Regulations of Zhejiang Province on Forest Management (revised on 20 17)

Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 In order to protect, cultivate and rationally utilize forest resources, give full play to the ecological, economic and social benefits of forests, and accelerate the development of forestry, in accordance with the provisions of the Forest Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Regulations for the Implementation of Forest Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations for the Implementation of Forest Law) and other relevant laws and regulations, combined with the actual situation of this province. Article 2 The cultivation, planting, cutting and utilization of forests and trees in this province, as well as the management activities of forests, trees and woodlands, shall abide by these regulations. Article 3 Forestry shall be incorporated into the national economic and social development plan of the administrative region.

People's governments at all levels shall formulate forestry development plans and implementation plans within their respective administrative areas, and implement target management for forestry construction. Article 4 The forestry administrative departments of the people's governments at or above the county level shall be in charge of forestry work within their respective administrative areas.

Township forestry workstations or full-time managers shall exercise forestry administrative duties in accordance with the authority prescribed by the state, and the required funds shall be included in the financial budget. Fifth counties (cities, districts, the same below) with forestry land area accounting for more than 50% of the total land area are classified as forest counties. Delineation of forest districts and counties shall be proposed by the provincial forestry administrative department and submitted to the provincial people's government for approval. Sixth people's governments at or above the county level shall establish a forestry fund system. Measures for the administration of the sources and use of forestry funds shall be formulated by the provincial people's government.

People's governments at all levels should increase forestry funds year by year. Agricultural development funds at all levels should set aside a certain proportion for forestry. Article 7 It is the duty of citizens to plant trees and protect forests. People's governments at all levels should publicize forestry laws and regulations through various forms to enhance citizens' awareness of greening. Article 8 People's governments at all levels shall commend and reward units or individuals that have made remarkable achievements in protecting forest resources, planting trees and developing forestry. Chapter II Forest Management Article 9 Forest resources shall be classified into public welfare forests and commercial forests.

Investors and operators of public welfare forests have the right to obtain compensation for forest ecological benefits.

Investors and operators of commercial forests enjoy the right to operate, the right to income and other legitimate rights and interests according to law. Tenth people's governments at all levels should increase investment in the construction of public welfare forests.

The provincial people's government shall set up a forest ecological benefit compensation fund. The forest ecological benefit compensation fund is divided according to the powers and shared by the people's governments at all levels. The forest ecological benefit compensation fund is used to compensate investors and operators of forest resources and trees included in the management of public welfare forests, as well as the construction, tending, protection and management of forest resources and trees of public welfare forests. The forest ecological benefit compensation fund should be given priority to the protection of important ecological function areas.

The determination and adjustment of the scope of public welfare forest shall be put forward by the administrative department of forestry and reported to the people's government at the same level for approval and promulgation.

Measures for the administration of forest ecological benefit compensation fund shall be formulated by the provincial people's government. Eleventh state-owned forest farms, nurseries and nature reserves and other units shall, in accordance with the long-term forestry planning, formulate forest management plans and report them to the competent forestry administrative department for approval before implementation.

The forestry administrative department at the county level shall strengthen the guidance for other units or individuals to prepare forest management plans.

Those who use forest resources to develop and construct forest parks or engage in forest tourism shall accept the supervision and management of the administrative departments of forestry and shall not destroy forest resources. Twelfth forestry administrative departments at all levels shall establish and improve the monitoring system of forest resources, and organize forest resources surveys regularly. Forestry administrative departments at the county level shall establish forest resources archives, statistics and announcement system, and report the changes of forest resources step by step every year. Thirteenth units and individuals are encouraged to invest in the development of forestry and establish artificial commercial forest bases. The trees in the artificial commercial forest base are cut with the cutting license, and the cutting quota is managed separately.

The artificial commercial forest base is determined by the local county-level forestry administrative department. Fourteenth any unit or individual shall not arbitrarily change the affiliation of state-owned forest farms and nurseries, and shall not occupy state-owned forest resources.

The establishment, alteration, cancellation or change of affiliation of state-owned forest farms and nurseries shall be put forward by the administrative department of forestry of the local city or county, and shall be submitted to the provincial administrative department of forestry for approval after being signed by the people's government at the same level.

State-owned forests that are not managed by state-owned forestry units shall be managed by forestry administrative departments at or above the county level, and may also be entrusted to collective economic organizations or individuals. Fifteenth collectively owned mountain forests should adhere to the two-tier management system of unified management and individual management, stabilize the responsibility system of forestry contract production, and guide forest farmers to implement various forms of joint logging, joint afforestation and joint-stock cooperative management. Article 16 If the barren hills, wasteland and wasteland contracted to households are not planted within the time limit stipulated in the contract, the village collective economic organizations shall bring them into collective management, or cooperate in afforestation, or re-contract.

Steep slopes with a slope of more than 25 degrees should be converted from farmland to forests. Returning farmland to forests will enjoy subsidies and preferential policies according to regulations. The local people's government should also plan to resettle forest farmers in mountainous areas who have difficulties in living. Article 17 Except in cases prohibited by laws and administrative regulations, the right to use forests and woodlands and the ownership and right to use trees may be transferred, inherited, mortgaged, priced as shares or used as conditions for joint venture afforestation and forest management, but the woodlands shall not be changed into non-woodlands without authorization.