The first Central Forestry Work Conference was held to create a new era of China's forestry reform and development

Central Forestry Work Conference

-- Creating a new era of China's forestry reform and development

On June 22, 2009, the first Central Forestry Work Conference since the founding of the People's Republic of China was held. Wen Jiabao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and premier of the State Council, attended the meeting, met with all the delegates attending the meeting, and delivered an important speech. The main tasks of the meeting are: to fully implement the spirit of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Third Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Opinions of the State Council on Comprehensively Promoting the Reform of the Collective Forest Tenure System (Zhongfa [2008] No. 10), hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important idea of "three represents" as the guide, thoroughly implement the scientific outlook on development, further unify ideological understanding, systematically study the reform and development of forestry under the new situation, and comprehensively deploy and promote the reform of the collective forest tenure system. In order to promote the sound and rapid development of forestry and build a well-off society in an all-round way, new contributions will be made.

1. Deeply understand the strategic position and important role of forestry

Forestry is the main body of ecological civilization construction, shouldering a major historical mission in response to climate change and maintaining ecological security, and has become one of the focuses of the international community. The meeting clearly pointed out that forestry has an important position in the implementation of the strategy of sustainable development, forestry has a primary position in ecological construction, forestry has a basic position in the large-scale development of the western region, and forestry has a special position in coping with climate change. The meeting clearly demanded that the development of forestry must be taken as a major measure to achieve scientific development, the development of forestry must be regarded as the primary task of building ecological civilization, the development of forestry must be taken as a strategic choice to cope with climate change, and the development of forestry must be taken as an important way to solve the "three rural" problems. The meeting pointed out that the whole society's understanding of forestry has been deepened, and the role of forestry has become more prominent and its functions have become more diverse. The meeting put forward the general requirements for the development of modern forestry. This fully reflects the scientific orientation of the party and the government on the development of modern forestry, is the latest theoretical summary of the practice of forestry reform and development in the mainland, and has great practical significance and far-reaching historical significance for further guiding the scientific development of modern forestry in the mainland. The convening of the Central Forestry Work Conference has brought unprecedented opportunities for forestry reform and development. Party committees and governments at all levels attach great importance to forestry, and promote the reform of the collective forest tenure system and promote forestry development as an important means to implement the scientific outlook on development, coordinate urban and rural development, build ecological civilization, and increase farmers' income, and include it in the important agenda, with a high sense of responsibility and mission, comprehensively carry out the reform of the collective forest tenure system, solidly promote afforestation, vigorously develop the forestry industry and the economy under the forest, and create a good situation for the realization of the goal of "double increase" in forestry in 2020.

2. Accurately judge and grasp the tasks of forestry reform and development under the new situation

At present and for a period in the future, the mainland forestry will still be in an important period of strategic opportunities and golden development, the diversified demand of the society for forestry is more prominent, and forestry will shoulder a more glorious mission and undertake more arduous tasks. According to the development and change of the current external situation and the gradual deepening of the practice of forestry reform and development, it is necessary to accurately judge and grasp the new situation and new tasks of forestry around the overall international and domestic strategic situation.

(1) The development of forestry has become a major practice for the in-depth implementation of the scientific outlook on development and the strategic focus of the whole party and the whole country

Forestry is an industry with multiple functions, which plays an important role in economic, ecological, cultural and social construction, and plays an irreplaceable and unique role in the realization of economic and social scientific development. To achieve scientific development, the development of forestry must be regarded as a major measure, which is the primary mission of forestry in the new era given by the Central Forestry Work Conference. First of all, the reform of the collective forest tenure system is a strategic measure to coordinate urban and rural development, and it is a vivid practice to thoroughly implement the scientific concept of development. The disharmony between rural and urban development is the biggest disharmony in the mainland's economic and social development at present. Promoting the reform of the collective forest tenure system and fully unleashing the tremendous potential of hundreds of millions of peasants and collective forest land can not only greatly liberate and develop the rural productive forces and speed up the realization of the goal of a well-off life for peasants, especially those in mountainous areas, but also greatly promote the development of the urban economy. Secondly, forestry is an important basic industry and public welfare undertaking, which undertakes the supply of material and ecological products. In the process of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, the development of forestry has become the strategic focus of the work of the whole party and the whole country, and it is necessary to speed up the development of forestry in order to promote the whole society to embark on the path of civilized development of production development, affluent life and good ecology, to build a resource-saving and environment-friendly society, to comprehensively enhance the ecological carrying capacity, to achieve the coordinated development of population, resources and environment, and to promote the harmonious progress of man and nature.

(2) The development of forestry has become the primary task of building an ecological civilization, and the forestry sector has become the main department of the construction of ecological civilization

Forests are the main body of terrestrial ecosystems and play a decisive role in maintaining ecological balance. The forestry sector undertakes the important functions of building and protecting "three systems and one diversity", namely: building and protecting forest ecosystems, managing and restoring wetland ecosystems, improving and managing desert ecosystems, and maintaining and developing biodiversity. These "three systems, one diversity" play a pivotal and leveraged role in maintaining the overall function of terrestrial ecosystems. Only by building and protecting these ecosystems and maintaining and developing biodiversity can human beings thrive, develop and progress forever in the common and beautiful homeland of the earth. Forestry is an inevitable choice for the development of circular economy and low-carbon economy. Forests are not only a huge resource pool, but also the largest circular economy, with the basic attribute of "production-consumption-decomposition" recycling. Wood is one of the three traditional raw materials that are indispensable for economic construction and recognized by the world, and has the unique advantages of being renewable, degradable, environmentally friendly and green. At the same time, forests are the fourth most important strategic energy source after coal, oil and natural gas. The use of forest branches to generate electricity and the fruit of forest trees to refine oil not only has great potential, but also has strong regenerative power. Under the circumstance that fossil energy is increasingly depleted, the development of forest biomass energy has become a major strategy for energy substitution in all countries of the world, and it is also a strategic choice for the mainland to develop alternative energy.

(3) The development of forestry has become a major issue in global politics and a strategic choice to deal with climate change

Forests have three main functions in the fight against climate change. One is the absorption function. Forests are the largest carbon absorbers on land, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis, forming carbon sinks. The second is the storage function. Forests are the largest carbon reservoirs on land, and more than half of the carbon in terrestrial ecosystems is stored in forest ecosystems. The third is alternative functions. According to the International Energy Agency, replacing reinforced concrete structures with wood structures can reduce unit energy consumption from 800 to 100. Because of these special functions of forests in addressing climate change, the Kyoto Protocol provides for two pathways: direct industrial emission reduction and indirect forest emission reduction. The mainland is a major emitter of carbon dioxide, and with the rapid growth of the economy, the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions will inevitably continue to increase. Accelerating forestry development and increasing forest carbon sinks have become a strategic choice for the mainland to cope with climate change, and a strategic commanding heights for striving for development space and maintaining the country's image.

(4) The development of forestry has become an important way to increase farmers' income and a strategic measure to stimulate domestic demand

The eternal driving force of economic development is consumption, and the key to expanding domestic demand is to expand consumption. If consumption does not go up, the production capacity formed by too rapid investment will not be released. The mainland's potential for expanding consumption lies in the rural areas, where the vast number of peasants and some low-income people in urban areas have a strong willingness to consume and a high tendency to consume, but they have no money to spend and have low purchasing power, while high-income earners have a low purchasing propensity despite their strong purchasing power, and this has led to a mismatch in purchasing power and willingness to consume. To solve this crux of the problem, it is necessary to expand peasant consumption, and the fundamental measure is to increase peasant incomes, and the hope and potential for increasing peasant incomes lie in the mountains and forestry. Therefore, party committees and governments at all levels have comprehensively promoted the reform of the collective forest tenure system and vigorously developed the forestry industry as an important way to solve the "three rural" problems and a major measure to stimulate domestic demand.

3. Comprehensively deploy the reform of the collective forest tenure system

Thirty years ago, a campaign initiated by the peasants to deliver production to households truly realized that "the land has its own owner," greatly liberated and developed the rural social productive forces, and the peasants' enthusiasm burst forth unprecedentedly, thus solving the problem of food and clothing for the people of the whole country in one fell swoop. Today, 30 years later, a reform of the collective forest tenure system, which still originated from the exploration of the grassroots and originated from the creation of farmers, has truly realized the "mountain has its master", ushered in another great liberation of the rural social productive forces, once again stimulated the entrepreneurial enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of farmers, and will surely inject new vitality into the promotion of the construction of a well-off rural area in an all-round way.

The reform of the collective forest tenure system not only has internal motivation and requirements, but also has the recognition and support of the society. There are not only practical exploration and experience, but also the strength and conditions for advancement. The central government's general policy on comprehensively promoting the reform of the collective forest tenure system has been decided. The meeting required that all localities and departments should continue to conscientiously study and implement the spirit of Zhongfa [2008] No. 10 document, intensify work, speed up the progress of reform, ensure the quality of reform, and focus on grasping the following basic requirements.

(i) It is necessary to ensure that the two basic objectives are achieved. To achieve resource growth, farmers' income, good ecology, and harmony in forest areas are the goals of the reform of the collective forest tenure system, and the most important of them is the growth of resources and the increase of farmers' income, that is, the ecology is protected, and farmers get benefits, which is the starting point and foothold of the reform. It must not be at the cost of destroying forests and sacrificing ecology, which is a bottom line that must be adhered to in the reform of the collective forest tenure system. Protecting the material interests of farmers and respecting the democratic rights of farmers is an important criterion for doing a good job in the entire "three rural" work, and it is also the basic requirement that must be followed to promote the reform of the collective forest tenure system.

(2) Two fundamental systems must be established. To innovate the collective forestry system and mechanism, we must clarify property rights in accordance with the law, invigorate management, standardize circulation, and strengthen support, and fundamentally establish a modern forestry property rights system based on household contract management and support the public finance system for forestry development, which is the internal driving force and external guarantee for accelerating the development of collective forestry. In the reform of the collective forest tenure system, it is necessary to adhere to and improve the basic rural management system, give farmers a fuller and more secure right to contract management of forest land, and ensure that the right to invigorate management, implement the right to dispose of, and guarantee the right to income, so that farmers can eat a long-term "reassurance". All localities should study and formulate scientific reform plans in light of local conditions and in light of different conditions. Forestry is a public-welfare, basic and strategic industry. Speeding up the development of collective forestry requires the hard work of hundreds of millions of farmers and the support and protection of the government. Only by establishing a forestry support and protection mechanism based on public finance and with the extensive participation of social forces can we ensure the sound and rapid development of collective forestry.

(3) Two important principles must be adhered to. Respecting the wishes of farmers and insisting on doing things according to law are the two magic weapons to ensure the standardized and orderly progress of the reform of the collective forest tenure system. The peasant masses are the main participants and beneficiaries of the reform of the collective forest tenure system, as well as the main body of decision-making and supervision. In the process of reform, it is necessary to fully respect the wishes of the peasants, strengthen the publicity of the policy of reforming the collective forest tenure system, hand over the policies and methods to the peasants, let the peasants themselves have the final say, and effectively protect the peasants' right to know, participate, make decisions, and supervise. At the same time, to promote the reform of the collective forest tenure system, we must adhere to the law, strictly implement the relevant laws and regulations, and ensure that the content, methods and procedures of the reform are consistent with and consistent with the provisions of the law. The reform plan must be approved by the members of the collective economic organization in accordance with the law, so that the content, procedures, methods, and results are made public, and it is strictly forbidden to operate in the dark and abuse power for personal gain.

(4) We must grasp two key links. Among the many steps and links in the reform of the collective forest tenure system, the responsibility for boundary survey, issuance and implementation is the most critical. Boundary demarcation is the basis for clarifying property rights, and forest tenure certificates are legal documents for implementing property rights. It is necessary to carry out on-the-spot boundary surveys in accordance with the law, clarify the "four to", accurately register, issue a national uniform style of forest right certificate, ensure that the content of the registration is complete and standardized, the data is accurate, and the maps, tables and books are consistent, and the people, places and certificates are consistent. For the contractor and the contract-issuing party, it is necessary not only to give due rights, but also to clarify the due responsibilities. It is necessary to sign a written contract to clearly stipulate and implement the responsibilities of both parties in afforestation and afforestation, protection and management, forest fire prevention, and pest control. The contractor shall not change the use of the forest land and shall not damage the forest land. The contract-issuing party shall respect the contracting party's contracting and management rights, shall not illegally alter or terminate the contract, shall not interfere with the contractor's production and business activities, and shall strive to provide the contractor with production, technology, information and other services.

(5) It is necessary to properly handle two important relationships. Whether or not we can properly handle the relationship between reform and stability, and between revitalization and management, is the key to determining the success or failure of the reform of the collective forest tenure system. Stability is the premise and guarantee of reform, and without social stability in rural areas, the reform of the collective forest tenure system cannot be successful. To promote the reform of the collective forest tenure system, it is necessary to promote the harmony and stability of rural society and resolutely prevent new unstable factors caused by inadequate work. Reform should be organized and implemented in strict accordance with standardized procedures and methods, and progress should be subordinated to quality, and no formality, no rush to progress, and no formality. It is necessary to properly handle problems left over from history, prevent the emergence of new contradictions, and avoid leaving behind all kinds of hidden dangers.

The meeting pointed out that while concentrating on the reform of the collective forest tenure system, we should also attach great importance to the reform of state-owned forest areas and state-owned forest farms. We should continue to do a good job in the pilot reform of the forest tenure system in state-owned forest farms and state-owned forest areas in Yichun, conscientiously sum up the experience of the reform pilot, study and solve the difficulties and problems encountered in a timely manner, and ensure that the reform pilot achieves the expected results.

Fourth, put forward the establishment of a policy mechanism to support the reform and development of forestry

The meeting proposed that to comprehensively promote the reform of the collective forest tenure system and develop modern forestry, we must always firmly grasp the key to improving policies and innovating mechanisms, establish and improve the forestry support and protection system, forestry financial support system, forest felling management system, collective forest full circulation system, and forestry socialization system, and constantly optimize the external environment for the development of collective forestry, so that farmers can enhance their sustainable development ability and continuously expand the results of development.

(1) Establish and improve the forestry support and protection system. Improve the system of forestry investment guarantee, ecological benefit compensation, forestry subsidies, tax and fee support, etc., to provide a strong guarantee for the construction of modern forestry and ecological civilization. Governments at all levels should include the administrative expenses of forestry departments in their financial budgets, incorporate the infrastructure construction of forest fire prevention, pest control and forestry administrative law enforcement systems into the capital construction plans of governments at all levels, incorporate the construction of roads, water supply, power supply, communications and other infrastructure in forest areas into the development plans of relevant industries, and continue to increase investment in the construction of key ecological projects. Governments at all levels should establish and improve the compensation fund system for forest ecological benefits as soon as possible, and gradually increase the compensation standard with the growth of financial resources, and local finances should also increase compensation according to actual conditions. Establish a subsidy system for afforestation, tending, seedlings, etc. The levy standard of the silvicultural fund will be reduced from 20% to less than 10% of the sales revenue of forest products. After the reduction of the silvicultural fund, the administrative expenses of the forestry department shall be allocated by the finance department at the same level through the departmental budget. We will continue to implement the value-added tax refund policy for the comprehensive utilization products produced and processed with the "three leftovers" and sub-small fuelwood in forest areas as raw materials.

(2) Establish and improve the forestry financial support system. Extend the loan term, reduce the loan interest rate, simplify the loan procedure, relax the loan conditions, carry out forest insurance, and comprehensively enhance the service capacity of finance for forestry development. Since 2009, the central government has carried out pilot projects in Fujian, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces to subsidize forest insurance premiums, and the central government has subsidized 30% of the premiums on the basis of the provincial financial subsidy of at least 25% of the premiums.

(3) Establish and improve the management system for forest felling. Empower forest managers with more adequate rights to dispose of trees. Implement classified management of forest felling, and trees on non-forestry land are not included in the management of felling quotas, and are harvested by operators independently; The harvesting index of commercial forests can be carried forward and used within 5 years.

(4) Establish and improve the system of collective forest rights circulation. Regulate the circulation of forest land contract management rights and forest tree ownership. It is required to speed up the establishment and improvement of the forest rights circulation market, and provide comprehensive services such as information release, market transactions, legal services, and policy consultation for the circulation of forest rights. Establish a forest resource asset appraiser system and an appraisal system as soon as possible, formulate access conditions for appraisal agencies, and start the identification of appraisers.

(5) Establish and improve the forestry socialized service system, vigorously develop forestry cooperative organizations, and guide and regulate the development of intermediary organizations. It is required to speed up the construction of a new forestry socialized service system that combines public welfare and business services, and coordinates professional services and comprehensive services. The State supports farmers' forestry cooperatives in undertaking forestry and mountainous economic development and construction projects, and professional forestry cooperatives equally enjoy the relevant support policies of professional farmers' cooperatives.

The number of new policies promulgated at this meeting, the great gold content, and the far-reaching impact on forestry are all historic, and will certainly provide a strong impetus for the development of modern forestry.

Fifth, it is clearly required to strengthen the organization and leadership of forestry reform and development

The meeting clearly called for further strengthening the leadership of forestry work, establishing a working mechanism for joint management, forming a work pattern of joint promotion, and striving to create a new situation in forestry reform and development. All localities and departments are required to earnestly put forestry work in a more prominent position, attach importance to forestry development as much as agricultural production, pay attention to ecological security as much as food security, and earnestly reflect the strategic intention of attaching importance to forestry in policy formulation, work deployment, and financial investment. Earnestly strengthen the leadership of the party and government, strengthen the organizational guarantee for promoting forestry work, the main leaders of the party committee and the government should personally grasp and assume overall responsibility, and the leaders in charge should directly grasp and bear the main responsibility. It is necessary to truly grasp the reform of the collective forest tenure system as a major event, and establish and improve the forest reform work mechanism led by the party committee, led by the government, supported by departments, and participated by farmers and society. To conscientiously perform the responsibilities of the department and form a strong joint force to support forestry work, the policies that should be issued should be introduced as soon as possible, the methods that should be formulated as soon as possible, and the funds that should be given should be issued as soon as possible. Coordinate ecological construction and industrial development, promote the "industrialization of ecological construction and ecological industrial development", realize the benign interaction between ecological construction and industrial development, and build a scientific pattern of coordinated development of forestry. Strictly prevent and control major forestry disasters, incorporate the prevention and control of forestry disasters into government emergency management, scientifically formulate prevention and control plans, and ensure the safety of forest resources and people's lives and property. At present, it is necessary to give prominence to the work of forest fire prevention in summer to ensure that no serious and extraordinarily serious forest fires occur. Strengthen the support of science and technology and talents, and improve the quality and efficiency of forestry construction.

The successful convening of the Central Forestry Work Conference is not only a milestone in comprehensively promoting the reform of the collective forest tenure system, further liberating and developing the rural productive forces, and building a new socialist countryside, but also will play a huge role in promoting the development of modern forestry, the construction of ecological civilization, the promotion of scientific development, and the promotion of social harmony, which will surely be recorded in the history of China's forestry development and rural reform and development. Just as Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said, this meeting is of historic, milestone and epoch-making significance.