determined on the basis of the current state of land and water surface actually used of the households stably living and cultivating before establishment of special-use forest, but not exceeding a maximum of 10% of total area of special-use forests.
The definition of external buffer zone of special-use forest must meet the criteria as areas with hamlet communities living and operating their business and production and traditional living activities and area of hamlets adjacent to the external boundaries of special-use forest.
This Circular takes effect on May 12, 2014.
