Assessing the Social Benefits of Tree Planting by Smallholders in Vietnam: Lessons for Large-Scale Reforestation Programs

Recipients of land tenure certificates more engaged

(Renumerated) labor provided for protection programs

Top down management by government offices

Little independent decision-making by participating households

Households able to claim secure land tenure certificates

Some (minimal) mixing of food crops and tree seedlings

Early programs led to few direct household benefits

Projects tend to favor households with land and capital assets

Concerns about rising income inequality and land stratification with poor households least likely to benefit

Ethnic minorities less likely to benefit

Gender differentials in access to benefits

Voluntary owner associations can be set up (though not widespread)

Little knowledge or training associated with programs

Lack of use of local knowledge

Targets often not met due to information barriers

Little awareness of damaging practices

Improvements in soil quality (nitrogen, carbon storage)

Protection from storm surge, benefits of windbreaks

Biodiversity improvements dependent on species and scale

Can be motivated by payments or subsidies

Many plantations managed poorly for natural capital

Some plantings inappropriate in vulnerable areas (typhoons)

Some replacement of natural forests by less diverse plantations

High biodiversity plantings require more land and longer rotations

Profitability varies, dependent on land & labor prices and subsidies

Flexibility as to harvesting time

Subsidies are strong motivation

Certification can raise economic benefits

Subsidies can encourage forest conversion

Certification is difficult to get

Some potential shared ecosystem services benefits

Community management can take more labor

Can disrupt traditional systems of community land management