Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Accelerating the Development of Forestry

(June 25, 2003)

Strengthen ecological construction and maintain ecological security, It is the common theme facing mankind in the 21st century, and it is also an important foundation for the sustainable development of my country's economy and society. To comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society and accelerate socialist modernization, we must follow the path of civilized development with production development, affluent life, and good ecology, achieve coordination between economic development, population, resources, and the environment, and achieve harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Forests are terrestrial ecosystems Forestry is an important public welfare undertaking and basic industry. It undertakes the important tasks of ecological construction and supply of forest products. It is of great significance to do a good job in forestry. In order to accelerate the development of forestry, achieve the grand goal of beautiful mountains and rivers, and promote national economic and social development, the following decision is hereby made.

1. Strengthening forestry construction is an urgent requirement for sustainable economic and social development

1. my country's forestry construction has made great achievements. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially since the reform and opening up, the Party Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to forestry work and adopted a series of policies and measures, which have effectively promoted the development of forestry. The national voluntary tree planting movement has been carried out in depth, and the whole society has been engaged in forestry and the whole people have been engaged in greening. is taking shape. The construction of ecological projects such as the "Three North" shelterbelts has achieved remarkable results. Key projects such as natural forest protection, returning farmland to forests, and desertification prevention and control implemented in recent years are progressing smoothly. The ecological conditions in some areas have been significantly improved. Forests, wetlands and The protection of wild animal and plant resources has been strengthened. The structural adjustment of the forestry industry has made progress, the construction of various commercial forest bases is in the ascendant, the forest products industry has been strengthened, the economic forest, bamboo and rattan flower industry and ecological tourism have developed rapidly, and the comprehensive development of mountainous areas has been advanced in depth. The cultivation, management, protection and utilization of forest resources have gradually formed a relatively complete organizational, legal and working system. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the forestry industry has provided more than 5 billion cubic meters of wood. Currently, the national forest coverage rate has reached 16.55%, and the area of ??artificial forests ranks first in the world. Forestry has made important contributions to national economic construction and improvement of ecological conditions, and plays an increasingly important role in promoting the development of agriculture and rural economy in the new stage, expanding urban and rural employment, and increasing farmers' income.

2. Sustainable economic and social development urgently requires a major change in my country's forestry industry. With economic development, social progress and the improvement of people's living standards, society's requirements for accelerating forestry development and improving ecological conditions have become more and more urgent. The status and role of forestry in economic and social development have become increasingly prominent. Forestry must not only meet society's diverse needs for wood and other forest products, but also meet the needs of improving ecological conditions and ensuring national ecological security. Ecological needs have become society's first demand for forestry, and my country's forestry is undergoing an important change. During the transitional period of the 19th century and the 20th century, China is undergoing a historic transformation from timber production to ecological construction.

3． The situation facing accelerating forestry development is still grim. At present, the trend of partial improvement and overall deterioration of my country's ecological conditions has not been fundamentally reversed. Land desertification, wetland reduction, and biodiversity destruction are still intensifying. Indiscriminate felling of trees, indiscriminate reclamation of forest land, indiscriminate hunting of wild animals, indiscriminate excavation of wild plants and other phenomena continue to be prohibited. Forest fires and pests and diseases still pose a serious threat to the forestry industry. The forestry management and operation system has not yet adapted to the needs of the development of the situation. The forestry industry is small in scale, has low scientific and technological content, and has an unreasonable structure. The contradiction between supply and demand of wood is prominent. The income growth of forestry employees and people in forest areas is slow, and the development of social undertakings lags behind. On the whole, our country is still a country lacking in forestry resources. The total amount of forest resources is seriously insufficient. The overall function of the forest ecosystem is still very fragile. The contradiction between it and social needs is becoming increasingly acute. The tasks of forestry reform and development are greater than before. More onerous at any time.

4. Forestry construction must be placed in a more prominent position. In the process of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and accelerating socialist modernization, we must attach great importance to and strengthen forestry work and strive to achieve great development in my country's forestry.

In the implementation of the sustainable development strategy, forestry must be given an important position; in ecological construction, forestry must be given a primary position; in the development of the western region, forestry must be given a basic position.

2. The guiding ideology, basic principles and main tasks of accelerating forestry development

5. guiding ideology. Guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", we will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, establish a path of sustainable forestry development focusing on ecological construction, and establish a land ecological security system with forest vegetation as the main body and a combination of forest and grass. Build an ecologically civilized society with beautiful mountains and rivers, vigorously protect, cultivate and rationally utilize forest resources, achieve leap-forward development of forestry, and enable forestry to better serve the national economy and social development.

6. Basic policy.

——Adhere to nationwide mobilization, all people take action, and the whole society runs forestry.

——Adhere to the unity of ecological benefits, economic benefits and social benefits, and give priority to ecological benefits.

——Adhere to strict protection, active development, scientific management, and sustainable utilization of forest resources.

——Adhere to the combination of government leadership and market regulation, and implement classified forestry operations and management.

——Adhere to respecting natural and economic laws, adapting measures to local conditions, rationally allocating trees, shrubs and grass, and developing coordinated development of urban and rural forestry.

——Adhere to science and education to rejuvenate forests.

——Insist on managing forests according to law.

7. Main tasks. By properly managing existing forests, expanding new afforestation, returning farmland to forests, optimizing the forestry structure, increasing forest resources, enhancing the overall function of the forest ecosystem, increasing the effective supply of forest products, and increasing the income of forestry workers and farmers. By 2010, we will strive to increase my country's forest coverage rate to more than 19%, soil erosion in major river basins and desertification in major sandstorm areas will be alleviated, the overall deterioration of the national ecological situation will be initially curbed, and the forestry industry structure will become more reasonable. By 2020, the forest coverage rate will reach more than 23%, ecological problems in key areas will be basically solved, the ecological situation across the country will be significantly improved, and the strength of the forestry industry will be significantly enhanced; by 2050, the forest coverage rate will reach and stabilize above 26%, basically Realize beautiful mountains and rivers, the ecological situation enters a virtuous cycle, the contradiction between supply and demand of forest products is alleviated, and a relatively complete forest ecological system and a relatively developed forestry industry system are built.

To achieve the above goals, we must strive to protect natural forests, wild animal and plant resources, wetlands and ancient and famous trees, and strive to create water conservation forests and soil and water conservation forests in major river basins, sandy edges, and coastal areas. , windbreak and sand-fixing forests and bank protection forests; strive to green barren hills, ridge fields, urban and rural areas and along roads and canals; strive to build commercial forest bases such as timber forests, economic forests, fuel forests and flowers; strive to develop forest parks, urban forests and other recreational forests. At the same time, we must speed up the pace of forestry structural adjustment to improve forestry economic benefits; accelerate innovation in forestry management systems and operating mechanisms, and mobilize the enthusiasm of all aspects of society to develop forestry.

3. Carry out key projects and promote ecological construction

8. We will continue to carry out the construction of key forestry projects. It is necessary to intensify efforts to implement natural forest protection projects, strictly manage natural forest logging, further protect, restore and develop natural forest resources in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, Northeast China, Inner Mongolia and other regions, and conscientiously implement the project of returning farmland to forest (grass). , effectively implement the relevant compensation policies for farmers who return farmland, encourage the combination of agricultural structural adjustment and the development of characteristic industries, develop follow-up industries with market potential, and solve the long-term livelihood problems of farmers who return farmland. Continue to promote the construction of protective forest systems in key areas such as the "Three Norths" and the Yangtze River, build various protective forest systems according to local conditions and hazards, focus on managing different types of ecological disasters in these areas, and effectively implement prevention measures such as controlling the sources of sandstorms in Beijing and Tianjin. The desertification control project protects and increases forest and grass vegetation through comprehensive measures such as demarcating closed protected areas, planting trees and grass, managing small watersheds, raising animals in captivity, ecological migration, and rational use of water resources, so as to ensure that the capital and major sandstorm areas are transformed as soon as possible. The hazards of sandstorms have been effectively contained.

The designated self-retention hills can be used by farmers for free for a long time and cannot be forcibly taken back. The trees on the self-retained hills will all be owned by the farmers. For those areas that have not yet been afforestation, measures should be taken to afforestation within a time limit.

The responsibility for subcontracting is assigned to each household, and the contracting relationship must be kept stable. After the last round of contracting expires, if the original contracting practices are basically reasonable, the contracting can be directly renewed; if the original contracting practices are determined to be obviously unreasonable in accordance with the law, the contracting can be continued on the basis of improving the relevant practices. For a new round of contracting, a written contract must be signed, and the contract period shall be implemented in accordance with relevant legal provisions. If the contract has been renewed but has not reached the statutory contract period, it can be extended to the statutory period after completing relevant procedures. If farmers are unwilling to continue the contract, they can return it to the collective economic organization for separate disposal.

Mountain forests that are still managed by collectives should be treated differently, classified and guided, and effective management forms should be actively explored. All joint-stock cooperative forest farms, jointly run forest farms, etc. that are relatively satisfactory to the masses and are in good operating conditions must continue to maintain the stability of their operating forms and continuously improve them. For other concentrated and contiguous forested land, the form of "dividing shares without dividing mountains, dividing profits without dividing forests" can be adopted to gradually clarify the property rights to individuals. For scattered forested land, forest ownership and forest land use rights can be transferred to individuals for management after a reasonable price. For barren hills and wastelands that are suitable for afforestation, the management entities can be determined directly by subcontracting to households, bidding, auctions, etc., or the management entities can be determined in an appropriate manner after the development is organized by the collective. For barren hills and wastelands that are difficult to afforestation, the management entities can be determined in an appropriate manner. Through public bidding, the use rights for a certain period of time can be transferred free of charge to capable units or individuals for development and operation, but greening must be done within a time limit. No matter which form is adopted, it must be democratically decided by the members of the collective economic organization, and members within the collective economic organization enjoy priority in management.

14. Accelerate the rational transfer of forest, tree and woodland use rights. On the basis of clear ownership, the state encourages the reasonable transfer of forest, forest and forest land use rights. Various social entities can participate in the transfer through contracting, leasing, transfer, auction, negotiation, allocation and other forms. At present, we must focus on promoting the transfer of the use rights of state-owned and collectively-owned barren mountains, wasteland and sand suitable for forestation. For state-owned barren mountains, wasteland, and sand where the operator has not yet been determined or whose operator is temporarily unable to afforestation, it can also be provided to nearby troops, production and construction corps or other units for afforestation in accordance with relevant national regulations, and the trees planted will belong to the afforestation. All forests, trees and forest land use rights can be inherited, mortgaged, guaranteed, invested in shares and used as capital contributions or conditions for joint ventures and cooperation in accordance with the law. Actively cultivate the market for standing trees, develop forest resource asset assessment institutions, promote the rational circulation of forest trees, and mobilize the enthusiasm of operators for investment and development.

It is necessary to standardize transfer procedures, strengthen transfer management, conscientiously provide various services for transfer, handle ownership change registration procedures in a timely manner, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the parties involved. During the transfer process, we must resolutely prevent phenomena such as indiscriminate deforestation, changing the use of forest land, changing the nature of public welfare forests and the loss of public assets. It is necessary to effectively strengthen the supervision and management of funds that should be used for forestry construction after circulation. The forestry department under the State Council should work with relevant departments to formulate specific measures for the transfer of rights to use forests, trees and woodlands, and submit them to the State Council for approval before implementation.

15. Let go of the development of non-public forestry. The state encourages various social entities to invest in the development of forestry across ownership, industries, and regions. All capable farmers, urban residents, scientific and technological personnel, private business owners, foreign investors, cadres and workers of enterprises, institutions, government agencies, etc. Can participate in forestry development and engage in forestry construction individually or in partnership. It is necessary to further clarify the legal status of non-public forestry and effectively implement the policy of "whoever creates it owns it, and whoever creates it owns it". Unify tax and fee policies, resource utilization policies and investment and financing policies to create a fair competition environment for various forestry management entities.

16. Deepen the reform of the management system of key state-owned forest areas, state-owned forest farms, and nurseries.

Establish a forest resource management system that unifies rights, responsibilities and benefits, and combines asset management with people and affairs management. In accordance with the principle of separation of government and enterprise, forest resource management functions are separated from forest industry enterprises and are performed by state-owned forest management agencies on behalf of the country. , and perform the responsibilities of investors and enjoy the rights and interests of owners; gradually separate the social management functions currently undertaken by enterprises and transfer them to the government, so that enterprises can truly become independent operating entities and participate in market competition. State-owned forestry enterprises must follow professional We must adhere to the principle of cultural cooperation, carry out corporate restructuring, and properly divert and relocate surplus corporate employees. The forestry administrative department of the State Council shall work with the people's governments of relevant provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government and relevant departments of the State Council to study and formulate specific reform plans, which shall be submitted to the State Council for approval before implementation.

Deepen the reform of state-owned forest farms, gradually define them as ecological public welfare forest farms and commercial operation forest farms, and make corresponding adjustments to their internal structures and operating mechanisms. Ecological public welfare forest farms should take the protection and cultivation of forest resources as their main tasks and be managed as public welfare institutions. The required funds should be borne by the governments at the same level according to their administrative affiliation. Commercial forest farms and state-owned nurseries must fully implement enterprise management, operate according to market mechanisms, operate independently, and be responsible for their own profits and losses. While protecting and nurturing forest resources and exerting ecological and social benefits, they must implement flexible and diverse management forms and actively develop multiple various operations, maximize the potential of production and operation, and enhance development vitality. Effectively care about and solve the difficulties and problems in the production and life of poor state-owned forest farms and nursery workers. Accelerate the reform of the public-owned forestry management system, encourage the breaking of administrative regional boundaries, and establish cross-regional forest farm and nursery consortiums in the form of alliances, mergers, and joint-stock systems in accordance with the principle of voluntariness and mutual benefit to achieve scale operations, reduce operating costs, and improve economic benefits.

17. Implement a classified forestry management system. On the premise of giving full play to the multi-faceted functions of forests, the national forestry is divided into two categories: public welfare forestry and commercial forestry according to the main uses, and different management systems, operating mechanisms and policy measures are adopted respectively. Reform and improve the forest felling quota system, and adopt different resource management methods for public welfare forestry and commercial forestry. Public welfare forestry should be managed in accordance with public welfare undertakings, with government investment as the main focus, and social forces should be attracted to participate in the construction. Commercial forestry should be managed in accordance with basic industries, with resources allocated mainly by the market, and the government providing necessary support. All projects included in public welfare forest management For forest resources, the government will provide reasonable compensation to investors in a variety of ways. It is necessary to gradually change the current afforestation investment and management methods, while further improving the bidding and reimbursement systems, arrange part of the afforestation investment, and explore the direct acquisition of non-state-owned public welfare forests created by various social entities. Investment in public welfare forest construction and forest ecological benefit compensation funds are borne by the central government and local governments at all levels respectively according to the division of powers. Accelerate the establishment of a public welfare forestry certification system.

6. Strengthen policy support to ensure long-term and stable development of forestry

18. Increase government investment in forestry construction. Investment in public welfare forestry construction and management and major forestry infrastructure construction must be included in the fiscal budgets of governments at all levels and given priority. For the construction of key ecological projects related to the national economy and people's livelihood, the national finance must focus on ensuring that investment in regional ecological project construction planned by local governments must be included in the local financial budget, and investment in the construction of supporting ecological projects planned by departments must be included in the overall budget of related projects. The forest ecological benefit compensation fund shall be included in the central and local fiscal budgets respectively, and the scale of funds shall be gradually increased to support agriculture through work-for-relief, comprehensive agricultural development and other fiscal funds. Investment in forestry construction shall also be appropriately increased, and fast-growing and high-yield timber forest bases in key areas shall be provided. For social and public welfare projects such as forest fire prevention, pest control, and the development and promotion of excellent seedlings in the construction of precious tree species timber forests, the state will arrange part of the investment and gradually standardize the afforestation subsidy standards for various ecological project constructions. As the reform of key state-owned forest areas gradually deepens, relevant local governments must assume the investment in social undertakings originally undertaken by forest industry enterprises, and the state will provide necessary support.

19． Strengthen financial support for forestry development.

The state continues to implement a long-term, low-interest credit support policy for the forestry industry. The specific loan period can be determined by banks and enterprises based on the growth cycle of the forest trees, and certain financial discounts will be provided depending on the situation. Relevant financial institutions should appropriately relax loan conditions for individual afforestation and forestry, and expand microcredit and joint guarantee loans for farmers and forestry workers. Forestry operators can apply for bank loans with forest collateral in accordance with the law. Encourage forestry enterprises to go public for financing.

20. Reduce the burden of forestry taxes and fees. Continue to implement various preferential forestry tax policies that have been introduced by the country and standardize them. In accordance with the overall requirements of rural tax and fee reform, agricultural specialty taxes on logs and raw bamboo will be gradually cancelled. Eliminate various unreasonable charges on forest farmers and other forestry production and operators. Reform the collection, management and use of afforestation funds. All collected afforestation funds must be gradually returned to forestry producers and operators, and the resulting funding gap for grassroots forestry management units shall be solved by finance.

7. Strengthen the development of forests through science and education, and insist on managing forests according to law

21. Strengthen forestry science and technology education. We should attach great importance to basic research, applied research and high-tech development in forestry science, and improve the scientific and technological innovation capabilities of forestry. Focus on research and development of improved forest tree varieties, afforestation in areas with harsh conditions, prevention and control of major forest diseases and insect pests, prevention and control of desertification, forest resources and ecological monitoring, conservation and utilization of germplasm resources, forest-farmer composite management, forest fire management and control, and processing and transformation of major economic forest products and other key technologies. We will do a good job in building key forestry laboratories, key field observation stations, forestry scientific databases and forestry information networks. The construction of key forestry projects and the promotion of forestry technology must be designed, implemented, and accepted simultaneously. To deepen the reform of the forestry science and technology system, the state, while supporting basic and public welfare forestry scientific research, actively promotes non-public welfare scientific research and technology promotion to the market. Encourage forestry research units, colleges and universities, and scientific and technological personnel to accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements through the establishment of scientific and technological enterprises, the establishment of scientific and technological demonstration sites, and the development of scientific and technological contracting and technical consulting services. It is necessary to strengthen the construction of forestry technology extension service system and stabilize the scientific and technological work team. Units and individuals that have made outstanding contributions to forestry scientific research, new technology promotion and new product development should be given heavy rewards. Improve relevant policies and promote the integration of forestry science and education, technology, industry and trade. Actively promote forestry standardization work and establish and improve forestry quality standards and inspection and testing systems. Continuously strengthen international cooperation in the field of forestry science and technology. According to the characteristics of forestry construction, various forestry talent education and training systems should be established. Effectively increase the training of forestry workers and improve the overall quality of forestry builders.

22． Strengthen the construction of forestry legal system. Accelerate forestry legislation, and promptly formulate laws and regulations on natural forest protection, wetland protection, state-owned forest resource management, transfer of forest trees and forest land use rights, forestry construction fund use management, forestry project quality supervision, and key forestry project construction, and Revise existing laws and regulations according to new situations. Strengthen forestry law enforcement, strictly protect and manage forests and wild animal and plant resources, severely crack down on illegal and criminal activities such as indiscriminate logging, indiscriminate land reclamation, and indiscriminate hunting of wild animals. It is strictly forbidden to harvest wild plants at will. Strengthen the forestry law enforcement supervision system, enrich law enforcement supervision forces, improve law enforcement supervision conditions, and improve the quality of law enforcement supervision teams. Strengthen forestry legal education and ecological ethics education to create a good social atmosphere and law enforcement environment for law enforcement officers to act in accordance with the law.

8. Effectively strengthen leadership over forestry work

23. Party committees and governments at all levels must attach great importance to forestry work. It is necessary to fully understand the importance and urgency of strengthening forestry construction for the implementation of sustainable development strategies and the comprehensive construction of a well-off society, and incorporate it into the national economic and social development plan to ensure that awareness, responsibility, policies and work are in place. All relevant departments must conscientiously perform their duties and cooperate closely to support forestry development. In accordance with the needs of accelerating forestry development, the forestry administrative system shall be strengthened and the construction of forestry administrative institutions of governments at all levels shall be strengthened. Establish a complete forestry dynamic monitoring system, integrate existing monitoring resources, conduct dynamic monitoring of my country's forest resources, land desertification and other ecological changes, and regularly announce it to the public.

To improve the forestry promotion and service system, township forestry workstations are the most basic institutions that organize and manage forestry production and operations. They must give full play to their functions and roles such as policy publicity, resource management and protection, forestry law enforcement, production organization, science and technology promotion, and social services. The forestry industry must continue to carry forward the spirit of hard work and selfless dedication and make new contributions to promoting the development of forestry.

24. Adhere to and improve the forestry construction term target management responsibility system. It is necessary to rationally divide the powers of the central and local governments in forestry construction. The central government leads national forestry work and is mainly responsible for formulating forestry regulations, policies and national forestry development plans, guiding and coordinating the resolution of major forestry and ecological problems nationwide or across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and helping local governments accelerate forestry development. Local governments at all levels are fully responsible for the forestry work in their respective regions. The main responsible comrades of the government are the first persons responsible for forestry construction, and the comrades in charge of separate departments are the main persons responsible for forestry construction. For the main indicators of forestry construction, we implement tenure target management, strict assessment, strict rewards and punishments, and the implementation is supervised by the people's congress at the same level. The organizational departments of local party committees and disciplinary inspection and supervision agencies at all levels should use the implementation of the responsibility system as an important basis for performance evaluation, selection, appointment, rewards and punishments of cadres. In the construction of key national forestry projects, we must adhere to a management system that implements planning, decomposes tasks to provinces, allocates funds to provinces, and clarifies responsibilities to provinces. The progress of project construction must be regularly inspected and reported regularly. Establish a liability investigation system for major deforestation cases, illegal use of funds, and project quality accidents. For those who violate regulations, relevant leaders must be strictly held accountable.

25. Mobilize the whole society to care about and support forestry work. Trade unions at all levels, women's federations, the Communist Youth League and militia, youth, student organizations and other social groups must play their respective roles and mobilize forces from all walks of life to devote themselves to the cause of land greening. The People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police Force have made important contributions to protecting forests and greening the motherland. They must continue to carry forward their fine traditions and actively undertake the task of afforestation and greening. It is necessary to vigorously strengthen forestry publicity and education work to continuously improve the ecological security awareness of the entire nation. Primary and secondary education must strengthen relevant content and popularize forestry and ecological knowledge. News media should include forestry publicity within the scope of public welfare publicity.

All regions and departments must unite closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, conscientiously implement the important thought of "Three Represents", mobilize and organize the people across the country, and actively participate in The great cause of forestry construction, and strive to build our country into a modern socialist country with beautiful mountains and rivers, harmonious ecology, and sustainable development!