This Decree provides for forest protection and development planning and plans; forest assignment, lease and recovery; change of forest use purposes; recognition, registration, sub-lease, mortgage, etc. of forest use rights or ownership rights over planted production forests; statistics, inventory and monitoring of changes in forest resources; organization of forest management, protection, development and use. The Decree consists of 7 Chapters divided into 59 articles.
Institutions responsible for the state management of forest protection and development are outlined in the Decree. The responsibilities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development include, but not limited to, granting and guiding the grant and withdrawal of: forest protection and development permits of all types, permits for import and/or export of forestry varieties, and permits of the Vietnamese agency representing the Convention on International Trading of Endangered Species (CITES). Protection forests, special-use forests and production forests shall be established. The Decree includes provisions on the protection of forest ecosystems, forest flora and fauna.