Ninh Binh applies digital technology in forest management and protection
Following the recent administrative merger, Ninh Binh now has nearly 40,000 hectares of forest and land designated for forest development. The expanded management area, coupled with increasingly demanding requirements for forest protection, wildfire prevention and biodiversity conservation, has highlighted the need for the forestry sector to modernise its management methods.
In recent years, the provincial Forestry and Forest Protection Sub-Department has gradually integrated information technology and digital platforms into its professional operations. Technologies and specialised software, including MapInfo, GIS, MicroStation, satellite imagery, drones, sensor-equipped drones and other unmanned aircraft, have helped improve the efficiency and transparency of forest protection, inventory and analysis.
Satellite imagery is being used to identify hotspots and areas at high risk of forest fires. Alongside remote-sensing technologies, specialised software has provided significant support in detecting illegal logging, forest fires and changes in forest conditions. These digital tools also enable authorities to issue early warnings of deforestation, detect forest fires at an early stage and improve forest management.
In rugged and difficult-to-access areas, technologies such as LiDAR and GPS help forest rangers accurately update forest conditions and develop forest maps. They also support patrol and monitoring activities, allowing forest protection forces to operate more efficiently.
The use of digital technology is particularly important in areas with high biodiversity value, including the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, the Trang An Landscape Complex, Cuc Phuong National Park and Xuan Thuy National Park.
By combining technology with intensified patrols and monitoring, authorities have improved the effectiveness of forest management and protection while enabling them to detect, prevent and promptly address illegal logging, collection and transportation of forest products.
Pham Anh Trung, Deputy Director of the provincial Forestry and Forest Protection Sub-Department, said the sector would continue to accelerate the application of technology and digital transformation in forest management, protection and development.
The sector plans to make more effective use of specialised software, satellite imagery, geographic information systems (GIS) and unmanned aerial vehicles. At the same time, training and professional development will be strengthened to ensure that forestry officials are able to master new technologies and meet emerging operational requirements.
Another key priority is to further develop the province's forest-resource database and improve information sharing among forest rangers, forest owners and local authorities.
Continued investment in forest-resource data, technology and digital skills will provide a foundation for the forest protection sector to manage forests in a more proactive, accurate and effective manner. These efforts are expected to contribute to the protection of forest resources, biodiversity and the province's ecological landscapes./.
