Happy New Year 2014

In the first day of year 2014, I travel to Lao Cai province to facilitate a workshop on 'Analysis of driving forces of deforestation and forest degradation' as part of UN-REDD phase 2 in Vietnam. Cold weather and quiet scene of the city provides me an ideal place to review of 2013 activities and the coming ones in the year 2014.

What was my most memorable event in 2013? That was the 4-month period in US provided by the Community Solutions Program (CSP) where all 53 fellows from 34 countries gathered in the the US to exchange, share, and learn together about Environmental issues, Women and Gender issues, Tolerance and Conflict resolution, and Transparency and Accountability.

The next memorable event was the book writing workshop in Hanoi where I met both international and national colleagues to discuss about book chapters we plan to publish in 2014. Some of my old friends are Yonariza, Asif, David, Dr. Lam, and other AITian in Hanoi. David Hulse - a closed friend of Vietnam who has been supporting Vietnamese young people for a new era of development. Our friend - Yonariza - now is professor at Andalas University.

Who I remembered most in year 2013? I remembered staff and colleagues of International Research and Educational Exchange (IREX) who hosts the CSP program. I remembered the time where Nicole delivered her speech with dropping tears in our final session at Washington D.C. Other IREX staff - Tom, Michelle, Jessica, Mary - have always supported us in every request. This team gives me a strong belief that we can make a better world no matter difference in language and culture.

What I commit to do in the year 2014:

1. Development of community forest enterprises (CFEs) as a tool to maximise benefits for the communities and minimise the risks of using payment for environmental services (PES) and from carbon payment (REDD).

2. Participation in REDD+ activities including research and consultancy. On the research, my focus is how PES/REDD can better mitigate the deforestation/forest degradation through local institutions. In consultancy, I will help to facilitate some activities in the project such as analyse the driving forces of deforestation in pilot provinces, facilitate some sustainable land uses and so on. 

3. Development the regional and international network through CORENARM activities. In 2014, the CRN will implement the EU-FLEGT funded project on 'strengthening roles of NGOs in central Vietnam on FLEGT/VPA process'. This will help to connect with other int'l and national NGOs in timber legacy and practice sustainable forest management. We will also welcome students from University of Minnesota (UMN) to join us in developing CFE pilots in some provinces. This activity will jointly collaborate with Center for Integrated NR & Agricultural Management (CINRAM) at UMN.

4. Publishing lectures and other research papers (2) on NRM issues.

Wish all commitments success in this 2014.

dungo